The Washington times., 1912-06-21
TONE Of PLATFORM
AS AGREED UPON
IS CONSERVATIVE
Tariff and Antitrust Law
Will Be Made Chief
Planks.

CHICAGO. June M.-When the sub
committee, which has In charge the
drafting of the 1912 Republican platform,
went into executive session, at a. m.
today. its members announced that they
would submit the final draft OF their
efforts to the full committee some time
during the forenoon. The committee
men were certain that the platform
would be completed before the creden-
tials committee reports.
All the early information as to the
text Of the various planks indicated
that 1t will be marked throughout by a
tone of conservatism, going further in
this direction, in some respects, than the
1908 document.
The tariff plank. on which Charles w.
Fairbanks, OF Indiana, and William
Barnes. jr., of New York. have bestow-
ed much labor, will promise tariff re-
vision under President Taft's commits
sion plan. the latter. being indorsed as
the only sensible scheme of tariff re-
vision now before the nation. The trust
plank proposes the enactment Of a law
defining how far a business combination
may go without rendering itself liable to
prosecution under the Sherman act, Ito
platform says. "those who honestly in
tend to obey the law may have a guide
for their actions and that those who
intend to violate the law may the more
surely be punished"
Woman Suffrage.
The Taft men refused to permit the
Roosevelt forces to get any support
from the women of the country that Is
denied to them. and they have adopted
plank which puts the party on record
as favoring the decision by the voters
of every State of whether or not they
want woman's suffrage. The plank Of
the subcommittee is adroitly drawn. but
In effect 1t provides that the question
should be disposed of on it's merits and
not killed through resorting to techni-
calities
In addition to ignoring the demand Of
Samuel Gompers and the other leaders
that the convention place the party on
| record as favoring the prohibition Of
the use of the Injunction In labor cases
without full notification and hearings to
both sides, the subcommittee passed up
the initiative, referendum. and recall
A strong plank opposing the recall of
| the judiciary was submitted to the sub
committee, but II was the consensus of
| opinion of the members that 1t would
be unwise to try to place the party on
record on this proposition at the pres
ent time.
Afraid Of Aldrich Plan.
The subcommittee also turned down
the proposed Endorsement Of the Aid
rich currency plan apparently. fearing
the Opposition to the plan under Its
present name. II has contented itself
with a simple declaration that cur
rency reform must De effected. and has
in this manner left to the Administra-
ton, II the party candidate is elected
IN November, an open course to chose
any plan 1t may eleHt. or any modifi-
| cation OF the present Aldrich Dlan.
The Roosevelt members OF the suh-
committee paid little attention TO the
| framing of the document. They re-
mained awaV from most of the sessions,
| insisting that, as the Taft men were
in control, they must shoulder the en-
tire responsibility for the platform.
Shortly after 10 o'clock Chairman
| Fairbanks dismissed the full committee
to await his call, announcing that the
| subcommittee woulI not be ready to
report until the afternoon.
Would Cut Down Votes.
w. s. Coleman, member of the rules
committee from Pennsylvania, Is pre-
pairing the minority report basing ap-
portionment of delegates upon the mum.
Der of votes cast at the preceding gen.
eral election. They propose to allow
one delegate for each 1000 Republican
votes cast. This would cut Texas rep
resentation, for instance, from forty to
six.