The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1915-09-08
KENTUCKY DEMOCRATIC
! PLATFORM

as adopted at Louisville, and upor
which A. o. Stanley will make the
race for Governor, is as follows:
Section National Administration
Commended and Wilson Endorsed for
Re-EIection.-We. the representatives
of the Democracy of Kentucky. in con.
vention assembled, do reaffirm our de.
votion to the principles of local self
government formulated by Thomas
Jefferson and preserved and enforced
by his illustrious Democratic success.
ors. We heartily indorse the present
Democratic Administration and review
with pride the promises made in the
last National Convention. Its plat.
form was a covenant made and kept
with the people. trusting, not without
cause, the wisdom, courage and patri
otism of the Democratic President and
Democratic Congress pledged to re
forms demanded by a public long de.
ceived and betrayed by the broken
faith, the sham, pretense and incom.
petence of their Republican prede-
cessors.
Our great President has been called
upon to solve the most grave and Sc
rious problems which have ever faced
any executive in this generation, and
his patience, strength and superb
craftsmanship have deserved and re-
ceived the confidence and approval OF
his countrymen and the admiration OF
the world. We believe that his mas
terry of the situation requires his re-
nomination in 1916, and heartily in.
dorse him as the party's most efficient
and trusted leader in the coming ma
tfonal election, believing that patriots
without regard to party recognize
Woodrow Wilson as the one man best
suited to bear the burdens and per.
form the herculean tasks now con
fronting the President of the United
States.
We heartily commend the efficient
service of our distinguished Senators
and Representatives in Congress who
have tirelessly and successfully en-
deavored to assist their colleagues in
the work of this Administration.
Section 2.-State lssues.-Faith in
the. people and faith kept with the
people are the fundamental truths OF
Democratic doctrine and practice. We
State Administration for its adherence
to these principles and its capable
and efficient administration of public
affairs. The Democratic State Plat
form of 1911 made covenants with the
people and our State Legislatures
have kept these covenants. We con
trast this record of party performance
with the utter failure of the Repub
lican administration during the four
years from 1907 to 1911 to carry into
effect the platform promises of the
Republican party.
Section 3.-Good Roads.-A Demo
cratic General Assembly and a Dem
ocratic Governor have restored State
aid to road building in Kentucky after
period of seventy-five years. In
consequence, 104 of the 120 counties
of the State are now preparing tc
build roads with State aid and under
State supervision. The State has
given its guarantee that the roads
built under State supervision will be
built honestly and intelligently. Good
roads mean an increase in the market
value of the land in every community
through which they run; they near
better price for farm products and
saving in the wear and tear of farm
vehicles. They mean access to the
church and the school and thus better
churches and better schools. They
substitute prosperity for poverty, not
alone for the individual, but for the
community and the State as well
Within five years, If the present plan
of road building is continued, every
county seat in Kentucky will be reach
ed by one or more roads constructed
under State supervision, each forming
| q part of the Statewide system.
The Democratic party pledges itseli
to a continuance of the State aid sys
tenn of road building and to add to its
effectiveness by more adequate su
pervision and to use it's every effort
to make available Federal aid to bs
used in connection with the aid fur
ndshed by the State and the respective
counties.
Section 4.-convIct Labor.-We IA
vor the adoption OF the constitutions
amendment authorizing the employ
ment of convicts on the public roads
of the Commonwealth. We favor tbs
abolition of. or such change in. the
Prison Contract Labor System as will
make available at the earliest pos
sible moment to the State and to the
several counties the labor of SUCH con
victs as may be safely worked outside
the walls Of the penitentiary in the
construction of public roads and il
the manufacture and production Of
road material.
Section Sour Public School Sys
tem.-The Democratic party has al
ways been the friend of education and
has built up our present excellent
school system. and we pledge our sup
port to the public school system Of
the State and to other educational in
stitutions and favor the enactment
Of such laws as wi1l guarantee thai
the money belonging to the school
fund and appropriated for school pur
poses is wisely and economically ad
ministered. Money spent for educa
ton is an Inyestment from which tbs