Evening star., 1912-07-03

enactment OF law creating depart
ment sof labor represented separately In
the Presidents cabinet. in which depart.
ment shall be included the subject OF
mines and mining
4 We pledge the democratic, party. so
far as the federal jurisdiction extends,
ing adequate indemnity for injury to body
or loss of life.
CONSERVATION.
We believe in the conservation and the
development. for the use Of all the people.
Of the naturah resources of the country.
Our forests. our resources Of water sup
ply, our arabic and OUR mineral lands,
our favigable streams and all the other
material resources with which our coun-
stitute the foundation ee oar national
wealth. Such additional legislation as
may be necessary to prevent their be-
ing wasted or absorbed by special o.
privileged interests should be enacted
and the policy Of their conservation
should be rigidly adhered to.
The public domain should be admins
tered and disposed Of with due regard to
the general welfare. Reservations should
be limited to the purposes which they
purport to serve and not extended to in
clude land wholly unsuited therefor. The
unnecessary withdrawal from sale and set
t'ement Of enormous tracts Of public land,
upon which tree growth never existed. and
cannot be promoted. tends only to re-
tard development. create discomfort and
bring reproach upon the policy OF con-
servation.
The public land laws should be admin
istered in sp!ri, Of the broadest liber-
alfty toward the settler. exhibiting a
bona f1de purpose to comply Herewith.
to the end that the invitation of this
government to the landless should be as
attractive as possible and the plain pro-
visions Of the forest reserve act permit
ting homestead entries to be made with
in the national forest should not be
nullified by administrative regulations
which amount to a withdrawal OF great
areas of the same from settlement.
Immediate action should be taken by
Congress to make available the vast and
valuable coal deposits of Alaska under
conditions that will be perfect guaranty
against their falling into the hands OF
monopoliztng corporations, associations
or interests.
We rejoice in the inheritance Of mineral
resources unequaled in extent. variety or
value. and in the development of min
ing industry unequaled in its magnitude
and Importance We honor the men who,
in their hazardous toll underground. daily
risk their lives in extracting and pre-
par-ng for our use the products of the
mine. so essential to the industries, the
commerce and the comfort of the people
of this country. and we pledge ourselves
to the extension of the work Of the
bureau of mines in every way appro-
pirate for national legislation. with a
view of safeguarding the lives OF the
miners. lessening the waste of essential
resources and promoting the economic
d0VQE0nmpnf m which
agriculture. must in the future. even
more than in the past. serve as the very
foundation OF our national prosperity
and welfare and our International COM
merce.
AGRICULTURE.
We believe In encouraging the develop
ment of a modern system of agriculture.
and a systematic effort to improve the
conditions Of trade in farm products, so
as to benefit both the consumers and pro-
dGcers And as an efficient means to this
END we favor the enactment by Congress
OF legislation that will suppress the per-
nicious practice Of gambling in agricul-
tural products by organized exchanges or
others.
MERCHANT MARINE.
We believe in fostering. by constitu-
tional regulation Of commerce. the growth
of merchant marine. which shall de-
velop and strengthen the commercial
ties which bind us to our sister republics
Of the south. but without imposing addi-
tional burdens upon the people. and with
out bounties or subsidies from the public
Treasury.
We urge upon Congress the speedy
enactment of laws for the greater Sc
curity of life and property at sea, and
we favor the repeal of all laws and the
abrogation OF so much of our treaties
with other nations as provide for the ar
rest and imprisonment of seamen charged
with deserton and violation Of their con-
tract OF service. Such laws and treaties
are un-American and violate the spirit, II
not the letter of the Constitution of the
United States.
We favor the exemption from toll OF
American ships engaged in coastwise
trade passing through the canal.