The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1912-08-15

opened to immediate use under laws
which will encourage development and
make to the people a moderate return
for benefits conferred.
In particular. we pledge our system
to the public for water power rights
hereafter granted by the public. We
pledge legislation TO lease the public
grazing lands under equitable pro-
visions. now pending. which will in
crease the production of the food for
the rights OF the actual homemaker
Natural resources, whose conservation
Is necessary for the national welfare,
should be owned or controlled by the
nation.
Good Roads.
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 of national highways. We
also favor the extension Of the rural
free delivery service.
Alaska.
The Goa and other natural resources
Of Alaska should be opened to develop
ment at once. They are owned by the
people of the United States and are safe
from monopoly. waste or destruction
only while so owned. We demand that
| fhnu ohon -o,fLo~ - coll -.-x--
away except under the homestead law,
but while held in government owner
ship shall be opened to use promptly
upon liberal terms requiring imme-
date development.
Thus the benefit Of cheap fuel will
accrue to the government Of the United
States n to the people of Alaska and
the Pacific coast the settlement of
extensive agricultural lan6s will be
fastened, the determination of the
salmon will be prevented and the just
n wise development Of Alaskan re-
sources will take the place of private
extortion or monopoly. We demand
also that extortion or monopoly in
transportation shall be prevented by
the prompt acquisition. construction
or improvement by the government of
such railroads, harbors and other ia
c%ilities for transportation as the well
fare of the people may demand.
We promise the people Of the terri
tory Of Alaska the same measure of
local self government that was given
to other American territories and that
federal officials appointed there shall
be qualified by previous bona ide resi-
dence in the territory.
Waterways.
h rivers Of the United States are
the natural arteries of this continent.
We demand that they shall be opened
to traffic as indispensable parts of a
great nationwide system Of t~ransporta-
ton in which the Panama canal will
be the central line, thus enabling the
whole interior Of the United States to
share with the Atlantic and Pacific
~seaboards in the benefits derived from
the canal. 1t is a national obligation
to develop our rivers, especially the
Mississippi and its tributaries, without
delay, under a comprehensive general
plan covering each river system from
Its source to it's mouth, designed to Sc
cure us nlSneSC uSeIulneSS Tor naV1ga-
ton, irrigation. domestic supply and
the prevention Of floods. We pledge our
party to the immediate preparation of
such a plan, which should be made and
carried out in close and friendly CO.
operation btween the nation, the states,
and the cities affected. Under such a
plan the destructive floods of the Mis-
sissippi n other streams, which rep
resent a great and needless loss to the
nation, would be controlled by forest
conservation and water storage at the
headwaters and by levees below; lands
sufficient to support millions of people
would be reclaimed from the deserts
ana the swamps, water power enough
to transform the Industrial standing
of whole states would be developed,
adequate water terminals would be
provided, transportation by river would
revive and the railroads would be COM
PEELED to cooperate as freely with the
boat lines as with each other. The equip
ment, organization and experience ac-
CURED in constructing the Panama
canal, soon will be available for lakes
to the gulf deep waterway and other
portions of this ~reat work, and should
be utilized by the nation in cooperation
with the various states at the lowest
net cost to the people.
Panama Canal.
The Panama canal, built and paid for
by the American people, must be used
primarily for their benefit. We de-
mand that the canal shall be so oper-
ated as to break the the transportation
monopoly now held and misused by the
transcontinenta1 railroads by maintain
ing sea competition with them; that
ships directly or indirectly owned or
controlled by American railroad cor
porations shall not be permitted to use
the canal, and that American ships en-
gagged in coastwise trade shall pay no
tolls.
The progressive party shall favor leg
~islation having for its aim the develop
ment of friendship and be-
tween the United States and Latin
| American states.
Tariff.
We believe in a protective tariff
which shall equalize conditions Of com
petition between the United States and
foreign countries, both for the M
and the manufacturers. which shall en-
terrain for labor an adequate standard
of living.
Primarily, the benefit of any tariff
should be disclosed in the pay envel-
ope Of the laborer. We declare that
no industry deserves protection which
Is unfair to labor or which is operat-