Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-07-02

in partisan pursuits, failing to repeal
single war statute which harassed bushes
or to initiate single constructive measur
to help business 1t busted itself makin
prediction record of pretended thrift
having not one particle of substantial
existence in fact. H. ragged aHains
profiteers and the high cost Of living with
out enacting single statute to make tn
former afraid or doing a single act :,
bring the latter within limitations.
MUST BE INCREASED PRODUCTION.
| The simple truth is that the high cos
| of living can only be remedied by increase,
| production, strict governmental econom,
and relentless pursuit OF those wht
take advantage of post war condition.
and are demanding and receiving out
| rageous profits.
We pledge the Democratic party to 4
policy of strict economy in government
| expenditures and to the enactment anc
enforcement Of such legislation as ma,
| be required to bring profiteers before
the bar Of criminal justice.
The TARIFF.
We reaffirm the traditional policy ol
| the Democratic party in favor of a tariff
| for revenue only and to confirm the policy
of basing tariff revisions upon the intelli-
gent research of q non-partisan commits
uon rather than upon the demands OF
selfish interests, temporarily held in
allegiance.
FOR BUDGET SYSTEM.
In the interest of economy and good
administration we favor the creation of an
effective bulge. sus,em that will function
in accord with the principles of the CON
stitution. The reform should reach both
the executive and Legislative aspects Of
the question. The supervision and prepa-
ration of the budget should be vested in
the secretary of the treasury as the repre-
sentative of the President.
The budget as such, should not be in
creased by the Congress except by two
thirds vote, each house however, being
free TO exercise its constitutional privilege
of making appropriations through in
dependent bills; The appropriation bills
should be considered by single committees
of the House and Senate. The audit
system should be consolidated and its
powers expanded so as pass upon the
wisdom of as well as the authority for
expenditures.
A budget bill was passed in the closing
days of the second session Of the Sixty
Sixth Congress, which, lnvalidated by
plain constitutional defects and defaced
by considerations of patronage, the
President was obliged to veto. The
House amended the bill TO meet the exc
cutlve objection we condemn the Re-
publican Senate for adjorning without
passing the amended measure, when by
devoting an hour or two more To this
urgent public business a budget system
could have been provided.
SENATE RULES.
We favor such alteration of the rules
of procedure of the Senate of the United
States as will permit the prompt transac-
ton of the nations legislative business.
AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS.
To the great agricultural interests
of the country the Democratic party docs
not find it necessary TO make promises
it already is rich in its record of things
actually accomplished For nearly half
n century of Republican rule not SEN
tence was written into the federal statutes
affording one dollar of bank credits to the
farming interests Of America. In the first
term of this Democratic administration
the national bank act was so altered as to
Use loans of FIVE years maturity on inn
proved farm lands Later was establish
ed a system of farm loan banks from which
the borrowings already exceed $500, ,000,-
600 and under which the interest rate TO
farmers has been so materially reduced
rs TO drive out of business the farm loan
sharks who formerly subsisted by ex-
tortion upon the great agricultural in
terests of the country.
Thus it was Democratic Congress in
the administration of Democratic Presi-
dent which enabled the farmers of America
r. :. -,
reasonable terms and insured their op-
portunity for the future development of
the nation s agricultural resources. Tied
up In supreme Court proceedings, in a
suit by hostile interests, the federal farm
loan system originally proposed by the
Republican candidate for the Presidency
appealed IN vain 20 a Republican Congress
for adequate financial assistance to tide
over the interim between the beginning
and the ending of the current year, await
ing a final decision of the highest court on
the validity of the contested act. We
pledge prompt and consistent support of
sound and effective measures to sustain,
ampllfy and perfect the rural credits
statutes and thus to check and reduce
the growth and course of farm tenancy.
sMITH-LEvER ACT
Not only did the Democratic party
put into effect a great farm loan system
of land mortgage banks but it passed the
Smith-I4ever agricultural extension act,
carrying to every farmer in every section
of the country through the medium of
trained experts and by demonstration
farms the practical knowledge ACQUIRED
by the financial agricultural department
In all things relating to agriculture horti-
oul4ltra and amin Il life ~ aSta btipbaJ The
bureau of markets, the bureau of farm
and passed the cotton
futures act, the grain grades bill, the CO.
operative farm administration act and the
Federal warehouse act.
The Democratic party has vastly inn
proved the rural mail system to such an
extent as to render its activities and its
practical service indispensable to the farm
ing community. 1t was this wise en-
and this effective concern
Of the Democratic party for the farmers
of the United States that enabled this
great interest to render such essential
service In feeding the armies of America
and the allied nations in the war and
starving populations since
armistice day.
COOPERATIVE MARKETING.
Meanwhile the Republican leaders
at Washington have failed utterly to
propose one single measure to make rural
life more tolerable. They have signalized
their fifteen months of Congressional
power by urging schemes which would
strip the farms of labor; by assaiing the
principles of the farm loan system and
seeking to impair its efficiency; by covert
ly attempting to destroy the great nitro
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