political parties platforms

Political Party Platforms: Democratic, Republican, and Progressive?

I am very interested in the 1912 election. What were the beliefs of these candidates? I would like a short summary of the political party platforms upon which each of the three candidates campaigned.
Democrat: Woodrow Wilson
Republican: William H. Taft
Progressive: Theodore Roosevelt

Progressives platform called for women’s suffrage, recall of judicial decisions, easier amendment of the U.S. Constitution, social welfare legislation for women and children, workers’ compensation, limited injunctions in strikes, farm relief, revision of banking to assure an elastic currency, required health insurance in industry, new inheritance taxes and income taxes, improvement of inland waterways, and limitation of naval armaments, the building of two new battleships a year. They blocked an anti-trust plank, thus shocking reformers who saw Roosevelt as a true trust-buster. The result was a deep split in the new party that was never resolved. Roosevelt’s philosophy for the Progressive Party was based around New Nationalism, which was the belief in a strong government to regulate industry and protect the middle and working classes.

The Democratic platform addressed:
Tariff Reform that the Federal government, under the Constitution, as no right or power to impose or collect tariff duties, except for the purpose of revenue. The high Republican tariff is the principal cause of the unequal distribution of wealth;
Anti-Trust Law favor the vigorous enforcement of the criminal as well as the civil law against trusts and trust officials, and demand the enactment of such additional legislation as may be necessary to make it impossible for a private monopoly to exist in the United States.
Rights of the States. we denounce as usurpation the efforts of our opponents to deprive the States of any of the rights reserved to them, and to enlarge and magnify by indirection the powers of the Federal government.

Income Tax and Popular Election of Senators
we call upon the people of all the States to rally to the support of the pending propositions and secure their ratification.

Presidential Primary The movement toward more popular government should be promoted through legislation in each State which will permit the expression of the preference of the electors for national candidates at presidential primaries.

Campaign Contributions
We pledge the Democratic party to the enactment of a law prohibiting any corporation from contributing to a campaign fund and any individual from contributing any amount above a reasonable maximum.

Term of President We favor a single Presidential term, and to that end urge the adoption of an amendment to the Constitution making the President of the United States ineligible to reelection, and we pledge the candidates of this Convention to this principle.

We approve the measure reported by the Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives for the creation of a council of national defence, which will determine a definite naval program with a view to increased efficiency and economy.

The party that proclaimed and has always enforced the Monroe Doctrine, and was sponsor for the new navy, will continue faithfully to observe the constitutional requirements to provide and maintain an adequate and well-proportioned navy sufficient to defend American policies, protect our citizens and uphold the honor and dignity of the nation.

Republican ExtravagancennWe denounce the profligate waste of the money wrung from the people by oppressive taxation through the lavish appropriations of recent Republican Congresses, which have kept taxes high and reduced the purchasing power of the people’s toil. We demand a return to that simplicity and economy which befits a Democratic government and a reduction in the number of useless offices, the salaries of which drain the substance of the people.

Railroads, Express Companies, Telegraph and Telephone Lines We favor the efficient supervision and rate regulation of railroads, express companies, telegraph and telephone lines engaged in interstate commerce.

Banking Legislation We oppose the so-called Aldrich bill or the establishment of a central bank;

Post Roads
We favor national aid to State and local authorities in the construction and maintenance of post roads.

Rights of Labor We pledge the Democratic party to the enactment of a law creating a department of labor,

We pledge the Democratic party, so far as the Federal jurisdiction extends, to an employ workmens compensation law providing adequate indemnity for injury to body or loss of life.

The Philippines We reaffirm the position thrice announced by the Democracy in national convention assembled against a policy of imperialism and colonial exploitation in the Philippines or elsewhere.

Pensions We renew the declaration of our last platform relating to a generous pension policy.

The Republicans included
Monopoly and Privilege

The Republican party is opposed to special privilege and to monopoly. It will take no backward step to permit the reestablishment in any degree of conditions which were intolerable.

The Tariff We reaffirm our belief in a protective tariff.

Banking and Currency The Republican party has always stood for a sound currency and for safe banking methods. It is responsible for the resumption of specie payments and for the establishment of the gold standard. It is committed to the progressive development of our banking and currency systems.

Campaign Contributions We favor such additional legislation as may be necessary more effectually to prohibit corporations from contributing funds, directly or indirectly, to campaigns for the nomination or election of the President, the Vice-President, Senators, and Representatives in Congress.

The Navy We believe in the maintenance of an adequate navy for the National defence, and we condemn the action of the Democratic House of Representatives in refusing to authorize the construction of additional ships.

Philippine Policy The Philippine policy of the Republican party has been and is inspired by the belief that our duty toward the Filipino people is a national obligation which should remain entirely free from partisan polities.

Immigration We pledge the Republican party to the enactment of appropriate laws to give relief from the constantly growing evil of induced or undesirable immigration, which is inimical to the progress and welfare of the people of the United States