The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1919-02-18
WHAT is A PARTY PLATFORM?


The late President Roosevelt said a
platform is a contract with the people"
and throughout his political career he
tried to instill into the hearts of the peo-
pie the fact that platforms should only
be made after careful thought and con-
sideration, and then they should be lived
up to. The test in the matter of the re-
cent Democratic State Platform is now
up to the legislature, and is looked for
ward to with considerable interest. The
particular point at issue is the nefarious
compensation bill, in which the monopol-
istic state insurance clause appears. The
Salt Lake Tribune is so unkind as to say
that the clause is "PURE SOCIALISM
OF. GERMAN ORIGIN" One might be
led to believe that some ungodly ReDubli-
can who was trying to defeat Represen-
tative yelling, and thus bring joy to
Berlin, had polluted the purity Of the leg
islature, and thereby brought forth So
cialistic bill of German origin" Certain
ly none of those more holy than thou"
Democrats of the recent campaign could
be guilty of such a thing. Well, the bill
is there just the same, and it was not
introduced by Republican either. One
of the faithful is responsible, and the
Senate committee has passed it favorably.
The bill is in strict accord with the
Democratic platform and if platform
is to be counted for anything the bill
should not only be introduced but passed.
The Salt Lake Tribune is arguing against
its passage on the ground that group
of labor leaders" hoodwinked the COM
mittee on platform at the late Democratic
state convention, sprung a surprise on
the delegates, and that the only man that
knew the thing was loaded was our own
Will G. Farrell. The Tribune argues
that it is not serious thing to violate
a platform, that President Wilson mas
done so a number of times, and that
therefore this monstrosity should not
pass.
We should like to friendly-like just ar
que the point with the Tribune, and with
our fellow-citizens just a few moments.
We live in free country where the ma
jority is supposed to rule. This thing was
called to the attention of the voters dur
ing the campaign, and the people voted
for it. These same labor leaders walked
right into the committee room when the
Republican convention was in session
and made the same demands that they
made upon the Democratic committee.
We were there and well remember how
the attempted "hold-up" was staged. The
Republican committee turned them down,
the Democratic committee was "held-up"
and the Democratic convention, all save
Will G. Farrell, didn't know the gun was
loaded" The people voted for it, and it
now seems BUT right and proper that the
people should have what they voted for.
Just few days ago these same labor lead
ers appeared before legislative commit
tee and told this committee that the pas
sage of the bill in question was the fulfill
ment of contract entered into whereby
the labor vote was delivered to the Dem
ocratic party, and it is now up to the
Democratic party to deliver the. goods"
We rather agree with the labor leaders
in this regard, and certainly think the
time is now right for delivery. We are
getting too far along in ''free democ-
racy" to enter into contracts, accept SER
vice and votes at the hands Of organiza-
tons and then when the time for pay
Ilent comes to cry 1--WE didn't know the
sy s loaded" The Republicans
o.lest with the labor leaders and
--. Cheir votes, the Democrats did not
know what they were doing and accord
ing to the Tribune were hoodwinked, and
It now seems to be opportune that the