Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-09-29
Platform of the Progressive Party Ad-
opted at It's First National Con-
vention at Chicago

believe that the presumption is always in
favor of the consuming public
We demand tariff revision because the
present tariff is unjust to the people of the
United States. Fair-dealing toward the peo-
pie requires an immediate downward revi-
sion OF those schedules wherein duties are
shown to be unjust or excessive.
We pledge ourselves to.the establishment
Of non-partsan scientific tariff commission,
reporting both to the President and to either
branch of Congress, which shall report, first,
as to the costs OF production, efficiency of la
Dor. capitalization, industrial organization
and efficiency and the general competitive
position in this country and abroad of in
dustres seeking protection from Congress;
second, as to the revenue-producing power
of the tariff and its relation to the resource,
of government; and, third, as to the effect
OF the tariff on prices, operations Of middle
men, and on the purchasing power OF tne
consumer.
We believe that this commission should
have plenary power to elicit information,
and for this purpose to prescribe a uniform
system OF accounting for the great protected
industries. The work OF the commission
should not prevent the immediate adoption
OF acts reducing those schedules generally
recognized as excessive.
We condemn the Payne-Aldrich bill as I'M
just to the people. The Republican organ
ization is in~the hands of those who have
broken, and cannot again be trusted to keep,
the promise of necessary downward revi-
sion. The Democratic party is committed
to the destruction of the protective system
through tariff for revenue only-a polio
which would inevitably produce widespread
industrial and commercial disaster
We demand the immediate repeal of the
Canadian reciprocity act.
High Cost of Living.
The high cost of living is due partly to
worldwide and partly to local causes; partly
to natural and partly to artificial causes. The
measures proposed in this platform on var
ous subjects such as the tariff, the trusts
and conservation, will of themselves tend 70
remove the artificial causes.
There will remain other elements such as
the tendency to leave the country for the
city, waste extravaganza bad system of tax
alton. poor methods of raising crops and bad
business methods in marketing crops.
To remedy these conditions requires the
fullest information and based on this info
nation, effective government supervision
and control to remove all the artificial
causes. We pledge ourselves to such f.
and immediate inquiry and to immediate ac-
ton to deal with every need such inquily
dscloses.
Currency.
We believe there exists imperative need
for prompt legislation for the Improvement
of our national currency system. We believe
the present method of issuing notes through
private agencies is harmful and unscientifc.
The issue OF currency is fundamentally a
government function and the system should
have as basic principles soundness and elias
ITCHY. The control should be lodged with
the government and should be protectl
from domination or manipulation by Wall
Street or any special interests
We are opposed to the so-caled Aldrich
currency bill, because its provisions would
place Our currency and credit system in pri-
vate hands, not subject to effective public
control.
Conservation.
The natural resources of the nation must
be promptly developed and generously usel
to supply the peoples needs, but we cannot
safely allow them to be wasted exploited,
monopolized, or controlled against the gen.
eral good. We heartily favor the policy 81
conservation, and we pledge our party to
protect the national forests without hinder
ing their legitimate use for the benefit of all
the people
Agricultural lands in the national forests
are, and should remain, open to the genuine
settler Conservation will not retard legiti-
mate DEVELOPMENT The honest settler mus.