Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1912-07-09
PLATFORM ADOPTED
AT BALTIMORE
Important PIanks Are Devoted
to Tariff Reform and Anti
Trust Law.

We, the representative of the DEM
ocratic party Of the United States, in
national convention assembled, re-
affirm our devotion to the principles
| of democratic government formulated
by Thomas Jefferson and enforced by
long and illustrious line of demo
cratic presidents,
Tariff Reform.
We declare it to be fundamental
principle of the democratic party that
| the federal government under the con-
stitution has no right or power to I'M
pose or collect tariff duties except for
! the purpose of revenue, and we de-
mand that the collection of such taxes
shall be limited to the necessities OF
government, honestly and economi-
cally administered.
The high republican tariff is the
principal cause of the unequal dlstrl-
button of wealth; it is system OF tax
alton which makes the rich richer and
the Door poorer; under its operations
the American farmer and laboring man
are the chief sufferers; 1t raises the
cost of the necessities of life to them,
but does not protect their product or
wage. The farmer sells largely in the
free markets and buys almost entirely
in the protected markets. In the most
highly protected industries, such as
cotton and WOOL steel and iron, the
wages of the laborers are the lowest
paid in any of our industries.
We denounce the republican stand
on the subject, and assert that Amerl-
can wages are established by compet-
tive conditions, and not by the tarlff.
Downward Revision.
We favor the immediate downward
revision of the existing high, and IN
many cases, prohibitiye tariff duties
Insisting that material reductions De
speedily made upon the necessarles OF
life. Articles entering into competl-
ton with the trust-controlled products
and articles of American manufacture
which are sold abroad more cheaply
than at home should be put upon the
free list.
We recognize that our system OF
tariff taxation is intimately connected
with the business of the country ana
we favor the ultimate attainment Oh
the principles we advocate by legisla-
ton that will not injure or destroy
legitimate industry
We denounce the action of President
Taft In vetoing the bills to reduce the
tariff in the cotton, woolen, metals ana
chemicals schedules and the farmers
free list bill, all of which were design
ed to give immediate relief TO the
masses from the exactions OF the
trusts.
The republican party, while promls-
ing tariff revision, has shown by the
tariff legislation that such revision Is
not to be in the peoples interest and,
having been faithless to It's pledges OF
1908. il should no longer enjoy the
confidence of the nation. We appeal
to the American people to support us
In our demand for a tariff for revenue
only.
Hioh Cost of Living.
The high cost of living Is a serious
nroblem in every American home. The
republican party, in its platform, at
+ tempts to escape from responsibility
for present conditions by denying that
they are due to protective tarln. we
take issue with them on this subject
and charge that excessive prices result
in a large measure from the hlgh TAR
ID iff laws enacted and maintained by the
republican party and from trusts ana
commercial conspiracies fostered ana
u encouraged by such laws, and we as
)r sert that no substantial relief can De
le secured for the people until 'mpost du-
n Ties on the necessaries of life are ma,
terially reduced and those crimlhal
y conspiracies broken up.
IT, Anti Trust Law.
al A private monopoly is indefensible
and intoIerable. We therefore tayor
Y. the vigorous enforcement OF the Grim
4 inaI as well as the civil law, against
trusts and trust officials and demand
le enactment OF such additional legisla.
es tion as NAV be necessary to make II
o. impossible for a private monopoly to
no exist I'm the United States. we laVOI
the declaration by law Of the condl
lions upon which corporations shall DC
OF nermitted to engage In Interstate
IA trade including. among others, the pre-
,r. vention of holding companies, OF inter
lockinp directors, of stock watering
Ie of discrimination in price and contro
.g- NV anv CORPORATION OF so large pro
IN nortiou of any industry as 10 make j.
or a menace to competitive conditions.
- We condemn the action Of the re
uublicau administration IN cOinproHilS
er ing with the Standard on com pam
j. and with the tobacco trust. ana lti
/. failure 10 invoke the criminal proNs
IONS of the antitrust laws agalns
those corporations after the couri ue
cIared that from the undisputed iacu
IN in the record they had violated lh'
;" criminal provisions Of the law W.
regret that the Sherman antitrust 'a'
S. has received a judicial CONSTRUCTION
deriving 81 Of much of its efficacy
Of and We favor the enactment OF leglAa
- lion which will restore to the statut
the strength Of which IL is deprived o.
such Interpretation.
re- Rights Of the states.
10 We believe iH the preservation am
sn- ,,ainfenance in their full strength an
he integrity OF the three co-ordinat
r. br.ncbes Of the federal government
lie executive. the legislative ana IN
5ndicial-each keeping within us os
bounds and not elcr0aching upon 'h
in.t powers Of each OF the others.
.-5 Relieving that the most efficient =
''- s,its under our system Of goyernmen
ies are 10 BE- attained By the full eKercis
he by the states OF their reserve so'e
nd - uowerg. we den0unce as usurp'
H .