Daily Kennebec journal., 1916-08-21

0460oS0As 4A0A4 x0NOAA SA AS~
fairs is one Of weakness and vacilla-
ton resulting IN national humiliation.
It Is needless to comment on the
sanctity Of platform pledges. the
Democratic platform Of 1912 declared:
"Our platform is one Of principles
which we believe to be essential to our
national welfare. Our pledges are
made to be kept in ofhce. as well as
relied upon during the campaign.
This plank in their platform was
elaborated upon many times during
the campaign by their candidate for
the presidency. That pronouncenent
is sound American doctrine. A plat
form IL a contract between the party
and the epople. It possesses all the
elements Of a private contract. Tho
party makes the pledge. the people ac-
cept the same. and in exchange three
for grant political power. 1t then be-
comes binding obligation upon the
redemption Of pledges embodied in tn
platform.
Repudiated Pledges.
They promised to reduce the cost of
living and simply reduced the power to
purchase living: they promised su-
| fficient revenue to administer the gov
ernment and turned a surplus Of $751;
900, 10000 into deficit Of 800. .000, 100000
They promised a continued prosperity.
| They had silenced hundreds Of mills
and taken employment from three mil
| lion working men, when the God OF
| War took decaying Democracy by the
hand and lifted it out of the black mire
of dissolution. They promised economy
and revelled in extravagance. They
proclaimed the policy Of pitiless pub
licity and embraced snail-like seclu-
sion. The open door was bolted. and
Congressional action dictated in star
chamber sessions. They promised free
tolls to American commerce through
the Panama Canal. Instead they levied
tribute and sacrificed our sovereignty
over American soil. They promised
! independence to the Philippine Islands
and now withhold it; having denounced
the vreeland-Aldrich Currency Law as
product Of plutocracy. they employed
its provisions to avert panic. They
promised a tariff board, having de-
stroyed the one we had. Having i'm
paired the navy and reduced the army.
they promised military preparedness
They refused to recognize Huerta be-
cause they claimed his hands were
stained with blood. They then faced
about and embraced Villa, bandit and
cher from boyhood.
One specific promise embodied in the
Democratic platform is worthy Of at
tention. 1t relates to the tenure Of the
Presidential Office. They declared in
their platform of 1912: I'VE favor a
single Presidential term and to that
end we urge the adoption of and
amendment to the constitution making
the President Of the United States in
eligible for reelection. And we pledge
the candidate Of this convention to this
principle"
A resolution for the submission of
this constitutional amendment was
strangled in Committee at the dictation
| Of President Wilson. In direct VIOLA
| ton Of pledge made to the American
! people, he is seeking second term, but
| Aoi kAdt 40 oIiO VI tllC
keeping of which is not subject to the
| fexibility of the Democratic conscience.
| The American people will see that that
pledge is enforced to the letter. There
| is an irrepressible conflict between the
promises and performances of Democ-
racy. Wilson's acts belle his words.
| Hughes means what he says.
Tariff.
| The first pledge and the most import
ant one made by Democracy in 1912 re-
| lates to a revision Of the tariff. The
traditional attitude Of their party Is
set forth in terms unmistakable in
their meaning: I'VE declare it to be a
fundamental principle of the Democ-
ratio party that the Federal Govern
ment under the constitution has no
right or power to impose or collect tar
riff duties except for the purpose Of
revenue, and we demand that the COL
| lection of such taxes shall be limited to
the necessities Of government honestly
and economically administered" This
is clear-cut and most emphatic pro-
| nouncement in favor of tariff for rev.
enue only. Special session Of Congress
was called for the purpose Of putting
| into effect the principles thus an
nounced. After six months delibera-
I ton, the Underwood Bill was enacted
into law. The author of the bill pro-
claimed it to be a revenue measure. He
said there was not a particle of protec-
tion left in the law. 1t was regarded
as masterpiece Of Democratic legis-
lation and Mr.. Underwood staked- his
reputation as statesman that it would
fulfill every promise proclaimed in their
platform. They contended that three
beneficent results would flow from the
operation Of this law. First, that it
would raise sufficient revenue to pay
the running expenses Of the govern
ment; second. that it would reduce
the high cost of living; and, third, that
it would not destroy legitimate Amer
lean industry. 1 charge that the In
derwood Law has been a dismal fail
ure in each Of these respects 1t has
not raised the necessary revenue to
run the government; 1t has not re-
duced the high cost Of living; and it
has destroyed legitimate American in
dustries.