Evening star., 1924-06-29

gresS, stated that II had for its pur.
poses the reduction of the cost Of
transportation, the Improvement Of
service, the bettering of labor condi-
operation between employer and EN-
ploye, and, at the same time. the
assurance of a fair and just return to
the railroads upon their investment
We are in accord with these an
nounced purposes, but contend that
the act has failed to accomplish them.
1t has failed to reduce the cost of
transportation. The promised i'm
provement in service has not beer
realized. The labor provisions of the
act have proven unsatisfactory in
settling differences between en-
pioyer and, employe. The so-called
recapture clause has worked 10 the
advantage of the strong and has been
OF no benefit to the weak. The pro-
nouncement in the act for the de-
transportation has proven futile.
Water transportation upon our in
land waterways has not been en-
couraged; and limitation of our coast
wise trade is threatened by the ad-
ministration of the act. 1t has un-
necessarily interfered with the power
of the states to regulare purely
intrastate transportation. 1t must
therefore. be so written that the high
purposes which the public welfare
Railroad freight rates should be
80 readjusted as to give the bulky,
basic, low priced raw commodities.
such as agricultural products, coal,
and ores. the lowest rates, placing
the higher rates upon more valuable
and less bulky manufactured products.
Muscle shoals and FertiIizers.
We reaffirm and pledge the full
fillment of the policy with reference
6apl1ra1 n
passed by the Democratic majority OF
the Sixty-fourth Congress in the ma
tional defense act Of 1916, for the
production of nitrates or other
products needed for munitions of
war and useful in the manufacture
of fertilizers"
We hold that the production Of
cheaper and higher grade fertilizers
Is essential to agricultural prosperity.
We demand prompt action by Con-
gress for operation of the Muscle
Shoals plants to maximum capacity
in the production, distribution and
sale of commercial fertilizers to the
farmers of the country, and we op-
pose any legislation that limits the
production of fertilizers at Muscle
power to be used in their manufac-
ture.
REPUBLICAN CONTRACTION OF
We denounce the recent cruel and
unjust contraction OF legitimate and
necessary credit and currency, which
was directly due to the so-called de-
fiation policy of the Republican
party as declared in it's national
speech of acceptance OF Its candidate
for the presidency. Within eighteen
months after the election of 1920
this policy resulted in Withdrawing
bank loans and discounts by over five
billions Of dollars and in contracting
our currency by over fifteen hundred
millions of dollars. This contraction
bankrupted hundreds of thousands of
farmers and stock growers in
America and resulted in widespread
industrial depression and unempfoy-
ment. We demand that the federal
reserve system be so administered as
to give sta bility to industry, COM
merce and finance. as was intended
by the Democratic party, which gave
the federal reserve system to the ma
tion.
RECLAMATION:
The Democratic party was fore
most in urging reclamation for the
arid and semi-aird lands Of the west
These lands are located in the public
land states. and, therefore, it is to
the duty of the government to utilize
Homestead entrymen under recia-
nation projects have suffered from
the extravagant inefficiencies and
mistakes of the federal government.
The reclamation act Of 1924. recon-
mended by the fact-finding commits
sion. and added as an amendment to
the second efficiency appropriation
bill at the last session of Congress,
was eliminated from that bill by the
Republican conferees in the report
IA IN
before adjournment. The Democratic
party pledges itself actively. eff
cient1y and economically to carry on
the reclamation projects, and to make
equitable adjustment for the mis-
takes the government has made.
CONSERVATION,
We pledge recovery of the Navy's
oil reserves, and all other parts of
the public domain which have been
otherwise wrongfully transferred to
the control of private interests; Wig
orous prosecution of all public OFF,
cials, private citizens and corpora
actions; revision of the water power
act, the general leasing act and all
other legislation relating to the pub
lie domain. that may be esse ntiai to
its conservation and honest and
people of the country. We believe
that the nation should retain title to
its water power and We favor the ex-
peditious creation and developme mt of
our water power. We favor strict
the nations natural resources, such
as coal, iron, oil and timber, and
their use in such manner as may be
to the best interest OF our citizens.
The conservation OF migratory
birds, the establishment OF game pre-
serves and the protection and con-
servation Of wild life are of impor-
tance to agriculturfsts as we'll as
sportsmen. v
Our disappearing natural resource
Of reforestation.
IMPROVED HIGHWAYS
improved roads are Of vital impor-
tance, not only to commerce ana nd IN
rural life. We call attention to the
record Of the Democratic party in
this matter and favor continuance
Of federal aid under existing federal
and state agencies.
MINING, =.
Mining is one Of the basic indus
tries of this country. We produce
more coal, iron. copper and silver
than any other country The value
of our mineral production Is second
only to agriculture. Mining has suf-
fered like agriculture and from the
same causes. 1t is the duty of our
government to foster this industry
and to remove the restrictions that
destroy its prosperity.
REGULATION OF CORPORATIONS
CONTROLLING NECESSITIES OF
LIFTS
We pledge the Democratic party to
regulate by governmental agencies
the anthracite coal industry and all
other corporations controlling the
necessaries Of life where public well
fare has been subordinated to private