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itnd our posterity, <lo ordain and establish this constitution for the United
States of America.'
"Thus we see that t he fundamental law Of the laud is recognized to be
the work of the people. What commentary upon the rule of the Repub?
lican party for more than forty years that it is necessary to wag" a great
campaign to restore to the people their just power in the government
they created. It illustrates the trite sayings, 'Power is always stealing
from the hands of the many into the hands of the few,' and that 'eternal
vigilance is the price of liberty." We arc- at the dawn of a new era. The
bonds that held the people so long have been burst asunder no man or
set of men will again do their thinking and dietate how they shall vote
high sounding phrases anil glittering generalities will no longer dazzle and
satisfy them. They want rebel substantial relief, from th? burdens
they are bearing. Tney want reform real reform and they will have it.
They want I he fulfillment of pledges made to them they intend to have it.
They Intend to restore representative government. 03 it was wont to be.
"The real voice of the people has been given little weight in influen?
cing the legislation of recent years. The Democracy of the nation is to be
congratulated upon nominating B candidate for President who hears this
voice and is absolutely untrammelled and free to serve the interests of the
people. To use his own language: 'We represent the desire to set up an
Unentangled government) a government that can not be used for private
purposes, either in the held of business or in the field of polities, a gov?
ernment that will not tolerate the use of the organization of a great
party to serve the personal aims and ambitions of any individual, and that
will not permit legislation to be i m ployed to further any private interest.
It is a great conception, but 1 urn free to serve it. as you also are. I
could not have accepted a nomination which left me bound to any man <>r
group of no u. No man can be just who is not free! and no man who has
to show favors ought to undertake the solemn responsibility of govern?
ment in any rank or post whatever, least of all the supreme post ot Presi?
dent of the United States.'
"This is the kind of man selected to lead in the progressive march
to restore popular government.
STATE RIGHTS.
"The declaration against depriving the states of the rinhts reserved
under the federal constitution are in keeping with the most enlightened
and progressive views; the line of demarcation is demanded to lie kept
clear and distinct. I do not suppose any one within the sound of my
voice doubts where 1 stand upon the t|ucstioii of protecting the rights of
the Stales from invasion by federal power, having I.n compelled to give
hostage for my opinion by imprisonment under the order of a Federal
.lodge, from which 1 emerged through the front door of the Supreme
Court at Washington, hearing a certificate of immunity,for Virginia from
suit in the federal courts at the hands of the English bondholders.
"Tin' provision endorsing the constitutional amendments for an in?
come lax and the election of Senators meets with universal approval by
the peopl'-, as well as the provision lor Publicity b fore election of cam?
paign expenses. No honest man can object to the utmost publicity being
given to the oxpi nditurea he makes in securing his nominal ion and elec?
tion, and all should be forced to do so, that the people may know the
Influences that wen- brought to bear.
" The pledge to enact laws prohibiting corporations from contributing
to a campaign fund, and individuals from contributing any amount over
a reasonable maximum, is in line with the most progressive and advanced
thought and meets the approval of all patriots.
"The pledge committing the party to tlu' support of a constitutional
amendment making the President of the United States ineligible to re-elec?
tion meets the nltprovnl of a large majority of the people without regard
to party atliliation. This action should be taken at the earliest date
possible so that no incumbent of the high oflice can ev< r hereafter use the
influence of any army or federal office-holder and employees in securing
a renomination.
WORK OF TIM: DEMOCRATIC HOUSE.
"The Democratic House has fulfilled the campaign promises of 1910.
Indeed, as Underwood says, 'The manner in which all the Democratic
campaign promises have been kept mark a real ?poch in the legislative
history of this country.' The rules of the House were promptly liberal?
ized when the Democrats took charge at the beginning of Congress. The
ways and means committee was designated the committee to nominate to
the House the other committees, thus taking out of the speaker's hands a
function which lias lodged with every speaker of the House since the sec?
ond ('(ingress. The Democratic membership has worked with such mar?
velous celerity and effectiveness that its legislative results have aroused
universal interest ; in fact the Democrats in Congress have doll'.' more in
the last two years to unite, revivify and make militant the Democratic
parly than has been done in a long time."
Calling attention to important legislation in the House General Ayera
said:
"This Democratic Congress has offered reform on a score of issues, of
which the following are some of the most important which have passed
the House:
" It has revised and liberalized the rules of the House so BS to give the
representatives of the people freedom of speech and of action.
"It has authorised and directed investigations of certain executive
departments of the government ami of certain industrial combinations, in?
cluding the United States Steel Corporation, the American Sue,ar Refining
('ompany, t he shipping t rusts, beef I rusts and t he money t rust.
"It has enacted a law providing for the publication of campaign ex?
penses before and after election, and fixed a limit on tin ( lection expenses
for Senators and Representatives.
" It has proposed an amendment to the constitution providing lor the
popular election of United Stall s Senators.
"It lias admitted Now Mexico and Arizona Io statehood.
" It has enacted a law to prevent the abuse of the writ of injunction.
"It has passed a bill establishing an eight-hour day for working men
on all national public works.
"It lias passed a contempt bill, which provides, under certain condi?
tions, for a trial by jury and appeal, as in other legal proceedings.
"li has passed a resolution which forced the President to take imme?
diate steps to abrogate the Russian treaty in vindication of American
cit isenship.
"It has passed a bill to establish agricultural extension departments
in connection with agricultural colleges in the several Slates.
"It has passed a bill to provide stricter laws and'regulations to pro?
mote the safety of passengers and crew al sea.
"It has enacted a law prohibiting the manufacture of and trade in
poisonous while phosphorous matches.
" It has enacted a law establishing a Children's Bureau, charged with
timely Investigations of infant, mortality, the birth rate, orphanages, juve?
nile conns, desertions, dangerous occupations, accidents and diseases of
children.
"It has passed a bill 'to protect American trade and American ship?
ping from foreign monopolies.'
"It has passed a bill creating a D. partment of Labor, making its head
a member of ihe Pn sident's Cabinet.
"It has made liberal special appropriations amounting to $1,0(10,000
for relief work in flooded districts of the Mississippi River. Ordinarily the
annual river and harbor bill carries from $3,000,000 to $4,000,000 for im?
provements to that river, whereas the amount this year is $6,000,000,
including the flood emergency sums.
"It has in the passage of supply bills worked out great economies in
national expenditures.
"It has made excellent record in its endeavors to revise the laritf
downward to a revenue basis, having passed measures thus alTecting the
schedules of most vit al moment to the people, namely: Wool, cotton,med?
ical, chemical sugar and in the fanners' free list placed necessary food
products on the free list.
"It has passed a bill providing for an excise tax on incomes, thereby
transferring a considerable portion of the tax burden to the wealthy who
are escaping their proper proportion.
"It has enacted the Alaskan civil-government act, creating a legisla?
ture of two houses with authority to enact laws.
"It has under way many other measures of great general and local
importance including that providing for a parcel post: government aid to
public highways and post roads; revision of our patent laws, and a sound
system of easier agricultural credits.
"Investigations put on foot in regard to trust-controlled industries,
the administration departments, to correct defects, curb extravagances,
ferret out evil influences, investigating the monopolies of the American
Sugar Refining Company, Steel Corporation and into other departments
of government and its administration where there was cause to believe
that the rights of the people were being sacrificed in favor of the trust
and monopolies, resulting in the framing of many bills to correct these
evils; the regulation of injunction, the eight-hour day, preventing the
courts from entering into the domain of criminal prosecution under the
guise of contempt of court, curbing of foreign shipping mopolics, the
establishing of departments of labor, the extise tax bill; the resolution
THE CLINCH VALLEY NEWS
providing for investigation of Kuropean Credit Societies, which justly
prompts the hopes of farmers for belter and easier credit facilities.
DEMOCRATIC TARIFF WORK.
"The Canadian recipocity agreement was supported by Democrats
becaus" it was in accord with the Democratic principle of reducing the
duty on food products and made a breach in the high protective walls of
the Republican party. The bill was passed, but unfortunately was not
accepted by the- Canadian government.
"It is estimated that the result which would have followed the enact?
ment of the Farmers' Free last bill would have saved the American peo?
ple not less than three hundred and ninety million dollars. The first arti?
cles pieced on the free list by this bill wire agricultural implements.
Our domestic production of agricultural implements amounts to over
(111,000,000 annually. Our imports are less than $166,000 and our ex?
ports during the fiscal year wi re nearly $63,000,000. Our manufacturers
of these farming implements are therefore abb" to compete with the
manufacturers of like implements in the world's markets.
"The bill placed sewing machines on the free list, meeting the rcquirc
ments of the poor seamstress.
"The measure met the wishes of the farmers for free agricultural im?
plements and free fence wire, the cotton grower with free bagging and
ties, the builder with free lumber, laths and shingles, the great masses
of the city folk, pressed for food and clothing, with free meats, free leather
and shoes and free salt.
"In the Woo! bill prepared and passed live times within practically a
year, (1) the bill of the House, (2nd) compromise measure of the two
houses at the special session, the same two measures at the regular ses?
sion, all vetoed by the President, the President's veto of the compromise
hill being over-ridden by the House but failing in the Senate, the Demo?
cratic bill vetoed by the President, reduced the average rate on woolen
manufactures from 90.10 per cent, to 48.36 per cent. The rate of duty on
tin- compromise bill was slightly higher, but greatly reduced the rates
which has so long burdened the consumer and would have produced
the necessary revenue from the schedule as passed. The President
vetoed the first hill August IT, 1911,assigning as bis reason that the tarilf
board had not reported to him as to what revision was necessary. The re?
port of liie tarilf board was sent to Congress by the President on Decem?
ber 20, 1011. A very careful analysis of this report, by the ways and
means committee failed to reveal anything that required a single change in
the rates fixed in the Democratic lull of the first session of Congress, and
the ways and means committee again presented it to the House without
change with the result of their investigation of a special session, and em?
bodied in the bill again presented.
"The only real effect of t he delay and the revision of the wool schedule
was to allow manufacture rs another year of excessive rates* am! compel
the people to pay for their woolen clotting during the year over lifty
millions more than they would have paid under the rale oi the bill of the
special session. To illustrate what this bill meant to the masses of the
people who wear < lothes i:i this country: A wool hat valued at one dollar
in the port abroad, is taxed 78 cents upon its entry into the United Stales
under the present tariff law. Under the Democratic bill this duty was
reduced from 78 cents to 49 cents. Flannel underwear valued at $27.00
per dozen suits was lax? d 106 per C( rt: the revision reduced 49 per cent.
A suit of ready-made yarn clothing Worth in ESurobe U u dollars, under the
present ad valorem rale, 75 per cent, or $7.60. The revision bill reduced
this from 75 per cent, to -111 per cent.
" Whaievi r argunn nt might be presenti d as to nt In r schedules in the
tariff, there can tie no reason on earth why a bill reducing the necessaries
of life to tvery man, woman and child in the land, should not have
been promptly passed and approved by the Republican President, whose
party was pledged to this reduction.
"The revision bill reduces the duties on cotton manufactures from
?is.12 per cent, to 27.tit; per cent., reducing the duties from two hundred
million dollars to one hundred and twelve million dollars for a year, a saving
of eighty-eight million dollars for that period. For every dollar of loss
to the treasury that would have resulted from the passage of the revision
bill the tax burdens of the people would have been lessened twenty
nine dollars. In VCtOCing the COtton bill at the special session the Presi?
dent gave as one of his reasons that the tariff board had not reported to
him concerning this schedule. They did report and he transmitted it to
Congress March 26, 1!'12. Alter an exhaustive examination, the ways
and means committee foiled to discover anything in the report justifying
changes in the hill passed at the special session and vetoed by the Presi?
dent, ami it was re-introduced and passed the second day of August,
1912, sent to the Senate where it still rests in conference.
"The present tariff on men's half hose valued at 80 cents per dozen is
!)2 per cent. The revision bill reduced this to -10 per cent.; it reduced
cotton thread from 34 per cent, to 15 per cent. A suit of ready-made
cotton clothing, valued at the foreign port at six dollars, under the present
tariff, is 50 per cent, ad valorem or $:>.00 per suit. The revision bill
reduced Ibis to 30 per cent., saving the consumer $1.20 per suit.
Till: METAL SCHEDULE.
"The bill revising the metal schedule reduced I he average rate from
11:1.55 per cent to 22.-12 per cent., which it is estimated would have saved
the American consumers annually $80,000,000. This bill passed both the
House and Senate and was vetoed by the President August 11, 1912, the
main reason given by tin- President being that the iron and steel industries
were not adequately protected by the rates, no claim whatever that ade?
quate revenues would not have been received under the reduced rate,
'fhe Democrats claim, and it was admitted before the committees bv
the great manufacturers, that the iron and steel industry has reached it
position of independence where it does not need tint helping hand of the
government in order to stand in competition with the world.
"The condition with regard to machine tools illustrates the strength
of this industry. Machine tools made by American manufacturers are
exported and sold in k'.rgo quantities in every European country in com?
petition with foreign manufacturers. Our annual output of these tools
is fifty million dollars; our export not less than live million dollars, while
our imports are less than two hundred thousand dollars. Our export of
these tools for the fiscal year 1912 amounted to twelve million dollars.
"The revision made on the chemical schedule in the bill as passed,
effected a saving to the American consumer of $17,000,000. This measure
was defeated in the Republican Senate.
"Sugar was placed on the free list in deference to a general and per?
sistent demand on the part of the consumers. Under it the consumers
.would have saved $115,000,000, and if enacted it would have substanti?
ally reduced tlie cost of living, the tarilf tax amounting to one and a half
cents per pound. T he Senate amended this bill so that it would have giv?
en no relief to the people from sugar prices, and the Democrats in confer?
ence refused to agree.
"The stand-pat element of the Republican party, with the President,
have determined to maintain the high tarilf wall and make their light
from the citadel of protection. The bills were not all the Democrats wanted
nor all the people had a right to demand, but like a half loaf it would
have been better than nothing, and Would have afforded a measure of
relief to millions of people oppressed by tiie high cost of living, The Re?
publican President refused to help them, but bent all his energies and
all his mind to lind an excuse for standing by the protected interests
instead of the unprotected people.
"The Baltimore Sun Says: 'The President's course has finally
proved that nothing need over be expected from him in aid of tarilf revis?
ion, despite the protestation in his veto message that he wants to sign a
proper kind of wool bill. He would sign no bill presented to him that
would give any real relief. He is now and forever allied with those who
think they ought lo have a perpetual license to pluck the American con?
sumer. Those who vote for him will do so with the full knowledge that
Mr. Taft will not lift his little linger to lighten their burdens; if lightening
those burdens means lessening even in the slightest degree the enormous
profits of the New England mill owners and other favorite and favored
sons of the high tarilf system.'
THE LEVYING OF TRIBUTE.
"The interpretation of the tarilf issues between the Democratic and
Republican parties is lucidly set forth in parallel columns, prepared by
Mr. Underwood, as follows:
Republicans
(1) " 'The duties shall be levied
to protect infant industries. This
means a progressively high tarilf
wall, for instead of helping infant
industries to get on their fort it
weakens them to the extent of mak?
ing them forever dependent on
charity. Also that the vested right
to tax the people to protect the
special interests exists in this
country.'
Democrats
(1) " "That duty shall be levied
for revenue only, and that there
exists in this country no vested
right to tax the American people
in the interest of special privileges
for the benefit of special classes.'
"Mr. Underwood again says: 'The Democratic party is entitled to
the confidence of the American people because it has kept its pledges with
them. It has demonstrated that it can and will revise the tariff taxes
down to a revenue basis; that it can administer the affairs of the national
government; that it will stand for the constitution of the United States.
On the other hand, the Republican party has failed to keep its pledges with
the people in reducing the custom taxes and has more than doubled the
expenses of the national government since Cleveland's first adminstration.
The Republican party is now so badly divided by internal dissensions that
they are not capable of the united action on any of the legislative questions
now before the people atid it. is impracticable to belive that the Repub?
lican party can set in order the house and bring about proper reforms
of its own extravagance and greed.
THE PURITY OF THE BALLOT.
"In my opinion the greatest evil the parent of all evils- that has
been inflicted upon the people is the corruption of the ballot. By corrupt?
ing it, the great tnonied interests and combinations have been enabled to
slitle the voice of the people, control legislation in their interest and
thwart the function of government. The Harriman contribution of
$250,000, the Arcbibold contribution of $125,000 for the Standard Oil.^
were contributed to some end. Were they contributed in the interest of
good government and fair-play, or were their contributions made for the
purpose of influencing legislation favorable to them? There can be but
one answer to this question. The Republican party has succeeded in re?
taining power for many years solely by the use of such immense contribu?
tions by corporations, trusts, monopolies and combined wealth. These
contributions have been used in corrupting the ballot and re-paid by
placing on the statute hooks of the land, laws enabling the contributors
to levy upon tax-payers untold millions more than their contributions.
"My personal view on the question of the purity of the ballot is ex?
pressed in a letter and appeal made to the voters of the district soon after
my nomination, which I do not deem it amiss to read: "The convention
of the Democratic party held in Rristol, Va., on March 20, nominated
me as their candidate to represent the Ninth District in the next Con?
gress of the United States. I accepted the nomination with a full appre?
ciation of the work and responsibility it imposed upon me. I accepted
it because it gave me an opportunity to make a campaign, not only for
the triumph of Democratic principles und policies, but in addition to '
inaugurate a crusade against the corruption of the ballot by the unlaw?
ful and immoral use of money in elections. A campaign for honor,
manhood and patriotism against dollars. A campaign to open the door
of hope now closed against thousands of voters and thousands of poor*
young men and boys who are struggling hard to educate and qualify
themselves to till any office in the gift of the Stute or Nation. So long
as the result of elections depend, not upon the character and fitness of the
candidate, not upon the principles and policies involved, but upon the.
amount of money expended in corrupting the electorate, so long wilt*''
all opportunity for the poor man's rising to distinction and filling
places of honor and trust be cut off, and the snapping of the foundation
of the republican institutions continue. I will not use one dollar
for any unlawful purpose during my campaign; neither will 1 author?
ize or permit one dollar to be so used, if in my power to prevent
it; ami now 1 appeal to all my friends and supporters not to violate
the law, either in the letter or spirit. 1 do not want the support of men
who have to be bribed to give it. I know these principles are right and I
know that it will be to the best interest of every voter without regard to
party affiliations that they should prevail. I therefore appeal to every
voter in the district who has not paid his tax and qualified himself to vote
to do so at once pay it yourself pay it with your money: qualify your?
self to exercise the privilege of an American citizen without wearing any
man's collar. Permit no man to say when you come to vote: '1 paid
your poll tax and you must vote for my man,' but come to the polls and
vote independently and in accordance with your own opinion and judg?
ment, whether it be for the candidate of the Democratic party, the Re?
publican patty or any other party that may have a candidate in the field.
1 appeal to the honor and conscience of the electorate of this, the greatest
district in the Stale -greatest in area, greatest in wealth, greatest in
population to join me in a supreme effort to cut out and destroy this
cancerous growth which has been grafted upon the body politic ?corruption
of the ballot. 1 appeal to the people?the great common people - the
bone and sinew of the land, to join me in this light and hold up my hands,
ami w hen the polls close in November, whether you elect a Democrat or a
Republican, we will see the monster'corruption of the ballot1 in the last
throes of dissolution, and the day will dawn with our district redeemed
from corruption with the door of hope open to all, the day when it will
not be asked of a prospective candidate: 'How much money can he put
in?' but 'is he capable, is he faithful, is he honest?' "
" I do not know that I can add anything to this appeal: it should carry
force and conviction to every patriotic citizen without regard to party
affiliation; it should appeal to the mothers and daughters of the landv
if they desire that those nearest and dearest to them shall hope for dis?
tinction and compete for the highest office in the gift of the State or Nation.
Fundamentally, it is a question of merit against money. Carry it home
to the fireside; consider it at your family councils; ponder it thoughtfully
and conclude where your interests are, for the remedy lies in your hands
and success or failure depends upon your efforts.
"In conclusion," said Gen. Ayers, "let us hope that the movement we
are inaugurating to purify the ballot will grow and spread until it per?
vades the nation. Let us hope to see the minds and consciences of our
people quickened and aroused to a sense of the responsibility resting
upon them; to elevate a noble mankind; the battle for truth and higher
standards of virtue and morality. Let us hope that we shall succeed in
restoring our government to the high ideals of our forefathers. Let us
hope that we shall escape the lust for gold, the weakening of patiolism,
the decay of public virtue, the lack of private worth, the perils which
threaten all free institutions, that we shall mount upward, and that we
shall grow better.
"Let us hope and believe that to future generations, the institutions
restored as they were transmitted to us and which we in turn transmit to
them, shall seem as dear and liberty as sweet, and progress as glorious, as
they were to our fathers and are to you and me, that these institutions
which have made us free and happy shall not perish, but preserved by the
virtue of those who come after us, shall bless the remotest generation
of the time to come."
What Wilson and Ayers
Stand For.
Presidential primaries.
Direct election of United States Senators.
Publicity about the sources of compaign funds.
Tariff duties, as taxes of every kind, must be levied
to raise revenue for the support of the Government.
Immediate revision of the Tariff, "steadily down?
ward in such a way as will least interfere with the
normal and healthful course of commerce and manu?
facture."
Supplementary anti-trust legislation, civil and
criminal.
Laws to prevent financial confederacies such as a
"Money Trust."
Laws for safeguarding workers and improving labor
conditions.
Justice for the Filipinos.
Conservation not limited to reservation.
Development of v#ater powers and water-ways.
Revival of Merchant Marine.
A Parcels Post as complete as that of any other
Nation.
Levees for the Mississippi built and maintained by
the Government.
Governmental promotion of agricultural, industrial
and vocational education.
