Typed as
spelled and written
Kay Cunningham
THE MARLIN DEMOCRAT
Fifteenth Year - Number 24
Marlin, Texas, Thursday, August 11, 1904
STATE CONVENTION ADJOURNS.
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ELECTS FRANK ANDREWS CHAIRMAN AND
ISSUES PLATFORM.
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The state democratic convention adjourned late Tuesday evening.
Hon. Frank Andrews of Houston was chosen chairman of
the state committee over Hon. W. L. Radney and Hon. B. E. CabeIl.
The platform adopted is a lengthy one. Some of
the more salient planks are as follows.
PLANKS IN THE PLATFORM.
We recommend that occupation taxes on
useful occupation be removed as soon as a fair system of property taxation can
be devised to raise the money now furnished by taxation of such occupations.
We pledge the democracy of this state to honest
government, economically and faithfully administered and to the abolishment of
all unnecessary office places, positions and salaries, and we require at the
hands of our legislature that they provide ad equate revenue for the expenses of
the state government without deficiencies.
We demand that the next legislature enact a stringent
and effective anti-pass law, which shall prohibit the issuance or free passes,
transportation, tickets or frank by any corporation in this state in any person,
except to bona fide owners, officers of employes.
We endorse the Terrell election law as a wise and
efficient measure of reform, which has greatly purified the ballot in this
state, and pledge our legislature to the enactment of such amendments thereto as
may be found necessary from time to time to perfect and strengthen the same, We
call on our executive committee to make, adopt, and enforce such regulations as
may be necessary to prevent confusion in the primaries and to secure uniformity
wherever the same is practicable.
We endorse the amendment, to article 16, section 16, of
the state
constitution authorizing the incorporation of state banks; submitted by the last
legislature, and recommend its adoption at the coming, election.
We denounce the republican scheme for an asset currency
and the plan set out in the Aldrich financial bill.
We favor the passage of a law giving to cities and town
in this state power and authority to fix and reasonably regulate the charging by
electric and gaslight, telephone and water companies, and like companies.
We recomend to our legislature to provide for the
purchase and preservation of the old Alamo Mission at San Antonio, a work now
being patriotically undertaken by the daughters of the republic of Texas. This
historic and tragic spot should be preserved to Texas and her people forever in
sacred memory of the heroic struggle for Texas freedom.
We believe that the owners of all property, which is
not exempt from taxation by the constitution of the state, should be compelled
to contribute their just proportion towards defraying the expenses of the
government, and to the accomplishment of that result we pledge the democracy of
Texas to the enactment such laws as will secure the just rendition of all
property for taxation and compel the payment of taxes properly assessed against;
and to the enactment of such laws as will will secure the taxation of all
property tangible or intangible, including the franchises and intangible assets
or property of those corporations, which by reason of the nature or character of
their assets or property, under the present laws, escape their just proportion
of taxation. We recognize as a fact that much property which is subject to
taxation is not rendered, and to a great extent property is rendered for much
below a fair and reasonable valuation, and that, this greatly increases the
burden of those taxpayers who render a full account of their property and at a
fair valuation. To remedy this evil we recommend that suitable provision be made
for the prosecution of persons who commit perjury by falsely and willfully
withholding their property from taxation or by falsely and willfully valuing the
same at a value plainly below its reasonable value; and that tax assessor who
may falsely and willfully accept any false rendition of property or taxation
shall be guilty of malfeasance in office and punished therefor.
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Copyright permission granted to Theresa Carhart and her volunteers for
printing
by The Democrat, Marlin, Falls Co., Texas