Norwich bulletin., 1912-07-04


 of the power that wealth gives to those who possess it.
 We condemn the present methods of depositing government funds in few favored banks, largely situated in or controlled by Wall street, in return for political facors, and we pledge our party to provide by lew for their de- postt by competitive bidding in the banking institutions of the country, national and state, without discrimin- ation as to locality, upon approved se- curities and subject to call by the gov ernment
 Rural Credits.
 Of equal importance with the ques- tion of currency reform is the question of rural credits or agricultural finance. Therefore we recommend that an in vestigation of agricultural credit so- cieties in foreign counties be made, so that it may be ascertained whether a system of rural credits may be devis- ed suitable to conditions in the Unted States, and we also favor legislation permitting national banks to loan reasonable proportion of their funds on real estate security. We recognize the value of vocational education and urge federal appropriations for such training and extension teaching in az riculture in cooperation with the sew eral states.
 Waterways.
 We renew the declaration in our last platform relating to the conservation of our natural resources and the de- velopment of our waterways. The pres ent devastation of the lower Missis- sippi valley accentuates the movement for the regulation of river flow by additional banks and levee protection below the diversion, storage and con trol of the flood waters above and their utilization for beneficial purposes in the reclamation of arid and swamp lands and the development of water power, instead of permitting the floods to continue, as heretofore, agents of destruction.
 We hold that the control of the Mis- sissippi river is a national problem, The preservation of the depth of it's water for the purpose of navigation. the building of levees to maintain the integrity of it's channel, and the pre- vention of the overflow of the land and it's consequent devastation, resulting in the interruption of interstate com merce. and the disorganization of the mail service and the enormous loss of life and property. impose an obliga- tion which alone can be discharged by the general government.
 To maintain an adequate depth of water the entire year and thereby en- courage water transportation is a con summation worthy of legislative at tention and presents an issue national in its character. It calls for prompt action on the part of congress, and | the democratic party pledges itself to | the enactment of legislation leading to that end.
 We favor the cooperation of the l United States and the respective states | in plans for the comprehensive treat ment of all waterways with a view to | co-ordinating plans for channel i'm | provement with plans for drainage of swamp and overf1owed lands and to | this end we favor the appropriation | by the federal government of sufficient | funds to make surveys of such hands. | to develop plans for draining the game and to supervise the work of oonstruc- | tion.
 We favor the adoption of a liberal and comprehensive plan for the devel- | opment and improvement of our inland waterways. with economy and efflcien- cy, so as to permit their navigation by vessels of standard draft.
 Pure Food and Public Health.
 We reaffirm our previous declara- tions advocating the union and strengthening of the various govern mental agencies relating to pure foods quarantine, vital statistics and public health. Thus united and administered without partiahty to or discrimination against any school of medicine or sys- tenn of healing, they would constitute a single health service, not subordinat- ed to any commercial or financial in- terests. but devoted exclusively to the conservation of human life and eff ciency, Moreover, this health service should cooperate with the health agencies of our various states and cit les, without interference with theiI prerogatives or with the freedom oi individuals to employ such medical o' hygienie aid as they may see fit.
 CiviI-SerVice Law.
 The law pertaining to the civil serv- lee should be honestly and rigidly en. forced, to the end that merit and abil- ity should be the standard of appoint. meHt and promotion, rather than ssrv. ice rendered to a political party; and We favor q reorganization of the eivi
 service with adequate compensation commensurate with the class of worl performed, for all officers and em. pleyes; we also favor the extension to all classes of civil service employea of the benefits of the provisions of tn, employers liability law we also rec. ognize the right of direct petition [, congress by employees for the redresl of grievances,
 Law Reform. We recognize the urgent need of re form in the administration of alvil ana criminal law in the United States, ana we recommend the enactment of sucl 1 legislation and the promotion of sucl
 measures as will rid the present legs l system of the delays, expense and un
 eertainties incident to the system a
 now administered
 f The Philippines. 7 We reaffirm the position thrice an ] nounced by the democracy in nations convention assembled against a polio, s of imperialism and exploitation in tn Q Philippines or elsewhere. We condemn a the experiment In imperialism as al = inexcusable blunder which has in - volved us in enormous expense r brought us weakness instead o l strength, and laid our nation open t
 the charge of abandonment of tn Fundamental doctrine of self-govern
 ment. We favor an immediate decla | ration Of the natlons purpose 10 recOg n nize the independence of the Philip - pine islanos as soon as a stable gov - ernment can be established such inde = pendence to be guaranteed by us unt the naturalization of the islands ca. s be secured by treaty with other pow e CTS. In recognizing the independenc . of the Philippines, our government o retain such land as may be necessar Q for coaling stations and naval bases. I Arizona and New Mexico. I We welcome Arizona and New Mex
 ico to the sisterhood of states an
 heartily congratulate them upon thei
 suspicious beginning of great and gtc
 rious careers.
 e Alaska.
 n We demand for the people of flask o the full enjoyment of the rights an