Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-04-08
THE PLATFORM
Continued from PAGE Onel


passed. The Republican party Of 1922
is neither the Republican party of
Lincoln, nor the Republican party of
Roosevelt. it is frankly reactionary.
1t is the party Of special privilege.
Its every appeal is to selfishness.
Class legislation is its speciality. The
Democratic party is the party OF
equal rights and equal privileges and
seeks to serve honestly and couitablv
men and women of every class, of
every race, of every religion and of
every social station so long as they
merit the protection If civilized gov
eminent, The Democratic party is
neither reactionary ,r radical. 1t is
the great liberal party of America.
living in the faith OF it's founder.
Thomas Jefferson, and believing in
the teachings of Woodrow Wilson. the
leading living, exponent of liberal
principles and the greatest statesman
of his time.
Four members Of the House Of Rep
resentatires and one United States
Senator are to be chosen in Septem-
Der to represent Maine in the Con-
gress of the United States. A vote for
Republican, candidates for these no.
sltlons is a vote of confidence in and
an endorsement Of a Congress which
was elected in 1918 and which for
three years has SO conducted itself as
TO merit and receive the rebuke OF
every independent speaker, writer and
thinker in America
only the blindest and most violent
partizan speaks in praise of the pres
ent Congress. 1t is the duty of Maine
TO lead the nation in condemninp it's
aims of commission and omission and
replacing it with body of men more
awe TO the needs of the nation and
more responsive to the voice of the
people.
| rms nation was instituted as a rep
resentative republic based on the
propositions that there should he
preserved to each individual the larr
est measure of personal freedom con-
sls,ent with the public good. that
each local government should be SUI
prelne In its especial sphere, that the
sovereignty of the State should he
preserved and that there should he
no unoue interference by the federal
government in matters which should
properly be left to the conscience and
good Judgment of eacn citizen.
The Republican party has lost sight
OF these great fundamental PRINCIPLES
ana the lines of demarl:ation between
national, State and local governments
are being rapidly obliterated while
the individual citizen has been sur
rounded and hedged about by so MANY
legal restrictions that he has become
practically ward of the State in
stead OF a disappearing. self-reli-
ant member Of society.
| Inc mission of the Democratic nar-
| " is TO preserve representative gov
eminent. personal liberty and local
lself-government and TO that mission
1t dedicates itself anew.
"
| The administration of nuhIic Of
iairs in this State for the past five
years mas been marked by gross ex-
traVagance emphasized by occasional
instances of misdirected efforts tow
ara economy. by inequality and in
Justice IN the distribution of the tax
burden and by ineficiencS in the
management Of the various State de-
partments and State institutions.
NO reform in these respects can he
expected Of the Republican party
| The record of the administrations Of
Gov. Plaisted and Gov. Curtis ia q
suHclent guarantee of the pormise of
democracy to give the people
economical and efficient government
ana we declare that the reformation
or our tax laws is a problem calling
FOR prompt and intelligent colutIonay
ana pledge ourselves to bring about
that reformation.
"A just and equitable system of tax
ation accompanied by wise economy
would do much towards bringing real
prosperity to Maine.
we denounce the ATTEMPT of the
| republican party to make a partizan
issue of prohibition. The adoption of
the 18th amendment to the national
| constitution has removed the nrobi-
| piIion question from the realm OF mar
" polltics. Democrats respect. sup
port and obey the mandates of, the
constitution and the laws of the land
ana regard the proper and orderly
enforcement of law as necessary.
accompaniment of efficient govern
ment. A party declaration in favor
or, against or relating to modifica-
IONS IN the prohibitory law is moth
ing more nor less than pure demagog-
| ism designed to deceive thouebtIes.
voters and to raise false issue he
tween the two great political parties
When the attention of the peop,e
should be directed to permanent mat
ters OF real and vital importance.
With the ever increasing burden Of
taxation this problem assumes more
and more Importance. The present
] system and methods are becoming in
adequate in the production OF suffici-
eht revenue as well as a handican 70
out industries in their effort to de-
relop our State. The constitutional
limitation upon the power OF the
legislature in this respect is unreas-
onaply rigid and arbitrary and should
De SO modified as to give greater Iati-
| tude In progressive legislation. We
therefore pledge our representatives
ana senators in the coming Iegisla-
ture to work and vote for such change
IN the constitution as Shall permit
tne classification of property for tho