The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1912-08-14
THE PROGRESSIVE PLATFORM

u
THE PROGRESSIVE PLATFORM.
For length, variety OF topics dis
cussed and vote-catching devices, the
platform adopted At the progressive
convention in Chicago is a document
that deserves q place in American
political literature. According to
press dispatches. the platform is over
5000 words In length-a feature that
d~iscourages busy people from attempt
ing to give careful and delibera ate
study to its contents-a summary OF
its more important paragraphs being
as follows:
The platform declares that ''the old
parties have become the tools of cor
rupt interests which use them Impair
TALLY to serve their selfish purposes"
and that the ''new party offers itself
as the instrument Of the people to
sweep away old abuses and to build a
new and able commonwealth"
Declares, under heading, ''the rule
of the people," for direct primaries
for the nomin alton of state and ma
tional officers and candidates for
president, for the popular election OF
United States senator's, and urges on
the states the use OF the short ballot.
with responsibility to the people Sc
cured by the initiative, referendum
and recall"
Pledges party to provide "a more
easy and expeditions method of
amending the federal constitution"
Pledges party to secure equal SUI
frage.
Pledges enactment of legislation
limiting campaign contributions and
expenditures and providing for pub.
licity thereof.
Opposes participation by federal ap.
pointees in state and national conven.
tons.
Demands "such restrictions of the
power of the courts al shall leave to
the people the ultim ate authority to
determine fundamental questions OF
social welfare aud public policy"
Pledges reform, believing that the
issuance of injunctions in labor dis
putes should be prohibited. when such
injunctions would not apply where
labor disputes existed"
Declares against child labor and
for a minimum wage for women, for
prevention of industrial accidents,
safeguards for health and employees,
publicity as to wages, eight hour work
day, and establishment of a federal
department of labor.
Urges re-establishment of country
life commission and promotion of vel
fare of farmers.
Urges investigation as to high cos
of living.
Favors q single national health ser
vice.
Demands national regulation of in
te%rstate corporations and urges thu
establishment Of q federal commits
sion t O supervise interstate industrial
= corporations"
3 Pledges enactment of q patent Law
that will prevent monopolies.
Favors legislation giving interstate
commerce commission power to valu'
r physical property OF railroads and de
mands abolition of the commerc
court.
f Favors government corporation
with manufacturers and producers il
, extending foreign commerce.
Declares for prompt development Q
. all national resources, condemninI
exploitation, waste and monopolizs
2 ton.
Urges reasonable compensation t
the public for water rights.
Declares for good roads, nations
. highways, and extension OF rural fire
o delivery; immediate development c
q natural OF Alaska an
promises to that territory local sc
government.
Pledges party to immediate prepar'
ton of q plan to develop the rive,
OF the country, especially the Missi'
n sippi and tributaries.
o Expresses belief In q protective tart
which shall equalize the conditions
D. competition between the United State
,e and foreign countries of all classe
y demands tariff revision, because Il
ID present tariff is unjust to the peop
ul OF the United States and pledges Il
Dr. party to the establishment of q no
,g partisan scientific tariff revision.
at Condemns the Payne-Aldrich bi
OF and the democratic party tariff polio
OF as obstructive OF the protective sy
ne tenn" Demands immediate repeal
the Canadian reciprocity act.
he Favors the inheritance and incor