St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1914-09-02
PLATFORM READY
Republicans Submit Draft For Pub
Lie. PerusaI-WiII Be Acted On
At State Convention.


Convention at Montpelier, Sep
tember 9, met in Burlington, Tues
day, to consider a draft prepared by
Hon E. c. Mower of Burlington,
members present were M. G. Web
ber, of Rutland County; Juan Rob-
inson of Grand Isle County; M. P.
Maurice of Lameille County; James
Hardness of Windsor County; w. H.
Crockett of Washington County; w.
j. Bigelow of Caledonia County, and
S. G. Archibald of Bennington
County The draft as completed is
published for public inspection, and
a hearing by this committee will be
given at Montpelier the night before
the convention for the purpose of
hearing any suggestions of changes.
The platform as adopted by the
committee is as follows:
I'VE, the Republicans of Vermont,
in State Convention assembled here
by make public declaration of the
controlling principles and policies
deemed by us to be for the political,
social, and economic well-being of
the State of Vermont. We believe
emphatically that the people whose
suffrage a party seeks are entitled to
be informed frankly, explicitly and
without subterfuge or evasion of
what general polity and import it's
stewardship shall be, if accorded a
dominant voice in the administration
of government.
Accordingly, we recognize and
commend the growing popular deter
mination to hold political parties
strictly accountable for their acts
when in power, for thus only can our
government attain it's highest eff
cheney and the integrity of our in
stitutions be maintained
We take this occasion to reafirm
our allegiance to the Republican
party and the system of representa-
tive government. as established in
our state and national constitution
We recognize as a fact of manifold
significance that new and complex
social and economic conditions are
necessitating a redemption of the
relations between the state and the
people, and imposing upon the
agencies of government novel duties
and responsibilities. We have found
that the Republican party is fully
responsive to this new political era,
that it is progressive along the line
of permanent advancement in shap-
ing our institutions of government,
and that it will work for the realiza-
tion in our institutions of the higher
social justice, the quality of political
freedom which characterizes the pres
ent civic movement.
Accordingly we pledge ourselves
to a program of constructive legis-
lation that shall afford practical and
effective recognition of the awaken
ed political conscience of state and
nation.
We believe that under the wise
and forward looking leadership which
characterizes it's counsels, the Repub-
lican party has before it an unrival-
ed opportunity for political service.
and that the party claims, merits and
asks the loyal support of all good
citizens.
Tariff.
We declare anew our adherence
to the republican policy of protec-
ton of American industry and our
people in a tariff system that will in
sure profitable employment of Amer
lean labor and American capital
We hold that the tariff law fnaug-
urated by the present democratic ad-
ministration, framed as it was by
those advocating the theory that the
Federal Government under the Con-
stitution has no right or power to
impose or collect tariff duties except
for purposes of revenue, has not
only failed in it's avowed purpose of
cheapening the necessaries of life to
the consumer, but has disorganized
our industry, subjected our labor to
disastrous and unnecessary foreign
competition and impaired our tariff
revenues.
Again we express our belief that
future tariff re-adjustments should
be under the advice of a tariff board
or commission so constituted as to
be removed from the suspicion of
partisan intrigue, and so conspicu-
Gus in personnel as to insure the
highest degree of technical ability
and the most unbiased judgment We
believe the time has come for the
elimination from tariff revision, so
far as may be, of partisan connection
and sectional strife, to the end that
our tariff system may be framed with
an eye single to the welfare of the
entire nation, and necessary changes
therein effected from time to time
without crippling American indus
tries.
Direct Primary.
The people of Vermont have de-
clared unequivocably and decisively
in favor of the direct primary. Ac-
cordingly we pledge ourselves to the
enactment of a comprehensive and
practical direct primary law, and we
recommend that such a measure re-
ceive the early attention of the next
general assembly, so that it may be
insured thorough legislative and pop
ular discussion.
WOrImen's Compensation Law.
Vermont is to be congratulated M
on the generally satisfactory reIa-
tions existing between employer and |
employee within our borders. This |
Continued on page four