The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1912-10-04

ncial causes. We pledge ourselves to such
full and immediate inquiry and to imme-
date action to deal with every need such
inquiry discloses.
We favor the union OF all the existing
agencies OF the federal government deal
ing with the public health into a single
national health service without discrimi-
nation against or for any one set of
therapeutic methods, schools OF medicine
or schools OF healing.
Business.
We demand that the test OF true pros
perity shall be the benefits. conferred
thereby on all the citizens, not confined to
individuals or classes, and that the test
OF corporate efficiency shall be the ability
better to serve the public.
We therefore demand a strong national
regulation Of interstate corporations. We
do not fear commercial power but we in
sist that 1t shall be exercised openly, I'M
der publicity, supervision and regulation
OF the most efficient sort, which will pre-
serve Its good while eradicating and pre-
venting its Ill.
To that end we urge the establishment
Of a strong federal administrative COM
mission of high standing, which shall
maintain permanent active supervision
over industrial corporations engaged in
are of public Importance, doing for them
what the government now does for the
national banks and what is now done for
the railroads by the interstate commerce
commission. Such commission must en-
force the complete publicity of those cor
porate transactions which are of public
interest; must attack unfair competition,
| false capitalization and special privilege,
and by continuous trained watchfulness
guard and keep open equally to all the
highways OF American commerce.
We pledge our party to secure to the
interstate commerce commission the pow
er to value the physical property of rail-
roads. We demand the abolition of the
commerce court
Currency.
We believe there exists imperative need
for prompt legislation for the improve
ment of our national currency system. We
believe the present method of issuing notes
through private agencies is harmful and
unscientifc. The issue of currency Ia fun
damentally a government function, and
the system should have,as basic principles
soundness and elasticity. The control
should be lodged with the government and
should be protected from domination or
manipulation by Wall street or any spe-
| cial interests
We are opposed to the so called Aldrich
currency bill because its provisions would
place our currency and credit system in
private hands. not subject to effective
public control
Conservation.
We heartily favor the policy of conser-
walton, and we pledge our party to protect
the national forests without hindering
their legitimate use for the benefit Of all
the people. Agricultural lands in the ma
tional forests are and should remain open
to the genuine settler Conservation will
not retard legitimate development.
We recognize the vital Importance of
good roads, and we pledge our party to
foster their extension in every proper
way and we favor the early construction
extension of the rural free delivery serv-
ice.
Tho coal and other natural resources of
Alaska should be opened to development
at once We demand that they shall nei-
Their be sold nor given away except un-
der the homestead law. but while held in
government ownership shall be opened to
use promptly upon liberal terms requiring
immediate development
Waterways.
The rivers Of the United States are the
natural arteries Of this continent. We de-
mand that they shall be opened to traffic
wide system Of transportation in which
the Panama canal will be the central
INK, thus enabling the whole interior OF
the United States to share with the At
lantic and Pacific seaboards In the bene-
fit derived from the canals. It 10 a ma
tional obligation to develop our rivers and
especially the Mississippi and its tribu-
taries without delay under a comprehen-
sive general plan.
The Panama canal, built and paid for
by the American people, must be used
primarily for their benefit. We demand
that the canal shall be SO operated as to
break the transportation monopoly now
held and misused by the transcontinental
railroads by maintaining sea competition
with them; that ships directly or indi-
reotly owned or controlled by American
railroad corporations shall not be permit
ted to use the canal and that American
ships engaged In coastwise trade shall
pay no tolls.
Tariff.
We demand tariff revision. Primarily the
benefit of any tariff should be disclosed
in the pay envelopes Of the laborer. We
declare that no industry deserves protec-
ton which Is unfair to labor or which is
operating in violation of federal law. Fair
dealing toward the people requires an i'm
mediate downward revision of those
schedules wherein duties are shown to be
unjust or excessive.
We pledge ourselves to the establish
ment of nonpartisan scientific tariff
commission, reporting both to the presi-
dent and to either branch of congress.
We believe that this commission should
have plenary power to elicit information
and for this purpose to prescibe a uni
form system Of accounting for the great
protected industries. The work of the
commission should not prevent the imme-
diate adoption OF acts reducing these
schedules generally recognized as excess
siVe,
We condemn the Payne-Aldrich bill as
| unjust to the people. The Republican or
ganization Is in the hands of those who
have broken and cannot be trusted to
keep the promise OF necessary downward
revision. The Democratic party is COM
mitted to the destruction of the protective
system through a tariff for revenue only.
policy which would inevitably produce
widespread Industrial and commercial dis
aster. We demand the immediate repeal
OF the Canadian reciprocity act.
We believe in a graduated inheritance
tax as a national means Of equalizing the
obligations OF holders of property to gov
eminent, and we hereby pledge our party
to enact such a federal law as will tax
10 roo tph paf,.rpipO 70 tho MI Fac