Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-01-31

Editor Indiana Daily Times-I notice
that there is some suggestions coming
to The Indiana Daily Times as to what
should go into the democratic state plat
form. The suggestions are timely and
the subjects discussed by O. S. Jones
Of Covington, Ind, are practical and
sound.
1 know that the great majority Of
voters comprising the democratic party
in Indiana believes the party to have
a moral conscience and believe the
party should give expression, through
It's platform, indicating It's support Of
all the great moral questions that have
recently been written into law, or arc
In the process Of becoming laws, arc
additional moral questions that should
be written in the law.
The democratic party has been the
real leader in the last seven years fol
moral reform. It has been well sup
ported by the progressive element OF
the republican party. The democratic
party in its platform, on which It's cam
paign is to be waged in 1920, in the
state of Indiana, should give wholH
hearted Endorsement to national prohi-
bition and declare specifically that 1t
will insist on no backward step on this
subject, and that it will stand for the
most rigid law enforcement under the
federal prohibition statute.
The democratic state platform should
declare for common honesty in every
department of state government. 1t
should pledge every candidate on it's
ticket to a faithful, honest and economic
service. The democratic platform must
invite confidence, and to do this 1t must
offer confidence in return. The democrat
ic platform should declare for a con-
stituttonal convention and demand that
the delegates to the constitutional con-
vention should be selected under our
present direct primary law and without
any political interference by any po-
liucal party.
A constitutional convention is necessary
in order that the people may have a
right to give direct expression upon
many needed reforms Until our con
stitution will permit Of the proper CLASSIC
fication of property, in creasing Difficult
ties will always block the enforcement of
a just and equitable tax law.
Unfair and unequal burdens placed on
the farmer or on~any other class Of
people, through unjust tax laws, must
not and will not be tolerated.
Complete home rule for city govern
ments viii be impossible until the con-
stitution is rewritten, providing for the
people the right to decide among them
selves and in their own way the kind OF
charter they desire to operate their gov
eminent under.
we should have a revision OF our
court system and, this change can come
only through constitutional procedure.
There are many court reforms needed
and certainly every one will admit that
it is absolutely unnecessary to have two
state courts with concurrent Jurisdic-
review the decisions Of the appellant
court.
Our present system permits of long
delay and unnecessary costs in anal ad
judication Of cases in court.
The initiative and referendum has been
endorsed by more than half Of the states
in the nation; the last states to accept
this splendid reform was Ohio, Michi-
gan and Massachusetts.
The referendum gives the people the
right to have the final say on legsla-
tion passed by the legislature. and the
initiative gives the people the right to
direct the Legislature in framing laws
suitable to the people 1t sounds the
death knell to the corrupt lobbyist and
makes 1t possible for the legislature to
IIahsHGL the people ) business without
outside Interference
Mr.. Roosevelt. when president of the
United States, sent his secretary of war
Mr.. Taft, to Oklahoma to advise against
the adoption of the initiative and the
referendum In the new constitution that
was before the voters of Oklahoma The
oklahoma voters rejected Mr. Taft's ad-
vice, by more than 100000 majority. ana
adopted the initiative and the rerefer-
dunn as part of their constitution.
Not long after this. Mr.. Roosevelt ad-
mitted that he was wrong in opposing
the initiative and referendum. and. in
addressing the constitutional convention