1096                     WISCONSIN       BLUE BOOIR.


protection of those who toil. Capital is organized, and has no right to deny
labor the privilege which it claims for itself. Intlligent organization of
labor
is demanded to preserve the rights of the laborer. It raises the standard
of
workmanship and promotes the efficiency, intelligence, independence and char-
acter of the wage earner.
   We believe with Abraham Lincoln that labor is prior to capital and is
not
 its slave, but its companion, and we plead for that broad spirit of tolerance
 and justice wh-*ch will promote industrial peace through the observance
of just
 principles of arbitration.
   We favor the enactment of legislation looking to the improvement in con-
 ditions for wage earner, the abolition  of child labor, the  suppression
 of
 sweat-shops and of convict labor in competition with free labor and the
Cxclu-
 sion from American shores of foreign pauper labor and Asiatic labor of every
 nationality.
   We favor the shorter workday, and declare that eight hours should consti-
 tute the maximum workday in all manufacturing establishments, workshops,
 mines and all other industrial establishments, and that where great skill
and
 xesponsibility are required of an employe, as in the case of railroad engineers,
 train despatchers, steamboat employes, etc., no person should be continuously
 employed more than six hours of the twenty-four.
   Trusts and Corporations.-All railroad and other corporations doing
 business in two or more States should be chartered by Congress, and then
on-
 ly after a close scrutiny of their capitalization, a strict investigation
reveal-
 ing their intentions, and a most guarded restriction of their powers and
oper-
 ations. The creating of "corners" and the establishing of exorbitant
prices
 for products necessary to human existence should be made a criminal offence
 against the officers, directors and stockholders of a corporation so offending,
 subjecting them to severest penalties. A man is no less a robber because
he is
 able to hold up his victim by due process of law.
   The PShilippines.-The Phi.ppines, the same as Cuba. should be guaran-
 teed ultimate independence and a stable government under the protection
of
 the United States.
 The Electoral College.-The Congressional district, instead of the State,
 should be made a unit in the Electoral College, apportioning to each district
 one Presidential elector, to be chosen by the voters of that district.
 Taxation.-We demand such legislation as will place the burdens of gov-
 ernment upon that class of people who have been most favored by special
 acts of government, and to this end we favor a graduated property tax, ex-
 empting from   its provisions property of the individual to the amount of
 $10,000 or less. We also demand that a 10 per cent. tax be levied annually
 upon all unoccupied and unimproved land.
 New Primary Law.-We demand the enactment by the several States of a
 primary election law, by which all candidates for public office shall be
se-*
 lected by direct vote of the people, without the aid of a delegate convention.
 We denounce government by the gavel in party conventions, and demand
 the elimination of the party "boss" from party politics, by whatever
method it
 can be brought about.
 Initiative and      Referendunm.-The election laws of the several States
 should be changed by constitutional amendment when necessary, so as to pro-
 vide for direct legislation by the method known as the iniative and referen-
 dum.
 Qualifications of Electors.-Each State should possess the sole right to
determine by legislation the qualifications required of voters within its
jurisdic-
tion, irrespective of race, color or sex.
  Constitutional Revision.-The Constitution of the United States should
be revised and amended in accordance with the method provided in Article
V.,
that our fundamental law may answer the demands of a century of civiliza-
tion and progress.
  Appeal to Independent Voters.-Believing our demands to be practicable