Platform
Adopted at Bangor, March 24, 1914
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“Reaffirming the great principles of human welfare contained in the national Progressive platform, we meet as the representatives of the Progressive party of Maine to nominate candidates, declare principles and urge the cooperation of all citizens in an effort to promote justice, progress and happiness among the people. We hereby declare our firm and unalterable purpose to work for the advancement of the principles here adopted until they are enacted into law.
“We believe in an intelligent protective tariff constructed on sound economic lines, laid out by a non-partisan scientific tariff commission; a protective tariff which shall fairly measure the difference in the pay envelope at home and abroad; thereby equalizing conditions for the farmer, manufacturer, mechanic and laborer, who constitute the great body of consumers, and on whose prosperity the welfare of the country depends. We condemn the Underwood tariff law as unjust, unfair and sectional, and especially as discriminating against the interests of agriculture. At the same time we condemn the Payne-Aldrich tariff law and maintain that if the Republican party had kept its pledges to the people, the country would have been saved the other extreme now in operation.
“Believing that no State-wide law was ever enacted to be respected in one county and not in another, and recognizing the fact that the prohibitory law has been more flagrantly nullified than any other, we demand its strict and impartial enforcement. The people of Maine have twice voted this law into their constitution by the direct method, a principle of government on which the Progressive party was founded. Reaffirming its belief in the rule of the people, the Progressive party of Maine pledges its candidates for office to a State-wide enforcement of the prohibitory law. We advocate the submission of the question of national prohibition to the people of every State in the Union.
“Believing in the complete sovereignty of the people, we favor an amendment to the constitution whereby the people may directly initiate changes in the constitutional law.
“Reaffirming our belief in the principle of equal suffrage, we cordially support a resolve submitting to the people the question of extending this right to women.
“We believe in a fifty-four hour law for women and children and demand the strict and uniform enforcement of the child labor law of Maine.
“We believe in a Federal law prohibiting child labor.
“The Progressive party believes in the conservation of humanity; that the loss caused by industrial accidents should be treated as a part of the expense of industry; that employees injured and the dependents of those killed in such accidents should receive reasonable compensation, without delay and without litigation; Therefore it favors the enactment of a workmen’s compensation law in harmony with that in the most enlightened States and countries. Such a law should apply to all employes without regard to the number in employment; to all employments of whatever nature, with such exceptions only as are universally made; the compensation to be as liberal as the experience of other States will warrant; to be paid not directly by the employers, but by the State or by stock or mutual insurance companies. This law not to be compulsory, but employers not availing themselves of it to be deprived of the common law defenses of assumption of risks, contributary negligence and fellow servant rule.
“We believe in a genuine secret ballot, of which the form in use in Massachusetts is at present the best example. This has been denied repeatedly by Legislatures in Maine controlled by both of the old parties.
“We believe in a law providing for a public utilities board made up of disinterested experts, acting as a commission of fact instead of a court of law.
“‘We believe in popular government, and that officials should be in fact as well as in name, servants of the people. We advocate the enactment of laws providing for the recall of all elective executive officials in State and counties by the voters of· the political division which they directly serve.
“We believe in the direct election of Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Treasurer and Commissioner of Agriculture. We also believe in abolishing the Governor’s council, this system of State government incurring needless expense. In this connection we favor a law making the State Auditor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Treasurer and Commissioner of Agriculture a board advisory to the Governor, with the same power now possessed by the Governor’s council.
“We believe in the agricultural, industrial and commercial development of Maine, and especially advocate practical education in the schools. We also favor the cooperation of the State government with municipalities toward conservation and development of the natural resources of the State.
“We favor liberal appropriations for good roads and advocate that they be expended with the economic and commercial value of such roads always in view. We also advocate national aid in conjunction with State aid in building and maintaining highways over which rural free delivery routes are laid out.
“We believe in a cooperative agricultural banking system providing for a more satisfactory method of extending credits to Maine farmers.
“We favor a law requiring steam railroad corporations, operating in this State, to issue mileage books for five hundred miles, good to bearer, at the same rate per mile as books of larger denominations.
“We favor simplification of legal procedure that the people may obtain justice without unnecessary delay and technicality.
“We favor a law compelling all employers of industrial labor to close their factories between the hours of 12 and 2 on days of State and national elections.
“We believe in equitable and just taxation and expenditures adequate to the public need, and we demand that the property of all public service corporations be valued justly and taxed at a rate similar to that put upon the farm and home and business property
“We believe that. it is the duty of the State of Maine to make sufficient appropriations to enable needy citizens to enter and receive treatment from the several hospitals and institutions of our State.
“On these principles and others of social and industrial well-being, contained in the National Progressive platform, we present candidates to the electors of Maine and pledge to them the united support of this convention. We appeal to all voters, without regard to previous affiliations, who believe in new legislation and better methods of legislation, to promote fairer government and greater equality of opportunity for the people.”
PLATFORM AND CANDIDATES OF PROGRESSIVE PARTY OF MAINE
FOR GOVERNOR — HALBERT P. GARDNER, PATTEN
FOR STATE! AUDITOR — MERTON T. GOODRICH, BINGHAM
FOR CONGRESS
FIRST DISTRICT — WALTER C. EMERSON, PORTLAND
SECOND DISTRICT — ALTON C. WHEELER, So. PARIS
THIRD DISTRICT — E. MAYNARD THOMPSON, AUGUSTA
FOURTH DISTRICT — DELMONT MERRILL, FOXCROFT
Source: Hon. Herbert Adams, Portland, 2008, Representative to the Legislature.