The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-09-26
THE EVENING BANNER
Bennington, VT.
Saturday, Sept. 26th, 1914.
DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM
Republican Extravaganza Condemn
ed at Recent State Convention

The democratic state convention at
Burlington Wednesday adopted a
platform in which the administration
OF state affairs under the republican
party is denounced as extravagant.
The platform is as follows:
We, the democrats of Vermont,
once more affirm our allegiance 20
the principles of democracy as enun-
ciated by jefferson, and exemplihed
by Jackson, Cleveland and Wilson.
We further declare it to be our belief
that under these principles, and
these principles alone, free govern
ments and individual rights only can
survive.
We congratulate the people of the
State and nation upon the achieve
ments of the Democratic party since
its return to power, rejoice in the re-
| lief that these achievements have af-
lorded from the long continued mis-
management and misrule of the Re-
publican party and we endorse, With
out reserve, the tariff reform, income
| tax, currency and banking, the Pana-
ma tolls and antitrust legislation of
| the administration.
We realize that for many weeks an
awful scourge of war was lowering
| over the nation and that through the
| great wisdom and the wise states
manship of President Wilson a de
| luge of blood was ave-ted. We
commend the policy of "watchful
| waiting" and fully believe that this
! policy carried out as it was by the
) administration to be the only one in
| the circumstances which could have
and did prevent a war between this
and sister republic.
Whilo we contemplate with amaze
ment and feeling of horror the fear
full conflict that is being waSed
among the nations of the eastern
hemisphere, the natural results of
kingly governments yet we rejoice
| exceedingly at the security OF this
| great republic insured by the wise
policy of neutrality promulgated and
so ably sustained by President VIII
son and we regard the peace treaties
! entered into by the administration
| among the greatest achievements
ever brought about for the lasting
benefit of mankind.
We condemn the policy OF republi-
canism which has been in vogue
within Vermont unrestrained for
more than 80 years and which mas
| led to the eXtravagant expenditure
of money with no adequate results.
The Office Of Encouragement was
created merely as another avenue to
| tho public treasury political clear
| ing house Though which to pay po-
litical debts with public funds. The
useless squandering of the peoples
money through this office as has been
| shown was only to be expected. We
| demand the abolichment of the Office
and that the employment Of unneces-
sary detectives at the public expense
stop.
Likewise many commissions nave
no legitimate or useful place in our
State. They were merely created for
political small change and should be
| abolished.
Local option as originally framed
was intended and well calculated to
| promote temperance. The party in
| power have and are manipulating
| this law so that its benefit purposes
are largely thwarted. This use of the
law we condemn and demand that il
| be restored to the real local option
law with the addition of the Inn
| keepers license and that license com
missioners be elected by the people.
We unspa-ingly condemn the waste
ful and shameless sQuandering of the
public money by the republicans for
their own political perpetuity which
| has resulted in imposing upon the
people for the first time in over a
| generation the burden of direct
state tax although the revenue from
ether sources has enormously in
| creased without necessity only to be
| diverted to the maintenance OF many
useless commissions and other ex.
penses.
We demand an honest and bust
ness like administration in every de-
partment Of public affairs.
Realizing the abuse and frequent
violation of the spirit OF the present
trustee exemption law we demand
that it be amended so that the protec-
ion afforded shall be clear and ex.
plicit and the adequate punishment
of any person who shall violate its
| provisions.
Wo favor.
/. Public instruction equally free
and available to all is the foundation
and bulwark of civic righteousness
and material well being. Carnegie
ism is wrong in principle and vicious
in practice. No good has come from
the recent propaganda emenating
from that source. Our schools must
and will stand upon their own merits
and excellence. We have unbounded
faith in the people OF Vermont to
place. without outside intermeddling.
her public instruction In the highest
state OF efficiency at the lowest cost
for the common education of all lin
a..