The Red Cloud chief. (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923, August 14, 1908, Image 1
tato Historical Society THE RED CLOUD CHEF A Newspaper That Gives The News Flfty-twa Weeks Each Year Br One Dtllar. VOLUME XXXVI. BRYAN ACCEPTS In Hearty Accord With Platform, Pi SHALL THE PEOPLE RULE That Is the Oversiiriowini - Qutstion. h l REPUBLICANS RESPONSIBLE. ... All Present Abuses a Result of t Their Acts, and They Are lm- potent to Correct Them. ' Mr. Clayton and Gentlemen of the Notification Committee: I can not ac cept the nomination which you official ly tender, without first acknowledging my deep Indebtedness to the Democrat ic party (or tho extraordinary honor which it has conferred upon me. Hav. Ing twice before been a candidate for the presidency, In campaigns -which ended In defeat, a third nomination, the result of the free and voluntary act of the voters of the party, can only be ex plained by n substantial and undis puted growth In the principles and pol icies for which I, with a multitude of others, have contended. As these prin ciples and policies have given me what ever political strength 1 possess, the action of the convention not only re news any faith in them, but strengthens my attachment to them. ,y A Platform Is Binding. ' I ebill, J n the near future, prepare a anoro formal reply to your notification, and, in that letter of acceptance, will deal wj.tb the platform In detail. It Is aufficleat, at this time, to ussure you tfeat I am In hearty accord with both tbe letter and the spirit of the plat form. 1 endorse It in whole and In part, and shall. If elected, regard Us declarations as binding upon rao. And. I may add, a platform is binding as to svnnt it omits ns well as to what It contains. According to the democrats idea, the people think for themselves and select officials to carry out their wishes. The voters arc the sovereigns; ta officials arc tho servants, employed for a fixed time And at a stated salary to do- what the sovereigns want done, nnd to do it In the way the sovereigns wont It done. Platforms are entirely in harmony with this democratic Idea. A platform announces the party's po sition on the questions which ate at Is huc; and an otllclul is not at liberty to use the authority vested In him to urge personal views which have not been submitted to tho voters for their npproval. If one is nominated upon n platform which Is not satisfactory to him, he must. If candid, cither decline the nomination, or, In accepting it. pro. poso an amended platform In llou of the one adopted by the convention. No such situation, however, confronts your candidate, for the platform upon which I was nominated not only contains nothing from which I dissent, but It specifically outlines all the remedial legislation which we cao hope to se cure during the next four years. Republican Challenge Accepted. The distinguished statesman who re ceived the Republican nomination for president said, in bis notification speech: "The strength of the Republican cause In the campaign at hand Is the fact that we represent the policies es sentlal to tho reform of known abuses, to the continuance of liberty and true prosperity, and that we are determined, as our platform unequivocally declares. to maintain them und carry them on," In tho name of the Democratic party, I accept the challeuge, and charge that the Republican party Id responsible for all tho abuses which now exist In (he federal government, nnd that It is Im potent to accomplish the reforms which ore Imperatively needed. Further. 1 can not concur In the statement that the Republican platform unequivocally declaies foi tin- rr'orms M;o nro nee essary; on the ",i,tarv, I Mlum unit oponly and iio'iiilc, ,,; duj po'r.H H. hopes ar.il expectations ot t (.former fit""" Prllnfoiifii-f ntii feMlAlifrT I'liflTarillariliiililslilir il fi ' wlicther those reformers Co Republic ans or Democrats. So far did the Re publican convention rail short ot Its duty that the Republican candidate felt It necessary to add to his platform In several Important particulars, thus re buking the leaders of the party, upon whose cooperation ho must rely for the enactment of remedial legislation As I shall, In separate speeches dis cuss the leading questions at Issue I shall at this time confine myself to the paramount question, nnd to the far reaching purpose of our party, as that purpose 1b set forth In the platform. Shall the People Rule? Our platform declares that the over shadowing Insue which manifests Itself In nil the questions now under discus sion, is "Shall the people rule?" No matter which way wo turn; no matter to what subject we address ourselves tho same question confronts us: Shall the people control their own govern, ment, and use that government for the protection of their rights and for the promotion of their welfare? or aball the representative? of predatory wealth prey upon a defenseless .public, while ' the offenders secure Immunity from subservient officials whom they raise ,ta. power by, unscrupulous methods?. This Is the Issue raised by the "known abuses" to which Mr. Taft refers. President's Indictment Aoalnst the Party, In a message sent to congress last January, President Roosevelt said "The attacks by these great corpora tions on the administration's actions have been given a wide circulation throughout the country, In the news papers and otherwise, by those writer and speakers who, consciously or un consciously, act ai the representatives of predatory wealth of the wealth ac cumulated on a giant scale by all forms of Iniquity, ranging from the oppres sion of wage earners to unfair and un wholesome methods of crushing out competition, and to defrauding the public by stock-Jobbing and the manlp ulatlon of securities. Certain wealthy men of this stamp, whoe conduct should be abhorrent to every man of ordinarily decent conscience, nnd who commit the hideous wrong of teaching our young men that phenomenal busi ness success must ordinarily be based on dihoncsty, have, during the last few months, made It apparent that they have banded together to work for a re-action. Their endeavor Is to overthrow and discredit all who hon estly ndmlnlster the law, to prevent any additional legislation which would check and restrain them, and to secure, If possible, n freedom from all re straint which will permit every un scrupulous wrong-doer to do what he wishes unchecked, provided he has enough money." What an arraignment of the predatory interests! is the president's Indictment true? And, If true, against whom was the Indictment directed? Not against the Democratic party. Mr,' Taft Endorsee the Indictment. Mr. Taft says that these evils have crept In during tho last ten years. He declares that, during this time, come "prominent and Influential members of the community, spurred by financial success and In their hurry for greater wealth, became unmindful of the com mon rules of business honesty and fidelity, and of the limitations imposed by law upon their actions!" and that "the revelations of the breaches of trusts, the disclosures as to rebates and discriminations by railroads, the accumulation evidence of the viola tions of tho anti-trust laws, by n num ber of corporations, nnd the over-Issue of stocks and bonds of Interstate rail roads for the unlawful enriching of di rectors nnd for the purpose of concen trating tho control of the railroads iiu der one management," all these, he charges, "quickened the conscience of tho people nnd brought on n moral awakening." During all this time, I beg to remind you, Republican officials presided In the executive department, filled tho cab inet, dominated tho senate, controlled the house of representatives and occu pied most of tho federal Judgeships. Four years ago the Republican plat form boastfully declared that since 1800 with the exception of two years the Republican party had been In con trol of part or of all the brunches of the federal government; that for two years only was tho Democratic party In a position to either enact or ivpciii n law. Having drawn the salaries; hav ing enjoyed the honors; having secured the prestige, let the Republican rrt accept the responsibility! Republican Part Responiible. Why were these "known abuses" permitted to develop? YVh. have they not been corrected V If cmMihr laws arc sufficient, why have thoy not been enforced? All of thu executive ma chinery of the ledcral government U In tho hands of the Republican party Arc nuw laws necessary V Why nan; they not been enacted? With a Re publican president to recommnud, with a Republican senatu and house to carry out his recommendations, why does the Republican candidate plead for further time In which to do what should have lie:, done lung ago? mn Mr Tuft promise to lie more strenuous in trie pMiVccMlon of 'tvroug doer thou ii,e RED CLOUD, NEBRASKA, AUGUST 14, present executive?' Can fie ask for n larger majority in the senate than his piirty now has? Does he need more Republicans in the house of represent atives or n speaker with more unlim ited authority. Why No Tariff Reform The president's close friends have been promising for several years that he would attack the Iniquities of the tariff. We have had Intimation that Mr Taft was restive under h de mands of the highly protected In dnstrles And yet the Influence of the manufacturers, who have for twenty five years contributed to the Republican campaign fund, and who in return have framed tho tailtT schedules, nan been sufficient to prevent tariff reform As the present campaign approached both the president and Mr Taft de clared In favor of tariff revllon. but act the date of revision after the elec tion. Rut tho pressure brought to bear by the protected Interests has been great enough to prevent any attempt at tariff reform before the election; and the reduction promised after the elec tion Is so hedged about wltb qualify. Ing pbraeeB." that no on can 'estimate wltb accuracy the sum total of tariff rc,f,prin to be expected In case of Re publican success. If the past can be taken as a guide, the Republican party will be so obligated by campaign con tributions from the beneficiaries of pro tection, as to make that party power Icsb to bring to the country any ma terial relief from the present tariff burdens. Why No Anti-trust Legislation? A few years ago the Republican lead ers In the house of representatives were coerced by public opinion Into the support of an anti-trust law which had the endorsement of tho president, but the senate refused even to con sider the measure, and since that time no effort has been made by the domi nant party to secure remedial legisla tion upon this subject Why No Rallrcad Legislation? For ten years the Interstate Com merce Commission has been asking for an enlargement of Its powers, that It might prevent rebates and discrimina tions, but o Republican senate nnd a Republican house of representatives were unmoved by its entreaties. In 1000 the Republican national conven tion was urged to endoi.se the demand for railway legislation, but Its platform was silent on the subject. Even In 1004 the convention gave no pledge to remedy these abuses. When the presi dent finally asked for legislation he drew his Inspiration from three Demo cratic national platforms nnd he re ceived more cordial support from tne Democrats than from the Republicans. The Republicans In the senate deliber ately defeated several amendments of ferred by Senator La Follette and sup ported by the Democrats amendments embodying legislation asked by the In terstate Commerce Commission One of these amendments authorized the ascertainment of the value of rail roads. This amendment wob not only defeated by the senate, but It was over whelmingly rejected by the recent Re publican national convention, and the Republican candidate has sought to res cue his party from the disastrous re sults of this act by expressing him self, In a qualified way, In favor of ascertaining the value or the railroads, Over-issue of Stocks and Sonde. Mr. Taft complains of the over-Issue of stocks and bond of railroads, "for the unlawful enriching of directors and for the purpose of concentrating the control of the railroads uuder one muuagemeut," and the complaint Is well founded. Hut, with a president to point out the evil, and a Republican congress to correct It. we flud nothing done for the protection of the public. Why? My honorable opponent has, by his confession, relieved me of the ne cessity of furnishing proof; he admits the condition and he can not avoid the logical conclusion that must be drawn from the admission. There Is no doubt whatever thut a large majority of the voters of the Republican party recog nize the deplorable situation which Mr. Taft describes; they recognize that the masses have hud but little Influence upon legislation or upon the ad ministration of the government, and they nro beginning to understand the cause. For a generation the Re-' publican party has drawn Its cam paign funds from the beneficiaries of special legislation, Privileges have been pledged and granted In return for money contributed to debauch elec tions. What can be expected wheu of ficlal nuthorlty Is tUMed over to the representatives of 'nose who first fur nMi the .sinews or war and Men reim burse tberriselVL- out of the pockets of 4 the taxpayer? Ftstins In Wilderness Necetsary, So long as thu Republican party re mains In power, It la powerless to re genet nto iwe.f. It curt not attack wrongdoing lo high places without dls gi aclng many .of Its prominent mem hers, nnd It, therefore, uses opiates In stead ot the surgeon's knlte !- male factors construe each Republ, ,u vlc tory a h an endorsement ot tbc-.r con dii' t lit,' llirci.rpn th nnrtv with tie. tint If tj, r.rt- iMi:r'.i ",;th Not' Ujitl ll,' !''UlJ '!l-.'s llitOI. H J.e. r wtfirfflifltril 1 1 iilliyajajfsiiffirr ftfaracsaliai rlod of fnstlng In the wilderness, will the Republican leaders Iraru to study public questions from thu Mandpolnt of the masses, .lust n.s with Individ. uals, "the fares of this world and the (leceltfulncss of riches choke the truth," so In politics, whin party leaders sens j far away from borne and are Dot to constant contact with the voters, con tinued party success blinds their eyes j to the needs of the people and makes I them deaf to tne cry of distress. I Publicity ae to Cempelgn Contribu tions. An effort has been made to secure legislation requiring publicity s to campaign contributions nnd expendi tures; but the Republican leaders, even In the face of an Indignant public, re fused to consent to a law which would compel honesty In elections. When th matter was brought up In the recent Republican national convention, th plank was repudiated by a vote of tS0 to 1)4. He.r;. too, Mr. Taft has been driven to apologize for his convention nnd to declare himself In favor of n publicity hiw; and yet, If you will read what be says upon this subject, you will find that bis promise fallsfarsbort. of the requirements of the situation tie says: "If 1 am elected president, I shall urge upon congress, wltb every hope of success, that a law be passed requiring the filing, jn a federal office, of a state ment of the contributions received by committers and candidates In elections for members of congress, and In eucb other elections as are constitutionally within the control of congress." I shall not embarrass him by asking him npon what he bases his hope of success: It Ik certainly not on any en couragement he has received from Re publican leaders. It Is sufficient to say that If his hopes were realized If, In spite of the adverse action of his con vention, he should succeed In securing the enactment of the very law which he favors, It would give but partial re lief. He has read the Democratic plat form; not only his language, but his evident alarm, Indicates that be has read It carefully. He even had before hltn the action of the Democratic mi tlonnl committee In Interpreting and applying that plntform; nnd yet, ho falls to say that he favors tho publlca tlon of ''tho contributions before tho election, 'it- course, It satisfies a nat ural cur!oIty to find out how nn elec tion has been purchased, even when the knowledge comes too lute to bo of service, but why should tho people bu kept In darkness until the election Is past? Why should the locking of the door he delayed until the horse Is gone? An Election a Public Affair. An election is a public affair. The people, exercising the right to select their officials and to decide upon the policies to be pursued, proceed to their several polling places on election day and register their will. What excuse can be given for secrecy as to the In fluences at work? If a man, pecun iarily' Interested InV'concentratlng the control of the railroads. In on&manage ment," subscribes a large sum to aid In carrying the election, why should his part In the campaign be concealed un til he has put the officials under obli gation to him? . If. a trust magnate contributes S100,000 to elect political friends to office, with a view to pre venting hostile legislation, why should that fact be concealed until bis friends arc- securely seated In their official po sitions? This Is not n new question; It Is a questloo which has been agitated a question which the Republican leaders fully understand a question which tho Republican cnndldnte lias studied, anil yet he refuses to declare himself in fa vor of the legislation absolutely neces sary, namely, legislation requiring pub lication before the election. Democratic Party Promisee Publicity. How, can the people hope to rule. If they are not uble to learn until after tho election what the predatory Inter ests are doing? The Democratic party meets the issue honestly bud coura geously. It says: "We pledge the Democratic party to tho enactment of a law prohibiting nnj corporation from contributing to a campaign 'fund, and any Individual from contributing an amount above n reasonable maximum, and providing for the publication, before election, of all such contributions above a reason able minimum." Tho Democratic national committee Immediately proceeded to interpret und apply this plank, announcing that no contributions would be received from corporations, that no individual would be allowed to contribute more than $10,000, and that ali contributions abovo $100 wouid be made public he fore the clectlon-those received before 0 tobcr 15 to be made public on or before that day, those received after ward to bo made public on the dny when received, and no such contribu tions to be occepted within three days of tho election. The expenditures nro to he published after election. Hero Is a plau which Is complete und effec tive. Popular Election of Senators. Next to tho corrupt use of money, the present method of electing United Flnte.s senators is most responsible for tins ubsiruMK'N of reforms For onr- SiMjmmi 1908. hundred years after the adoption of tho (unstltution, the demand for tho popular election of senators, whllo find- In Increnml expression, did not he roine a dominant sentiment. A con stitutional amendment linil from ilmu to time becu suggested and the matter hud been more or less discussed In 11 few of the states, but tho rnoverrieiit had nut reached n point where It mani fested Itself through congressional nc i lion lu the rifty-seconil (nnpres. however, n resolution was rnporlnl from n house, mmmlttcp proposing the necessary constitutional amendment, and Mils resolution passed the houe of representatives by u vote which was practically unantmous In the Fifty-third ongress n similar resolu tlon was reported to and adopted by. the bouse of representatives llotb the Fifty second mid Fifty-third con gresses were Democratic. The Repub. Means gained control of the bouse as a result of the -lection of 18!)t nnd In the Fifty-fourth congress fjje proposi tion died In committee. As time went on, however, the sentiment grew among the people, until It forced n Republican congress to. follow the example set by the Democrats, and then another and another Republican congress acted fa vorably. .State after state han'endorscd this reform, until nearly two-thirds of the stales have recorded themselves In Its favor. Tho United States senate, however. Impudently nnd arrogantly obstructs the passago of the resolution, notwithstanding the fact that the vot ers of tho United States, by an over whelming majority, demand It. And this refusal Is the more significant when It Is remembered that n number of senators owe their election to great corporate Interests. Three Democratic national platforms the platforms of 1000. 1001 nnd l!K)9-spoeincnlly call for a change In the constitution which will put ho election of senators In the hands of the voters, nnd the propol tlon has been endorsed hy n numbei of the smaller parties, hut no Repub ll'Ttn national ((invention tniH been willing to champion the cause of the people on thN sublcct. The subject was Ignond by the Republican national convention In 1000; It wns Ignored In 1001. and the proposition was explicit ly repudiated In H-09 for the recent Rcpubllc-i u nntlnnql convention, by n vote of 800 lo 11 i rejected the plank fndonlnc the popular election of sena tors and this was done In the conven tion which nominated Mr 'J aft, few delegates from bis own state voting for the plank. Personal Inclination Net Sufficient. In bis notification speech, the Repub lican candidate, speaking of the elec tion of fceuators by the people, says: "Personally, I am Inclined to favor It, but It Is hardly a party qncstlon." What Is necessary to make this a party question? Wheu the Democratic con vention endorses a proposition by n unanimous vote, and the Republican convention rejects the proposition by" a vote of seveu to one, docs it not be come an lssue between the parties? Mr. Taft can no t: remove the question from the arena of politics by express ing a persona) Inclination toward the Democratic position. For several years he has been connected with the administration. What has he ever said or done to bring this question be fore the public? What enthusiasm has be shown In the reformation or the senate? What Influence could he exert in behalf of a reform which his tarty has openly and notoriously con demncd In Its convention, and to which he Is attached only by n belated ex pression of personal inclination? The Gateway to Other Reforms. "Shall tho peoplo rule?" Every remedial measure of n national char acter must run the gauntlet of tho senate. The president may personally lncllno toward n reform; tho house may consent to It; but as long ns tho senate obstructs tho reform, tho peo ple must wait. The president may heed a popular demand; the house may yield to public opinion; but as long as tho rcnate Is defiant, tho rule of the people Is defeated. The Democratic platform very properly describes tho popular election of senators as "tho gateway to other national reforms." Shall we open the gate, or shall we allow the exploiting Interests to bar the way by the control of this branch of the federal legislature? Through a Democratic victory, and through a Democratic victory only, can the peo ple secure the popular election of sen ators. The smaller parties are unable to secure this reform; tho Republican party, under Its present leadership, Is resolutely opposed to it; the Democratic party stands for It nnd has boldly de manded It. If I am elected to thn presidency, thoso who are elected upon tho ticket with mo will be, lllio my self, pledged to this rofonn, nnd I shall convene congress In extraordi nary session immediately after Inau guration, mid nsk, among other tiling!, tor thu fulfillment ot tula plutfonn pledge. House Rules Despotic, Tho third Instrumentality employed to defeat tho will or tho peoplo U found .in tho rules of tho house of rep resentatives. Our platform points out that "the house of representatives wns designed by thu fulbora of tho constl- t" it '- 7-- NUMBER HJJ tutlun, to be the popular brunch of our government, responsive to the public will," und odds: "The house of representatives, na controlled In recent yenrfl by the Re publican party, has censed to be a de liberative and leglHlntlvc body, respon sive to the will or a majority of tho members, but has come under the ab solute domination of the speaker, who has entire control of Its deliberations, n ml powers of legislation. "Wo have observed with aniancment the popular branch of our federal gov ernment helpless to obtain either tho consideration or enactment of meas ures desired by a majority of Its mem bers." This nrrnlgnmcnt Is fully Justified. Tho reform Republicans In tho house of representatives, when In tho minor ity In their owu party, nro as helpless to obtain a hearing or to secure n voto upon n measure as arc the Democrats. In the recent acsslou of tho present congress, Micro wus n considerable ele ment lu the Republican party favorable to remedial legislation; but a few lend rs, In control of the organization, despotically suppressed thoso mem bers, and thus forced a real majority In the house to submit to a well organ ized minority. The Republican national convention, Instead of rebuking thin attack upon popular government, eulo gized congress and nominated as tho Republican candidate for vice president one of tho men who shared In the re sponsibility for tho coercion or tho bouse. Our party demands that "the houso of representatives shall ngnln hc'.nme a deliberative body, controlled by n majority of the peoplc'H reprf s!titntlveH. ami not by the speaker." and is pledged to adopt "such rules and regulations lo govern tho house of representatives ns will enable n ma jority or its members to direct Its de liberations nnd control legislation." ".Shall the people rule?" They can not do so unless they can coutrol tins houso of representatives, and through their representatives In the house, glvs expression to their purposes und their desires Thn Republican party I committed to the methods now In vogue In the houso of representatives; the Democratic party Is pledged to such u revision of thn rules iim wilt bring the popular branch of tint federal government Into harmony with (be Ideas of those who framed our (onstl tutlon and founded our government. Other Issuee Will Be Discussed Later. ".Sholl the people rule?" I repeat, n declared by our platform to be tho overshadowing question, nnd as (hn campaign progression, I shall take occa sion to discuss this question as It man ifests ItseR" In other Issues; for whether we consider the tariff question, Ibo trust question, the railroad quest loo, the hanklug question, the labor ques tion, the question of imperialism, the development of our waterways, or any other of the numerous problems which press for solution, we shall find that the real question Involved In each Is, whether the government sholl remain a mere business asset of favor seeking corporations or ha an Instrument In the bands of the people for the ad vancement of the common weal. 4r j Damecratic Party Has Earned Con fidence. If the voters are satisfied wltb the record of the Republican party and with Its munugement of public affair we. can not reasonably nsk for a change In administration; If, however, the vote-is feel that the people, as a whole, have too little Influence In shap ing the policies of the government; T they feel Hint great combinations or capital have encroached upon thn rights of the masses, mid employed the Instrumentalities of government to se cure un unfair share of the total wealth produced, then wo buvo n right to ex pect u verdict against the Republican party and lu favor of the Democratic party; for our party bus risked defeat uye, Buffered defeat lu Its effort to arouse the conscience of the public and to bring about ttiut very uwukenlng to which Mr. Taft has referred. Only those are worthy to be entrust ed with leadership lu a great cause who are willing to dlo ror it, and the Democratic party has proven Its worthi ness by Its refusal to purchase victory by delivering the peoplo Into the hands of those who buvo despoiled them. In this contest between Democracy on the one side nnd plutocracy on thu other, the Democratic party has taken Its po sition on tho side of equal rights, and Invites the opposition of those who use politics to secure special privileges and governmental favoritism. Gauging the progress of the nation, not by the hap piness or wealth or refinement of a tew, but "hy the prosperity and ad vancement of the average innn," tho Democratic party charges the Repub lican party with being the piuiuoter of present ti buses, the opponent of neces sary remedies anil the only bulwark ot private monopoly. Thu Democratic par ty nfllrni3 that In tlilu campaign it lu tho only party, having a prospect of success, which stands for Justice In government and for equity In the divi sion of tho fruits of industry. (concluded on fourth page.) " " ' 4 A m t o Wl 4i' itS i