HER LITTLE HAND IN HIS
Mr. Peeke's Explanation as to Reasor
Somewhat Dispelled the Odor
Of Romance.
Henne and Peeke were two henpeck
«d married men. The other day they
met, and, after a few casual remarks
•concerning the weather, the subject
of women and unfortunate husbands
was—perhaps naturally—discussed. To
Henne, however, suddenly came
thoughts of years ago, when he was
a happy bachelor, and (unconsciously
of what Fate had in store for him)
was ‘‘walking out" a girl who was,
later on, destined to bring him sor
row and misery.
Peeke, seeing a “far-away” look In
his companion's eyes, Inquired the
meaning. Henne retorted dramat
Ically, “I was just then thinking, old
fellow, of those happy days long ago—
when I used to hold that girl's hand
In mine for hours—when—”
But the equally unfortunate Peeke
suddenly cut his companion short by
exclaiming: “Why, that’s nothing!
Cheer up! Do you know, only yes
terday I held my wife’s hand for three
solid hours.”
“What?” said the startled Henne.
"Yes, it’s a fact,” resumed Peeke,
sorrowfully; "and 1 declare if I’d let
loose she'd have killed me.”—London
Tit-Bits.
That One Thing Lacking.
iJidy Augusta Gregory, the able and
ardent apostle of the modern Irish
movement. Is fond of telling the fol
owing real Irish story:
"It was the wedding day of Pat and
Bridget, and they were having a
church wedding. It was a grand af
fair. Pat was dressed with patent
leather shoes, white vest and flaming
tie. Bridget, shone attractively in
many colors. The ceremony was over,
and the happy pair walked down the
aisle, out into the street, where a
great crowd greeted them with delight.
"Once seated within the cab, Bridget
leaned over to Pat and said, In a loud
whisper, 'Och, Pat, If we could only
have stood on the sidewalk and watch
ed ourselves pass, wouldn't it have
been hivin'."
New Idea for Dressmakers.
A New York woman has Inaugurat
ed a new departure. She sent word
to a number o£ dressmakers that she
had so many dresses to make, of such
and such materials, and so many oth
er to he altered, and named the a!
teratlons to be made and asked for
bids. She will probably accept the
lowest bid. and this seems to open up
a new field In dressmaking. It will
also develop a new variety of shrewd
ness on the part of successful dress
makers—the ability to figure on bids.
Unsatisfactory Transaction.
“I'll admit,” said Erastus Pinkley,
*'dat de mule I done traded off foh a
bushel of oats warn’t much good. But
Jus' de same I feels like I beer
■cheated."
“What are de trouble?" Inquired
Miss Miami Brown.
"I traded de mule off for a bushel of
-oats. While I had my back turned
-de mule done et de oats, an' I don'
•ee how I's gwlnter break even."—
Washington Star.
Prize Winner.
"What are these cups for?" asked a
well-dressed man of a Jeweler, point
ing to some lovely silver cups on the
counter.
"These are race cups to be given as
prizes ”
"If that’s so, suppose you and I race
for one?" And the stranger, with the
cup In his hand, started, the Jeweler
After him. The stranger won the cup.
—Keystone.
Tell It not In Oath, but there are
church members who look too happy
at a horse race and too solemn In
prajer meeting.
HOW MANY OF US
Fall to 8elect Food Nature Demands
to Ward Off Ailments?
A Ky. lady, speaking about food,
«ays: “I was accustomed to eating
*11 kinds of ordinary food until, for
some reason, indigestion and nervous
prostration set in.
"After I had run down Berlously
my attention was called to the neces
sity of some change in my diet, and
I discontinued my ordinary breakfast
and began using Grape-Nuts with a
good quantity of rich cream.
"In a few days my condition
changed in a remarkable way, and I
began to have a strength that I had
never been possessed of before, a
vigor of body and a poise of mind that
amazed me. It was entirely new in
my experience.
“My former attacks of indigestion
bad been accompanied by heat flashes,
and many times my condition was dis
tressing with blind spells of dizziness,
rush of bload to the head and neural
gic pains in the chest.
“Since using Grape-Nuts alone for
breakfast I have been free from these
troubles, except at times when I have
Indulged in rich, greasy foods in quau
tity, then I would be warned by a
pain under the left shoulder blade, and
unless I heeded the warning the old
trouble would come back, but when I
Anally got to know where these trou
bles originated I returned to my Grape
Nuts and cream aDd the pain and dis
turbance left very quickly.
“I am now in prime health as a
result of my use of Grape-Nuts." Name
given by Postum Co., Battle Creek,
Mlcb.
“There’s a reason,’’ and it is ex
plained In the little book, ‘The Road
to Wellville," in pkgs.
Ever read the above letter? A new
one appears from time to time. The?
are |ft«ali«, true, mad (nil of humaa
Interest.
I .........
PLATFORM OF PROGRESSIVE PARTY
Chicago, Aug. 8.—-Following is the
full platform text of the declaration of
principles of the progressive party:
The conscience of the people in a
time of grave national problems has
called into being a new party, born of
the nation’s awakened sense of Jus
tice.
We of the progressive party here
dedicate ourselves to the fulfillment of
the duty laid upon us by our fathers
to maintain that government of the
people, by the people and for the peo
ple, whose foundations they laid.
W’o hold with Thomas Jefferson and
AbntViam Lincoln that the people are
the masters of the constitution to ful
fill Its purposes and to safeguard it
from those who, by perversion of its
intent, would convert it into an instru
ment of injustice. In accordance with
the needs of each generation the people
must use their sovereign powers to es
tablish and maintain equal opportunity
and industrial Justice, to secure which
this government was founded and with
out which no republic can endure.
This country belongs to the people
who Inhabit it. Its resources, tts busi
ness. Its institutions and Its laws should
be utilized, maintained or altered in
whatever manner will best promote the
general interests. It Is time to set the
public welfare in the first place.
The Old Parties.
Political parties exist to secure re
sponsible government and to execute
the will of the people. From these
great tasks both of the old parties
have turned aside. Instead of Instru
ments to promote the general wel
fare, they have become the tools of cor
rupt Interests which use them Impar
tially to servo their selfish purposes.
Behind the ostensible government sits
enthroned an invisible government,
owing no allegiance and acknowledging
no responsibility to the people. To de
stroy this Invisible government, to de
stroy the unholy alliance between cor
rupt business and corrupt politics Is the
first task of the statesmanship of the
day.
Deliberate betrayal of its trust by
the republican party and the fatal In
capacity of the democratic party to
deal with the new issues of the new
time have compelled the epople to forge
a new Instrument of government
through which to give effect to their
will In laws and Institutions. Unham
pered by tradition, uncorrupted by
power, undismayed by the magnitude of
the task, the new party offers Itself as
the instrument of the people to sweep
away old abuses, to build a new and
nobler commonwealth.
A Covenant With People.
Tills declaration Is our covenant with
the people, and we hereby bind the par
ty and Its candidates In state and na
tion to the pledges made herein.
Toe Rule of the People.
The national progressive party, com
mitted to the principle of government
by a self controlled democracy ex
pressing Its will through representa
tives of the people, pledges Itself to
secure such alterations In the funda
mental laws of the several states and
of the United States ns will Insure the
representative character of the gov
ernment. In particular the party de
clares for direct primaries for the
nomination of state and national of
ficers, for nation-wide preferential pri
maries for candidates for the presi
dency, for the direct election of United
States senators by the people, and we
lirgp on the states the policy of the
short ballot with responsibility to the
people secured by the Initiative, refer
endum and recall.
Amendment of Constitution.
The progressive party, believing that
a free people should have the power
from time to time to amend their fun
damental law. so as to adapt It pro
gressively to tho changing needs of tho
people, pledges Itself to provide a more
easy and expeditious method of amend
ing the federal constitution.
Nation and State.
Up to the limit of the constitution
and later by amendment of the con
stitution, If found necessary, we ad
vocate bringing under effective na
tional jurisdiction those problems
which have expanded beyond the reach
of the Individual states.
It Is as grotesque as It Is Intolerable
that the several states should by un
equal laws In matters of common con
cern become competing commercial
agencies, barter the lives of their chil
dren. the health of their women and
the safety and well being of their
working people for the profit of their
financial Interests.
The extreme Insistence on states'
rights by the democratic party In the
Baltimore platform demonstrates anew
Its Inability to understand the world
Into which It has survived or to ad
minister the affairs of a nation of
states which have in all essential re
spects become one people.
Equal Suffrage.
The progressive party, believing that
no people can Justly claim to be a
true democracy which denies political
rights on account of sex, pledges Itself
to the task of securing equal suffrage
to men and women alike.
Corrupt Practices.
We pledge our party to legislation
that will compel strict limitation of all
campaign contributions and expendi
tures and detailed publicity of both be
fore as well as after primaries and
elections.
Publicity and Public Service.
We pledge our party to legislation
compelling the registration of lobby
ists. publicity of committee hearings
except on foreign affairs, and record
ing of all votes In committee and for
bidding federal appointed from hold
ing office In state or national political
organizations or taking part as of
ficers or delegates In political conven
tions for the election of elective state
or national officers.
Tho Courts.
The progressive party demands such
restriction of the power of the courts
as shall leave to the people the ulti
mate authority to determine fundamen
tal questions of social welfare and pub
lic policy. To secure this end it pledges
Itself to provide:
1. That when an act, passed under the
the police power of the state. Is held un
constitutional under the state constitu
tion by the courts, the people, after an
amele Interval for deliberation, shall have
an opportunity to vote on the <piestlon
whether they desire the act to become law
notwithstanding such decision.
2. That every decision of the highest
appellate court of the state declaring an
act of the legislature unconstitutional on
the ground of lte violation of the federal
constitution shall be subject to the same
review by the supreme court of the United
States as is now accorded to decisions sus
taining such legislation.
Administration of Justics.
The progressive party. In order to
secure to the people a better adminis
tration of Justice and by that means to
brtng about a more general respect for
the law and the courts, pledges ttself
to work unceasingly for the reform of
legal procedure and Judicial methods.
We believe that the Issuance of In
junctions In cases arising out of labor
disputes should be prohibited when
such Injunctions would not apply when
no labor disputes existed.
We also believe that a person cited
for contempt In labor disputes, except
when such contempt was committed In
the actual presence of the court or so
near there as to Interfere with the
proper administration or Justice, should
have a right to trial by jury.
Social and Industrial Justice.
The supreme duty of the nation Is
the conservation of human resources
through an enlarged measure of social
and Industrial Justice. We pledge our
selves to work unceasingly In state'and
nation for:
Effective legislation looking to the
prevention of Industrial accidents, oc
cupational diseases and overwork.
Involuntary employment and other
Injurious effects Incident to modern In
dustry.
The fixing of minimum safety and
health standards for the various occu
pations. and the exercise of the public
authority In state and nation, Includ
ing the federal control over Interstate
commerce and the taxing power, to
maintain such standards.
The prohibition of child labor.
Minimum wage standard for working
women, to provide "living wages” In
all Industrial occupations.
The general prohibition of night
work for women and the establishment
of an eight hour day for women and
young persons.
One day’s rest In seven for all wage
corkers.
inn eignt nour aay in continuous
24-hour Industries.
The abolition of the convict contract
labor system, substituting a system of
prison production for government con
sumption only, and the application of
prisoners’ earnings to the support of
their dependent families.
Publicity as to wages, hours and con
ditions of labor; full reports upon In
dustrial accidents and diseases and the
opening to public inspection of all tal
lies. weights, measures and check sys
tems on labor products.
Department of Labor.
We pledge our party to establish a
department of labor with a seat in the
cabinet and with wide jurisdiction over
matters affecting the conditions of la
bor and living.
Country Life.
The development and prosperity of
country life are as Important to the
people who live In the cities as they
are to the farmers. Increase of the
prosperity on the farm will favorably
affect the welfare and promote the In
terests of all who dwell in the coun
try and all who depend upon Its prod
ucts for clothing, shelter and food.
We pledge our party to foster the de
velopment of agricultural credit and
co-operation, the teaching of agricul
ture In schools, agricultural college ex
tension, the uso of mechanical power
on the farm, and to re-establish the
country life commission, thus directly
promoting the welfare of the farmers
and bringing the benefits of better
farming, better business and better liv
ing within their reach.
High Cost of Living.
The high cost of living Is due partly
to world wide and partly to local
causes; partly to natural and partly
to artificial causes. The measures pro
posed in this platform on various sub
jects, such as the tariff, the trusts and
conservation, will of themselves re
move the artificial causes. There will
remain other elements, such as the
tendency to leave the country for the
city, waste, extravagance, bad system
of taxation, poor methods of raising
crops and bad business methods in
marketing crops. To remedy these con
ditions requires the fullest information,
and based on this information effective
government supervision and control
should be provided to remove all the
artificial causes. We pledge ourselves
to such full and Immediate inquiry
and to Immediate action to deal with
every need the Inquiry discloses.
Health.
We favor the union of all the exist
ing agencies of the federal government
dealing with the public health into a
single national health service without
discrimination against or for any one
set of therapeutic methods, school of
medicine or school of healing, with
such additional powers as may he nec
essary to enable it to perform efficient
ly such duties In the protection of the
public from preventable disease as mav
be properly undertaken by the federal
authorities, including the executing of
existing laws regarding pure food,
quarantine and cognate subjects, the
promotion of appropriate action for the
improvement of vital statistics and the
extension of the registration area of
such statistics, and co-operation with
the health authorities of the various
states and cities of the nation.
Business.
We believe that true popular gov
ernment, Justice and prosperity go
hand in hand, and, so believing. It Is
our purpose to secure that large meas
ure of general prosperity which is the
fruit of legitimate and honest business,
fostered by equal Justice and by sound
progressive laws.
We demand that the test of true
prosperity shall be the benefit con
ferred thereby on all citlsens, not con
fined to Individuals or classes, and that
the test of corporate efficiency shall
he the ability better to serve the pub
lic; that those who profit by the con
trol of business affairs shall Justify
that profit and that control by sharing
with the public the fruits theroof.
We. therefore, demand a strong na
tional regulation of Interstate cor
poratlons. The corporation la an essen
tial part of modern business. The con
centration of modern business In some
degree. Is both Inevitable and necessary
for national and International business
efficiency. But the existing concen
tration of vast wealth under a corpor
ate system, unguarded and uncon
trolled by the nation, has placed In the
hands of a few men enormous, secret.
Irresponsible power over the dally life
of the citizen—a power unsufterable in
a free government and certain of
abuse.
This power has been abused In mo
nopoly of natural resources. In stock
watering, In unfair competition and
unfair privileges, and finally In sinis
ter Influences on the public agencies
of the state and nation. We do not
fear commercial power, but we do In
sist that It shall be exercised openly,
under publicity, supervision and regu
lation of the most efficient sort which
will preserve Its good while eradicating
and preventing Its evils.
To that end we urge the establish
ment of a strong federal administra
tive commission of high standing,
which shall maintain permanent, active
supervision over Industrial corporations
engaged In Interstate commerce, or
such of them as are of public Import
ance, doing for them what the gov
ernment does for the national banks,
and what is now done for the railroads
by the Interstate Commerce commis
sion.
Such a commission must enforce the
complete publicity of those corporative
transactions which are of public Inter
est; must attack unfair competition,
false capitalization and special privi
lege, and by continuous trained watch
fulness guard and keep open equally to
all the highways of American com
merce. Thus the business man will
have certain knowledge of the law and
will be able to conduct his business
easily in conformity therewith; the
Investor will find security for his cap
ital; dividends will be rendered more
certain and the savings will be drawn
naturally and safely Into the chan
nels of trade.
Under such a system of constructive
regulation legitimate business, freed
from confusion, uncertainty and fruit
less litigation, will develop normally
In response to the energy and enter
prise of the American business man.
Patents.
We pledge ourselves to the enact
ment ot a patent law which will make
it Impossible for patents to be sup
pressed or used against the public wel
fare in the interests of injurious mo
nopolies.
Interstate Commerce Commission.
We pledge our party to secure to the
Interstate Commerce commission the
power to value the physical property
of railroads. In order that the power
of the commission to protect the peo
ple may not be impaired or destroyed,
we demand the abolition of the com
merce court.
Currency.
We believe there exists Imperative
need of prompt legislation for the im
provement of our national currency
system. We believe the present method
of issuing notes through private agen
cies is harmful and unscientific. The
Issue of currency is fundamentally a
government function, and the system
should have as basic principles sound
ness and elasticity. The control should
be lodged with the government and
should be protected from domination
or manipulation by Wail street or any
special Interests.
We are opposed to the so-called Aid
rich currency bill because Its previs
ions would place our currency and
credit system In private hands, not sub
lect to effective public control.
Commercial Development.
The time has come when the federal
sovernment should co-operate with
manufacturers and producers in ex
pending our foreign commerce. To this
end we demand adequate appropria
:lons by congress and the appointment
of diplomatic and consular officers
solely with a view to their special fit
ness and worth, and not In considera
tion of political expediency.
It Is imperative to the welfare of our
people that we enlarge and extend our
foreign commerce. We are pre-emtn
ontly fitted to do this, because as a
people we have developed high skill
In the art of manufacturing. Our busi
ness men are strong executives, strong
organizers. In every way possible our
federal government should co-operate
In this important matter. Anyone who
has had opportunity to study and ob
serve at first hand Germany's course
In this respect must realize that the
policy of co-operation between govern
ment and business has In comparative
ly few Instances made them a leading
competitor for the commerce of the
world. It should be remembered that
they are doing this on a national scale
and with large units of business, while
the democrats would have us believe
that we should do It with small units
of business, which would be controlled
not by the national government, but
by 49 state sovereignties. Such a policy
Is utterly out of keeping with the
progress of the times and gives our
great commercial rivals in Europe—
hungry for international markets—
golden opportunities of which they are
rapidly taking advantage.
Conservation.
The natural resources of the nation
must be promptly developed and gener
ally used to support the people's needs,
but we cannot safely allow them to be
wasted, exploited, monopolized or con
trolled against the general good. We
heartily favor the policy of conserva
tion and we pledge our party to pro
tect the national forests without hin
dering their legitimate use for the bene
fit of the people. Agricultural lands
In the national forests are, and should
remain, open to the genuine settler.
Conservation will not retard legitimate
development. The honest settler must
receive his patent promptly without
hindrance, rules or delays.
We believe that the remaining forests,
coal and oil lands, water power and
other natural resources, now In state
or national control (except agricul
tural lands), are more likely to be wise
ly conserved and utilized for the general
welfare If held In the public hands. In
order that eoiisumers and producers,
managers anti, workmen now and here
after need r.ot pay toll to private mo
nopolies ot. power and raw material.
we demand that such resources shall be
retained by the state or nation and
opened to Immediate use under laws
which will encourage development and
make to the people a moderate return
for benefits conferred.
In particular, we pledge our system
to the public for water power rights
herefater granted by the public. We
pledge legislation to lease the public
grazing lands under equitable pro
visions, now pending, which will In
crease the production of the food for
the people and thoroughly safeguard
the rights of the actual homemaker.
Natural resources, whose conservation
Is necessary for the national welfare,
should be owned or controlled by the
nation.
Good Roads.
We recognize the vital Importance of
good roads, and we pledge our party
to foster their extension in every
proper way, and we favor the early
construction of national highways. We
also favor the extension of the rural
free delivery service.
.Alaska.
The coal and other natural resources
of Alaska should be opened to develop
ment at once. They are owned by the
people of the United States and are safe
from monopoly, waste or destruction
only while so owned. We demand that
they shall neither be sold nor given
away except under the homestead law,
but while held In government owner
ship shall be opened to use promptly
upon liberal terms requiring Imme
diate development.
Thus the benefit of cheap fuel will
accrue to the government of the United
States and to the people of Alaska and
the Pacific coast, the settlement of
extensive agricultural lands will be
hastened, the extermination of the
salmon will be prevented and the Just
and wise development of Alaskan re
sources will take the place of private
extortion or monopoly. We demand
also that extortion or monoply In
transportation shall be prevented by
the prompt acqulstion, construction
or Improvement by the government of
such railroads, harbors and other fa
cilities for transportation as the wel
fare of the people may demand.
We promise the people of the terri
tory of Alaska the same measure of
local self government that was given
to other American territories and that
federal officials appointed there shall
be qualified by previous bona fide resi
dence in the territory.
Waterways.
The rivers of the United States are
the natural arteries of this continent.
We demand that they shall be opened
to traffic as Indispensable parts of a
itreat nationwide system of transporta
tion in which the Panama canal will
be the central line, thus enabling the
whole Interior of the United States to
share with the Atlantic and Pacific
seaboards in the benefits derived from
the canal. It is a national obligation
to develop our rivers, especially the
Mississippi and its tributaries, without
lelay, under a comprehensive general
plan covering each river system from
ts source to its mouth, designed to se
■ure its highest usefulness for naviga
tion, irrigation, domestic supply and
the prevention of floods. We pledge our
party to the immediate preparation of
such a plan, which should be made and
carried out in close and friendly co
operation btween the nation, the states,
rnd the cities affected. Under such a
plan the destructive floods of the Mis
sissippi and other streams, which rep
-escnt a great and needless loss to the
lation, would be controlled by forest
conservation and water storage at the
leadwaters and by levees below: lands
sufficient to support millions of people
would be reclaimed from the deserts
in I the swamps, water power enough
:o transform the industrial standing
if whole states would be developed,
idequate water terminals would be
provided, transportation by river would
revive nnd the railroads would be com
pelled to cooperate ns freely with the
boat lines as with each other. The equip
ment. organization, and experience ac
juired in constructing the Panama
anal, soon will be available for lakes
:o the gulf deep waterwav and other
portions of this -rent work, and should
pe utilized by the nation In cooperation
with the various states at the lowest
pet cost to the people.
Panama Canal.
The Panama canal, built and paid for
ay the American people, must be used
primarily for their benefit. We de
mand that the canal shall be so oper
ited as to break the the transportation [
monopoly now held and misused by the
:ranscontfnenta! railroads by matatalm
,ng sea competition with them; that
ships directly or indirectly owned or
controlled by American railroad cor
porations shall not be permitted to use
the canal, and that American ships en
gaged in coastwise trade shall pay no
tolls.
The progressive party shall favor leg
islation having for its aim the develop
ment of friendship and commerce be
tween the United States and Uallrt
Anterlcan states.
Tariff.
We believe In a protective tariff
which shall equalize conditions of com
petition between the United States and
foreign countries, both for the farmers
and the manufacturers, which shall en
tertain for labor an adequate standard
of ltvtng.
Primarily, the benefit of any tariff
should he disclosed in the pay envel
ope of the laborer. We declare that
no Industry deserves protection which
is unfair to labor or which Is operat
ing in violation of federal law. We
believe that the presumption 13 always
In favor of tl - consuming public.
We demand tariff revision downward
because the present tariff is unjust to
the people of tlte United States. Fair
dealing toward the people requires an
immediate downward revUlon of those
schedules wherein duties are shown to,'
be unjust or excessive.
We pledge ourselves to the establish
ment of a nonpartisan, scientific tartfr
commission, reporting both to the pres
ident and «« el titer branch of congvess,
which shall report, first, the cost's of
production, efficiency of labor, capitali
zation, Industrial organization a ad efft
clewjy and the general compexive po
sition In this country and abrjfcd of in
dustries seeking protection from con
gress. second, as to the r/venue pro
xuelnK power of Vhe tarifi^and 1U rela
*
'tlon to the resources of the government,
and. third, as to the effect of the tariff
on prices, operations of middlemen and *
on the purchasing power of the con
sumer.
We believe that this commission
should have plenary powers to elicit in
formation, and for this purpose pre
scribe a uniform system of accounting
for the great protected industries. The
work of the commission should not pre
vent the Immediate adoption of acts re
ducing these schedules generally rec
ognized as excessive.
We condemn the Payne-Aldrich bill
as unjust to the people. The repub
lican organization Is In the hands of
those who have broken faith, and can
not again be trusted to keep the prom
ise of necessary downward revision.
The democratic party Is committed to
the destruction of the protective sys
tem through a tariff for revenue only—
a policy which would inevitably pro
duce widespread Industrial and com
mercial disaster.
We demand the Immediate repeal of
the Canadian reciprocity act.
Inheritance and Income Tax. %
We believe In a graduated Inheri
tance tax as a reactional means of 1
equalizing the obligations of holders of *
property *.o the government, and we
hereby pledge our party to enact such
a federal law as will tax large Inheri
tances, returning to the states an
equitable percentage of all amounts
collected. We favor the ratification of
the pending amendment to the consti
tution giving th“ government power to
levy an income tax.
Peace and National Defense.
The progressive party deplores the
survival in our civilization of the bar
baric system of warfare among nations,
with its enormous waste of resources
even in time of peace and the conse
quent impoverishment of the life of
the toiling masses. We pledge the par
ty to use its best endeavors to substi
tute judicial and other peaceful means
of settling International difficulties.
We favcr an International agreement
for the limitation of naval force. Pend- ^
lng such an agreement, and as the best
means of preserving peace, we pledge
ourselves to maintain for the present
the policy of building two battleships a
year.
Treaty Rights.
We pledge our party to protect the
rights of American citizenship at home
and abroad. No treaty should receive
the sanction of our government which
discrtmnates between American citi
zens because of birthplace, race or re
ligion or that does not recognize the
absolute right of expatriation.
The Immigrant.
Through the establishment of indus
trial standards we propose to secure to
the able-bodied immigrant to his na
tion of fellow workers a large share of
American opportunity.
We denounce the fatal policy of in
difference and neglect which has left
our enormous immigration population
to become the prey of chance and
cupidity. We favor governmental ac
tion to encourage the distribution of
Immigrants away from the congested
cities, to rigidly supervise all private
agencies dealing with them and to
promote their assimilation, education
end advancement.
Pensions.
We pledge ourselves to a wise and
just policy of pensioning American sol
diers and sailors and their widows and
children by the federal government,
tnd we approve the policy of the
southern states in grunting pensions to
the ex-confederate soldiers and sailors
tnd their widows and children.
Parcels Post.
We pledge our party to the immedi- ,
ate creation of a parcels post with v
rates proportional to distance and ser
vice.
Civil Service*
We condemn the violations of the
civil service law under the present ad
ministration, including the coercion
and assessment of subordinate em
ployes, and the president’s refusal to
punish such violation aftx- a finding
of guilty by his own commission; hla
distribution of patronage among sub
servient congressmen, while withhold
ing It from those who refuse to sup
port administration measures; hla
withdrawals of nominations from tha
senate until political support for him
self was secured, and the open use of
tile offices to reward those who voted
for hts renomination.
To eradicate these abuses, we de
mand not only the enforcement of the
civil service act in letter and spirit,
but also legislation that will bring
under the competitive system postmas
ters, collectors, marshals andi all other
non-political officers, as well as the en
actment of an equitable retirement;
law, and we insist on, continuous serv
ice during good behavior and ef
ficiency.
Business OrgianucaCton.
We. pledge our party to readjust
ment of the business methods of th»
national government and a proper co
ordination of the fedleral bureauet <
which will Increase the economy and
efficiency In the government service,
prevent duplications andl secure better
results to the taxpayers for every dol
lar expended.
Supervision, Over Investment*
The people of the United States are,
swindled, out of many millions of dol
lars every year through worthless in
vestments. The plain people, the wage
earner and the- men and women with
small savings have no way of knowing
the merit of concerns sending c*it high
ly colored prospectuses offering stock
for sale, prospectuses that make big
returns seem certain and fortune*
easily within grasp.
We hold it to be the. duty of tha
government to protect its people from
this kind of piracy. We, therefore, de
mand wise, careful, thorough legisla
tion that will give us auch govern
mental supervision over this matter
as wilt furnish to the people of tha
United States this much needed protec
tion and we pledge ourselves thereto*
Conclusion.
On these principles and on the recog
nized desirability of uniting the pro
gressive forces of the nation into an
organization which shall unequivocally
permit the progressive spirit and pol
icy, we appeal for the support of all
American cltisens without regard to
previous political affiliations.
