Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-06-09

cause government ownership, while eff
fectiVely preventing the development
OF the American merchant marine by
private capital, will be entirely unable
to provide for the vast volume OF
American freights and will leave us
more helpless than ever III the hard
grip of foreign syndicates
Transportation Laws.
interstate and interstate transpor-
tation have become so interviewer that
the attempt to apply two and often sew
eral sets OF laws to its regulation has
produced conflicts of authority, en-
barrassment in operation and incon-
venlence and expense to the public.
THE entire transportation system
of the country has become essentially
national. We, therefore, favor such
action by legislation or, if necessary,
through an amendment to the consti-
tuition of the United States, as will re-
suit in placing it under exclusive fed
eral control.
ECONOMY and National Budget.
"The increasing cost of the national
government and the need for the
greatest economy of its resources IN
order to meet the growing deL~ nds
of the people for government service
| call for the severest condemnation OF
the wasteful appropriations OF this
democratic administration, OF Its
| shameless raids on the treasury and
of its opposition to and rejection OF
President Taft's repeated propos-
| ais and earnest efforts to secure econ
omy and efficiency through the estab-
| lishment of simple businesslike
| budget system, to which we pledge
our support and which we hold to be
! necessary to effect any real reform in
| the administration of national finances
Natural Resources.
Eve believe in a careful husbandry
! of all the natural resources o. the ma
tion-a husbandry which means de-
velOpment without waste, use without
abuse.
Civil Service Reform.
The civil service law has always
been sustained by the republican party
and we renew our repeated declara-
ton that it shall be thoroughly anG
| honestly enforced and extended wher.
ever practicable. The democratic
party has created since March 4. 1913
10000 Offices outside of the civil ser,
vice law at an annual cost of $4,000,
600 to the taxpayers of the country.
We condemn the gross abuse anC
the misuse of the law by the presen
democratic administration and pledge
ourselves to a reorganization of this
service along lines of efficiency anC
economy.
Territorial Officials.
"Reaftlrming the attitude lon;
maintained by the republican party
we hold that officials appointed to ad
minister the government of any terri
tory should be bona fide residents 0
the territory in which their duties ar,
to be performed.
Labor Laws.
We pledge the republican party t,
the faithful enforcement of all fed
eral laws passed for the protection 0
labor, We favor vocational education
the enactment and rigid enforcement
OF federal child labor law; the enact
ment of a generous and COmDrehen
sive wOrkmen's compensation law
within the commerce power of con
gress, and an accidental compensation
law covering all government employees
We favor the collection and collation.
under the direction of the department
of labor, Of complete data relating Il
industrial hazards for the information
of congress, to the end that such leg
islation may be adopted as may be cal
culated to secure the safety, C0nser
walton and protection of labor from
the dangers incident to industry AM
transportation.
Suffrage Plank.
The republican party, reaffirmin
its faith of government of the PEG
pie, by the people for the people, a
a measure of justice to one-half tn
adult people of this country, favor
} the extension of the suffrage to wo
men, but recognizing the right of eaci
state to settle this question for itself
Such are our principles, such ar
our purposes and policies. We clos
as we began. The times are danger
Gus and the future is fraught wit
peril. The great issues Of the da
have been confused by words an
phrases. The American spirit, whic
made the country and saved the uniol
has been forgotten by those CHARGE
with the responsibility of power. W
appeal to all Americans, whether nat
uralized or native-born, to prove to tn
world that we are Americans il
thought and deed, with one loyalty, on
hope, one aspiration. We call on al
Americans to be true to the spirit O
America, to the great traditions o
their common country, and, above al
things, to keep the faith