The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-08-06


 the staggering blows to business" in cfdent to former general revisions. The effect will be to wipe out the "log roll ing and vote trading" secured by spe- cial interests in the past. "Only by this means can tariff be taken out of politics" '"The substitution of tariff for revenue only, as proposed by the Democratic platform, would plunge this country into the most widespread in- dustrial depression we have ever seen." The revision shall be downward and not upward and secure square deal not merely to the manufacturer, but to the wage worker and to the general consumer
 The. High Cost of Living.
 ''The cost of living" says MT. Roose welt, "has risen during the last few years out of all proportion to the in crease of most salaries and wages" :" What is first necessary is fearless, in telligent and searching inquiry into the whole subject, made absolutely by nonpartisan body of experts with no prejudice to warp their mind, no pr1- vate object to serve, who shall recom- mend any necessary remedy needless of what interest, may be hurt thereby and caring only for the interests of the people as a whole" The Republicans promise such an inquiry, but their rank dishonesty of action at the Chicago convention makes their every promise worthless It is hopeless to turn to the Democratic party for relief, be- cause first the Democratic party sfaf fleets to find the entire high cost of liv- ing in the tariff Ignoring the patent fact that the problem is world wide, equally pressing in free trade England and in highly protected Germany Moreover, if the Democrats are sincere they must take all duties off the prod ucts of the farmer, and we certainly cannot afford to have the farmer struck down. Various clements, economic, political and social, are pointed out by Mir. Roosevelt as contributing to the high cost of living. But effective legis- lation regarding it can only be framed on a comprehensive scale after thor ough, scientific and prompt inquiry.
 There is TO more curious deIuston than that the Democratic platform is a progressive platform The Demo cratic platform, representing the best thought of the acknowledged Demo cratic leaders at Baltimore, is purely retrogressive and reactionary There is no progress in it. It represents an effort to go back-to put this nation of .1OO,OO0,O00, existing under modern conditions, back to whore it was as nation of 25,OOO, 900 in the days of the stagecoach and cana1boat Such an at tltude is toryism, not progressivism.
 The Currency.
 Mir. Roosevelt declares that our pres ent bank currency based on govern ment bonds is unscientific and urges the adoption of system which shall provide elasticity in the credit and currency necessary for the conduct of business, free from recurring panics." The control of such system should be in the hands of the government and must be free from manipulation by Wall street or the large interests
 Conservation. M
 Under this head Mir. Roosevelt reaf- firms his well known policy on the con- seryation and reclamation of national resources. We must conserve our soil, our forests our mines, not only for our own benefit. but for the benefit of our children and descendants. '.The public. should not alienate its fee in the water power which will be of incalculable value as source of power in the i'm mediate future and i've should under take the complete development and control of the Mississippi as a national work, just as we have undertaken the work of building the Panama canal.
 Alaska.
 "In Alaska the government has an opportunity of starting in what is al-l most a fresh field to work out various problems by actual experiment" It should at once construct, own and op- crate all the railways in Alaska. It should keep the fee of all coal fields and allow them to be operated by les zee with the condition in the lease that Aon-,lse shall operate as a forfeit. A system of land taxation should be tried which promotes the. actual use of land and discourages the holding of land for speculation. The telegraph lines should be owned and operated by the government.
 international Affairs.
 "In interna tional affairs this country should behave toward other nations ex-. actly as an honorable private citizen behaves toward other private citizens" Our small army should have efficiency; the navy must be steadily built up un- til Tit proves possible to secure by in ternational agreement a general re6uc- ton of armaments = the Panama canal must be fortified. Panama canal tolls on deep water. commerce should be uniform to all nations, including our selves. American coastwise vessels should pass through the canal free, for this would be no discrimination against foreign nations and would give us req sonable competition with transconti- mental railways No foreign treaty should be entered into which we do not mean to scrupulously observe in every particular.
 Conclusion.
 Tn summing up the specific policies expounded in his address Mr. Roosevelt spoke as follows: s-Now, friends, this is my confession of faith. I have made it rather long because I wish you to know just what