Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1916-09-07
set free to move as they never move
before.
What Democrats Have Done.


The tariff has been revised, not on
the principle Of repelling foreign
trade, but upon the principle of en-
couraging it, upon something like a
footing Of equality with our own In
respect of the terms of competition,
and a tariff board has been created
whose function it will be to keep the
relations Of American with foreign
business and industry under constant
observation, for the guidance of our
business men and of our congress.
American energies are now directed
towards the markets of the world
The laws against trusts have been
clarified by definition with q view
to making it plain that they were not
directed against big business but only
against unfair business and the pre-
tense Of competition where there was
| none; and a trade commission has
been created with powers of guidance
and accommodation which have re-
lieyed business men of unfounded
fears and set them upon the road Of
hopeful and confident enterprise.
By the federal reserve act the sup
ply OF currency at the disposal of ac-
tive business has been rendered elias
TIC taking it's volume, not from fixed
body of investment securities, but
from the liquid assets of daily trade.
Effective measures have been taken
for the recreation of an American
merchant marine and the revival of
the American carrying trade.
The interstate commerce commits
sion has been reorganized to enable
it to perform its great and important
functions more promptly and more eff
fciently. We have created, extended
and improved the service of the par
cells post.
For the farmers of the country we
have virtually created commercial
credit, by means Of the federal reserve
act and the rural credits act They
now have the standing of other bust
ness men in the money market. We
have successfully regulated specula-
ton in futures" and established
standards in the marketing of grains.
By an intelligent warehouse act we
have assisted to make the standard
crops available as never before both
for systematic marketing and as q
security for loans from the banks
For Labor and Children.
The WOrkingmen Of America have
been given vertable emancipation,
by the legal recognition of q mans
labor as part of his life, and not a
mere marketable commodity; by ex-
empting labor organizations from proc
eSseS of the courts which treated their
members like fractional parts Of mobs
and not like accessible and RESPONSE
bic individuals; by releasing our sea
men from involuntary servitude: by
making adequate provision for com
penSatiOn for Industrial accidents; by
providing suitable machinery for me-
diatiOn and Cancellation in industrial
disputes; and by putting the federal
department of Labor at the disposal of
the WOrllingman when in search of
work.
We have effected the emancipation
Of the children of the country by re-
leasing them from hurtful labor. We
have instituted a system of national
aid in the building of highroads such
as the country has been feeling after
for a century. We have sought to
equaliZe taxation by means of an
equitable income tax. We have taken
the steps that ought to have been
taken at the outset to open up the re-
sources of Alaska. We have pro-
vided for national defense upon a
scale never before seriously proposed
upon the responsibility of an entire
political party. We have driven the
tariff lobby from cover and obliged it
to substitute solid argument for pri-
vate influence.
Foreign Policy Stated.
In foreign affairs we have been
guided by principles clearly con-
ceived and consistently lived up to.
Perhaps they have not been fully COM
pretended because they have hitherto
governed international affairs only in
theory, not in practice They are SIM
pie, obvious, easily stated, and funda-
mental to American ideals.
We have been neutral not only be-
cause it was the fixed and traditional
policy of the United States to stand
aloof from the politics of Europe and
because we had no part either of &C
ton or of policy in the influences which
brought on the present wax, but also
because it was manifestly our duty to
prevent if it were possible, the indefi-
mite extension Of the fires of hate and
desolation kindled by that terrible con-
f1ict and seek to serve mankind by re-
serving our strength and our resources
for the anxious and difficult days of
restoration and healing which must
follow, when peace will have to build
its house anew
The rights Of our own citizens of
course became involved; that was in
evitable. Where they did this was our
guiding principle: that property rights
can be vindicated by claims for dam
ages, and no modern nation can decline