The Rice belt journal., 1920-07-10

! whole, and this machinery OF protec-
ton and assistance must receive every
| aid of law and appropriation neces-
sary to full and effective operation.
We believe that no higher or more
| valued privilege can be arorded " on %
| American citizen than to become
| freeholder in the soil Of the Unlted,
| States, and to that end we piedge oul
party to the enactment OF s9loieI ston
| Elements and home aid leglslation
which will afford to the men VINO
fought for America the opportunity 10
| become land and home owners uIluel
conditions affording genuine sS'eih hv
ment assistance unincumbereo oIy ~
| needless difficulties of red tape oF au
vance financial Investment.
The Railroads.
The railroads were subjected TO led-
eral control as a war measure withouS
| other idea than the swift transport VI
| troops, munitions and supplies. Wuelt
| human life and national hopes were a
stake, profits could not be consiue@leu' @
and were not. Federal operauon ~"
ever, was marked by an lnteIllsehcS
and efficiency that minimzed loss and
resulted in many and marked reforms.
! The equipment taken over was not
only grossly inadequate, but shame
fully outworn. Unitication, practlCeSS
overcame these initial handlcaps anG ar1d
| provided additions betterments anu
| improvements Economies enabled op.
Grafton without the rate raises thaS
| private control would nave loull9
necessary, and labor was trea.eo ~
with an exact justice that secure;a re ore
demanded. The Fundamental PuTpT}}Se f5'}},s
! of federal control was achieVea AuLS LUZ.
and splendidly, and at tar less Cose
| to the taxpayer than Woula nav nav
| been the case under private opeLa ora IioIl
| Investments in railroad properties WeIe .
l1,
but government management Ieiui lleu e
| these properties vastly improved IN eV-
| ery physical and executive detail A great
| task was greatly discharged.
| The presidents recommendation OF re-
| turn to private ownership gave the re
| publican majority full year IN "n1Sii Irt
| to enact the necessary legislation. Inc
| house took six months TO formulate lts
ideas and another six months was con-
sumed by the Republican senate IN equal
Iy vague debate. AS a consequence, the
Esch- Cummins bill went to the president
in the closing hours Of congress, ana ne
was forced to a choice between the chaos
of a veto and acquiescence in the meas
ure submitted, however grave may nave
been his objections to It,.
There should be a fair and complete
test of the law until careful and mature
action by congress may cure It's uelects
and insure thoroughly effective trans
DOTLdllOD SSSlSIu uhuSL PlIfpNC
ship without government subsidy at the
expense Of the taxpayers Of the country.
Improved Highways.
Improved roads are of vital Importance
not only to commerce and industry but
also to agricultural life. The federal road
act of 1876 enacted by Democratic con-
gress, represented the first systematic ef-
fort of the government to insure the
building of an adequate system OF roads
In this country. The act, as amended, has
resulted in placing the movement for i'm
proved highways in a progressive and
substantial basis in every state in the
Union and In bringing under actual con-
struction more than 1900 miles of roads
suited to the traffic needs Of the COM
munities in which they are located.
We favor continuance Of the present
and state agencies, amended so as to in
clude as one of the elements in deter
lining the ratio in which the several states
shall be entitled to share in the fund,
the area Of public lands therein.
Rural Free Delivery.
InRsmuch as the postal service has been
extended by the Democratic party to the
door Of practically every producer and
every consumer In the country (rura1 free
100000 additional patrons within the past
eight years without material added cost,
we declare that this instrumentaiity can
and will be used to the maximum Of its
capacity TO improve the efficiency Of dis
tribution and reduce the cost OF living to
consumers and increasing the profitable
operations Of producers
Merchant Marine.
We desire to congratulate the American
people upon the rebirth Of our merchant
marine, which once more maintains it's
Mo iv, fha NvoPlA
q Democratic administration that this
was accomplished after seventy years Of
indifference and neglect 100000 tons
having been constructed since the act
was passed in 1916 We pledge the policy
Of our party TO the continued growth of
our merchant marine under proper legis-
lation 30 that American products will be
carried to all ports Of the world by veS-
sels built in American yards. flying the
American flag,
Inland Waterways.
We call attention to the failure OF the
Republican national convention to recog-
nize in any way the rapid development Of
barge transportation on our inland wa
terways, which development is the result
cratic administration. And we pledge our
selves to the further development OF ade.
quate transportation facilities on our riv.
ers and to the further improvement of
our inland waterways and we recognize
the Importance Of connecting the Great
sissippi river and It's tributaries, as well
as by the st. Lawrence river.
Transportation remains an increasingly
vital problem In the continued develop
ment and prosperity Of the nation, Our
present facilities for distribution by rail
are inadequate and the promotion of
transportation by water is imperative.
We therefore favor liberal and compre-
hensive policy for the development and
utilization Of cur harbors and interior
waterways.
Fleed Control.
We commend the Democratic congress-
for the redemption Of the pledge Contained
In our last platform by the passage Of
the flood contol act Of March /, 1911. and
foods Of the Mississippi river and the Sac
ramento river. California, under the DOL
Icy of that law, for its complete juatifica-
ton. We favor the extension Of this mol
icy to other flood control problems wher-
ever the federal interest involved iusti-
des the expenditure required.
Reclamation Of Arid Lands.
BY wise legislation and progressive ad.
ministration, we have transformed the
senting an investment Of 500 0OO 90 froy,
condition Of impending failure and loss
Of confidence in the ability Of the goyerns
ment to carry through such large enter.
prises to condition Of demonstrated sIc.
cess, whereby formerly arid and wholly
unproducdye lands now sustain 100 pros.
porous families and have an annual nror
production of over Te,00O.00O, not INCLUDING
the crops grown on million acres o,,ts
side the projects supplied with stora Sa
water from government works.
We favor ample appropriations for Tho
continuation and extension of this areat
work of home building and internal inn
provement along the same general i,nns
to the end that all practical projects shall |
be built, and waters now running to waste !
to the food supply, power resources and anu
taxable property, with the government NJ.
timately reimbursed for the entire ont.
lay. ou'-
The Trade Commission.
The Democratic party heartily indorsas