The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-10-07
THE DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORM
Points to a Record of Achieve Inent in Nation and State That Must Win Even the Ad- miration of the Enemy.

cut in state convention assembled re- a.ff1rms it's allegiance to the tine-hon- ored principles of Democracy and heartily endorses the Democratic ad- ninistration of national affairs under | the able leadership of Woodrow Will
 son and the administration of our state government under the conscien- l tious and able guidance of Governor Simeon E. Baldwin.
 Events have vindicated the peace-
 fu1, yet firm and statesmaniike foreign policy of the present Democratic ad- rainistration of our national affairs and l effectively si1enced it's most rabid
 critics With a patience, courage and l ability never surpassed in the history l of American diplomacy, the present Democratic administration throughout
 a most trying ordeal has upheld our national honor without involving our l country in foreign complications and has earned the lasting gratitude of our southern neighbors by helping to place them in a fair way to enjoy that freedom yet unknown to the Mexican 1 people.
 The record of the Democratic party ! in Congress has been one of the prom | ises redeemed. The tariff has been re- vised, banking and currency bill 1 generally acknowledged to be effective l in the prevention of panics has been passed and the income tax produces revenue for the federal government ! w payers for they pay in proportion to Connecticut elected a Democratic governor in 1910 and in 1912 reelected l him together with a Democratic Sen l atS. We make this report to the peo- l ple who thus put us 8 position of par 1 tiaI authority, of what we have ac- complished since 1910.
 I We found upon the statute books a | corrupt practice act which required no Ireport from candidates for office of i what they had expended in their cam
 paign We caused it's amendment so
 as to require such reports and to make the act for the first time a
 thing of value instead Of a political 1 sham.
 We found the state divided into four congressional districts, very unequal
 in population. when the law of the
 United States required it's division into five districts equal in population We i secured obedience to this law. ] We found a highway department run as a political machine. multiplying, l without system, roads lacking the I proper qualities of endurance. We l have made it a department of public l service directed by a competent civil engineer, acting on well adjusted
 plans and achieving satisfactory re- suits.
 We found cennecticut still clinging 1 to the ancient theory that the owner l of q factory was only liable in ease he.
 was himself in fault for injuries to employees We abolished 1t and re- placed it by the workmen's compen- 1 sation act.
 This state had no civil service law. We secured the passage of one under which merit is now the test for adE
 mission to all clerkships and other minor .ofaces to the public service | We found no general law in exist ence under which banks and trust companies could be organized and We
 secured the enactment Of one, there l by doing away with one branch Of special legislation.
 We advocated and secured the rat l ification by this state of an amend ment to the constitution of the United States by which Senators of l be elected by direct vote Of the people.
 We secured the passage of a reso- lution recommending to the favorable consideration of Congress another amendment to the constitution under
 President and Vice-PresToent shall also be cast by the people directly l instead of by the clumsy agency of presidential electors.
 l We found that practice had grown up at the capitol under Re | publican administration by virtue of | which retiring state officials carried away furniture that belonged to tho state and we put an end to that. We found the funds to the credit of the ivarious state departments and inzti- I tuti ons generally deposited in hanks where no interest or interest at wl1oi- l ly inadequate rates was paid. We | put an end to that.
 The record of the Democratic Sen i ate il carrying out the last Demo cratic platform by voting for direct I--prirnaries the election of county com
 nlissfoners by the people, and the ap- fpointment of minor court judges by l the governor entities the Democratic party in this state to the support of all citizens who desire good government; and Is in marked contrast of the action Of the Republican House of Repre- sentatives in voting down the above reforms
 We now ask the people of this state
 as we render to them this account of our stewardship to advance us to full
 control of the executive and legislative departments We again declare in fa- vor of that system of party nomina- tions known as the direct primary and nomination by petition and also the initiative and referendum; the princt- pie of home rIe for our cities, towns and boroughs; the election of county commissioners by popular vote; the ap- pointment by the governor of all l judges of minor courts; the repeal of the personal tax law; and the abolish nent of the custom of granting public franchises without adequate eompen- sation and protection to the public. We favor the short ballot, general
 laws which will do away with the ne
 cessity for special legislation, a central purchasing agency for state institu- tons, the fostering and encourag ement
 of agricultural interest; the extension
 of the good roads movement as rapidly as a sound administration of the state S finances will permit and the exten+ sion of the states campaign against l tuberculosis.
 We favor such changes in the work. lnaen'a 0omnenaaHon 1aw as tha axoax-