Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1920-07-08

cuucdtlon enOuId De made part OF thu
! war-risk insurance bureau, In ordei
I that the task may be treated as
: whole, and this machinery of protec'
! tion ana 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 AFFORDED to an
American citizen than to become g
treeholder in the soil of the United
States, and to that end we pledge our
party to the enactment OF soldier set
Elements and home aid legislation
which will AFFORD to the men who
fought for America the opportunity to
become land and home owners under
conditions affording genuine govern
ment assistance unlncumbered by
needless difficulties of red tape or ad-
vance financial Investment.
The Railroads.
The railroads were subjected to fed
eral control as war measure without
other idea than the swift transport On
troops. munitions and supplies. When
human life and national hopes were at
stake, profits could not be considered.
and were not. Federal operation. how
ever, was marked by an intelligence
and efficiency that minimized loss and
resulted in many and marked reforms.
he equipment taken over was not
only grossly inadequate, but shame
| fully Outworn. Unification practices
oVercame these initial handlcaps and
provided additions. betterments and
improvements. Economies enabled op-
private control would have found
necessary, and labor was treated
with an exact justice that secured the
enthusiastic cooperation that victory
demanded. The fundamental purpose
of federal control was achieved fully
and splendidly, and at far less cost
to the taxpayer than would nave
been the case under private operation.
Investments in railroad properties were
not only saved by government operation,
but government management returned
cry physical and executive detail. great
| task was greatly discharged.
The presidents recommendation OF re-
turn to private ownership gave the Re-
| publican majority a full year in which
! to enact the necessary legislation. The
| house took six months to formulate It's
Ideas and another six months was con-
sumed by the Republican senate in equal
| ly vague debate. AS a consequence, the
Esch Cummins bill went to the president
In the closing hours of congress, and ne
| was forced to choice between the chaos
of veto and acquiescence In the meas
ure submitted, however grave may have
| 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 its defects
and insure a thoroughly effective trans
portation system under private owner
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 1916, enacted by a Democratic con-
gress, represented the first systematic eff
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 progressive and
substantial basis in every state in the
Union and in bringing under actual con-
structon more than L, 900 miles of roads
suited to the traffic needs of the com
munities in which they are located
We favor a continuance of the present
federal aid plan under existing federal
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.
Inasmuch as the postal service has been
extended by the Democratic party to the
door of practically every producer and
every consumer in the country Cural free
delivery alone having been provided for
6,0O0,00 additional patrons within the past
eight years without material added COST
we declare that this instrumentalty 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 its
former place in the world. 1t was under
a 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 egis- |
lation so that American products will DE
carried to all ports of the world by YES
sells 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 |
of the constructive policies of the Demo- |
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
Lakes with the sea by way Of the Mis-
sssippi river and Its tributaries. as we'll
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 our harbors and interior
waterways
Flood Control.
We commend the Democratic congress
for the redemption of the pledge contained
in our last platform by the passage OF
the flood conto act of March l. 1871 and
point to the successful control of the
foods of the Mississippi river and the Sac
ramento river. California under the poll
icy of that law, for its complete justitca-
ton We favor the extension of this pol
icy to other food control problems wher-
ever the federal interest involved iusti-
fies the expenditure required.
Reclamation of Arid Lands
BY wise legislation and progressive ad-
we have transformed the
government reclamation projects, repre-
senting an Investment of S1O0 O0O.000 from
a condition Of impending failure and loss
of confidence in the ability of the govern
ment to carry through such large enter
prises to q condition OF demonstrated sue
cess whereby formerly arid and wholly
lands now sustain 10000 pros
porous families and have an annual crop
production Of over CO., not including
the crops grown on million acres OUT
side the projects supplied with storage
water from government works.
We favor ample appropriations for the
continuation and extension of this great
work Of home building and internal inn
along the same general lines, |
10 the end that all practical projects shall
be built and waters now running to waste
shall be made to provide homes and add
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