Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1918-03-13
NATIONAL PARTY IN SESSION.
100 Delegates Bolt to National from
Prohibition Party.

Chicago, March 7--Equal suffrage,
nation wide prohibition and radical
legislation favoring farmers and Ia
borers are the chief planks Of the
platform OF the National Party ad-
opted here to-day at a convention at
tended by about 200 delegates, 100
of.whom arc boilers from the Prohi-
bition party.
The platform, after several hours
OF debate on the negro-voting ques-
ton and various points Of the planks
favoring laborers, was adopted by a
unanimous vote. 1t Is the first def
mite expression Of the policies of the
new party.
IN regard to suffrage the platform
demands the right Of men and wo-
men to vote on all questions and en-
forcement Of the laws enfranchising
negroes and others regardless of
color or race.
The prohibition plank pledges the
party to- work for nationwide prohi-
bition ard for immediate ratification
Of the constitutional amendment.
Farmers Legislation.
Extension of the Federal loan law
Is among the important legislation
| concerning> farmers which is advo-
Gated. Advance loans upon crops or
products in storage, government in
surance of farmer and stock. Federal
inspection Of farm products at termi-
| nails and freedom from taxes OF all
| farm equipment and measures to pre-
vent the holding Of large tracts of
land idle are included.
| Limitation Of immigration, short
ening of working hours, government
tai insurance. more rigorous inspec-
tion Of factories and working places,
adequate enforcement Of child labor
laws are some Of the things urged
In the labor plank. 1t is also advo-
Gated that the government forbid in
\ terstate shipment Of articles made
| by children, women, employed more
than eight hours a day, or six days a
week, convicts under private con-
tracts, or persons employed in unin-
spected factories or mines. Aboli-
tion Of contract prices on labor and
the establishment of the honor sys.
| tenn In prisons Is advocated.
| International Democracy.
Much Of the platform also is de.
voted to the question of international
democracy The platform declares
that the party recognizes that the re,
public Of the world is the goal fol-
international political development
and urges abolition Of secret diplo
macy, freedom Of the seas and abo.
lition Of prohibitive or discriminatory
tariffs or taxes upon trade and com,
merce. Foreign investments must
bear their own risks, another plank
| demands.
Other conditions advocated are
freedom Of speech both by word o.
mouth and by printed matter, tho
short ballot in State and municipa
elections, right of absentee citizens tt
vote by affidavit, public ownership O
public utilities and extension Of the
postal and parcel post system.
| Practically the only argument!
over the platform came on the ques
tion Of whether negroes should bt
|,speciiied in the suffrage planks ant
whether governmental insurance o
| laborers should be compulsory. 4
brilliant speech by John Spargo, o
Vermont, kept the word negro in tn,
first mentioned plank and 1t was de
cided not to urge compulsory insur
ance.
| Another point disputed was whe
ther the preamble to the platform
should read:
"The National Party accepting tn
guidance OF Cod" or."of God and Hi
Son, Jesus Christi
: j = p