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The Commoner,
VOLUME 12, NUMBEH 27
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CARTOON TAKEN' FROM THE BALTIMORE AMERICAN
'i ' n . ' " ' f '
?- -I-1 I'lrJr-lJiJL -, tvlOsijriXtr v .Vfwrif 3Mtr4'fcHV vwciJlffltJT IfOTrMill X xO X. v
"If I were a cartoonist I would represent Ryan as the dominant nower in th ormnM
having in his hand a cat-o'-nine tails, the nine tails representing MurSy, TgSf SSSSS &
.Co., the dominating , members of the national committee, and I would represent the dSrft
party as receiving the lashes upon its back'-William'jen
The Democratic Platform for 1912
(Continued from Pago 7.)
prevent adequate service, or do inj
justice to legitimate investments.
RANKING LEGISLATION
We oppose the so-called Aldrich
hill or the establishment of a central
bank, and we believe tho people of
the country will bo largely freed
from panics, and consequent unem
ployment and business depression "by
such a systematic revision of our
banking laws as will render tem
porary relief in localities, whore
such relief is needed, with protec
tion from control or domination by
what is known as tho money trust.
Banks exist for tho accommoda
tion tho public and not for the
control of business. All legislation
on tbe subject of banking and cur
rency should have for its purpose, the
securing of th,eso accommodations
Dn terms of absolute security to tho
public and of complete protection
from the misuse of the power that
wealth gives to those who possess it.
Wp condemn the present methods
of depositing, government funds in a
Jew favored banks, largely situated
in or controlled by Wall street in
return for political favors, and wo
pledge our party to provide by law
ror their deposit by competitive bid
ding in the banking instituions of
tho country, national .and. state
without discrimination as to locality
upon proved securities, and subject
to call by tho government.
NATIONAL RURAL CREDITS
Of equal importance with the
question of currency reform is the
question of rural credits or agricul
tural finance. Therefore, we recom
mend that an investigation of agri
cultural credit societies in foreign
countries bo made so that it may
be ascertained whether a system' of
rural credits may bo devised suit
able to conditions in the United
States; and we also favor legislation
permitting national banks to loan a
reasonable proportion of their funds
on real estate security.
Wo recognize tho value of voca
tional education, and urge federal
appropriations for such training and
extension teaching in agriculture, in
co-operation with' the several states.
WATERWAYS
Wo renew th rioninTnHrk i ..
last platform relating to the conser-
vutivii ui our national resources and
tho development of our waterways
The present devastation of the lowfer
Mississippi valley accentuates te
movement for tho regulation of river
flow by additional levee and bank
protection below and the diversion
storage and control of the flood
waters above and their utilization
for beneficial purposes in the recla
mation of arid and swamp lands and
tho development of water power, in
stead of permitting the floods to con
tinue as heretofpre, agents of de
struction. We Tiold that the control
of the Mississippi river, is a national
problem. The preservation of the
depth of its water for the purpose of
navigation, the building of .levees to
maintain the integrity of Us channel
and the prevention of the over-flow
of the land, and its consequent de
vastation, resulting, in the interrup
tion of interstate commerce, the dis
organization of the mail service, and
the enormous Iqss of: life and proper
ty impose an obligation which alone
can be discharged by tho. general
government.
S ,maitaln an adequate depth'
of water the entire year and there
by encourage water- transportation is
a consummation worthy of legisla
tive attention and presents an issue
national in its character, it calls
for prompt action on the part of
congress and the democratic nartv
F'1!??6?.- Its?lf t( the .actment of
legislation leading to that ond.
n JTVao?r the co:Pration of the
United States and the respective
states in plans for the comprehen
sive treatment of (all waterways with'
a view of co-ordinating plans for
channel Improvement with plans for
drainage of swamp and overflowed
lands, and to this end we favor tho
appropriation by the federal govern
ment of sufficient funds, to make sur
veys of such lands, to develop plans
for draining the same and to suner
vise the work of construction
j ' We favor tho' adoption of a liberal
ana comprenensive plan for the de
velopment and improvement of our
inland waterways, , with economy
and efficiency, so .as to permit their
navigation by vessels .of standard
draft. .-
POST ROADS
We favor national aids -to state
and local authorities in the con
struction and maintenance of post
roads. ; :
RIGHTS OP LAB$R 4
We repeat our declarations of tho
platform of 1908 as follows:
"The courts of justice are the bul
wark of our liberties, and we yield
to none in our purpose to maintain
their dignity. Our party has given
to the bench a long line of distin
guished justices who have added to
the respect and confidence in which
this department must be jeaiously
of the republican party to raise a
.false issue respecting the. judiciary.
It is an unjust reflection upon a great
body of citizens to assume that they
lack respect for the courts.
"It is the function of the courts
to interpret the laws, which the
people enact, and if the laws appear
to work economic, social, or politi
cal injustice, it is our duty to change
them. The only basis upon which
the integrity of our courts can stand
is that of unswerving justice and
protection of life, personal liberty
and property. As judicial processes
may be abused, Wo should guard
them against abuse.
"Experience has proved the neces
sity of a modification of the present
1 x V, b mjuuuuuu ana we
r-it:!rate tne Pledges of our platforms
wx, -x.u ttllu xjjus m iavor of a
measure which passed the United
States senate in 1896 but whicti a
republican congress, .has ever since
refused to ena'ct; relating ' to con
tempts "ifa federal courts, ' and pro
viding fnv frlnl yi-.fi 4,,-. -
Indirect 'contempt;
questions of judicial practico
a7i?.arise?'1esi)eclally in connection
with industrial disputes. We believe
that the parties to all judicial pro
?m 2P,??0Uld be treated With rigid
imKIalit?' , and ttat junctions
J? 1 1 ?ot be Issued ln f ease
LZl?1 a?, !,n3uncon would not
Involved. - adU8trial dite Wero
,rThe ex?wIiog-organization of in
shoftd TJ SssntiaI that there
?Iehf nf X n abridsement of tho
SS Vhe Wa?e oarners, and pro
ot$LZ rga,nl2? for the Protection
pf wages, and the Improvement of
SJ COndit!ns' to the end that such
w rgia,nIzatIons and tbeir mem-
comb1nnJ be regarded as ,nesal
"W? niS restraint of trade.
to tZelldiQJl democratic party
department of " labor & reres nfed
senaratAiv in n, .!.. ..yiw.e?iea
in hinu JT x yeHiaenx'8 cabinet,
rtn-w? department shall be in
cluded the subject of mines and min-
tn "t7 Pledg the democratic party
to the enactment of a law by con
gress as far as tho federal jurisdic
'iabintvnf fr a,general employers'
or loiof H?VeJing Injury to body
oi loss of life of employes."
CONSERVATION
an7?hftb1IeVf in the conservation
In fii6 development, tor the use of
all the people of the natural re
Bources of the country. Our Srestl
our sources of water supply ow.
able and our mineral lands our
SIgabG streams, and all Sfe'othe?
Suntrv hlSUr!,CeS Wltb hlc our
country has . been so -lavishlv n
dowed, constitute the foundation nt
pur national wealth. Such add!
tional .legislation as may be .necfi
sary to prevent their SngSSS
?ntsrbshotoClaI WiJSSS
interests, should )bo enacted and-ouS
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