The Waco evening news. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 1891-1894, 1894-05-24

fore gn paupsrs and criminals into |
the United States.
10. l would favor change of
the federal constitution 70 as 10
limit the tenure of flee of federal
judges to a prescribed number of
years less than a life tenure.
IL. l have for q good many
years advocated the election Of
United States senators by the
direct vote of the people and still
favor it.
To the foregoing declaration of
principle l stand pls dged unless
they shall be modified by the state
or national Democratic conventions.
ANSWER TO OBJECTIONS.
1t is objected by some that Fed.
eral questions have no place in a
state canvass; and that when ma.
tional convention has made its dec.
larations on such questions the
people of state in their primary
meetings and conventions are es.
topped from considering them.
Why should this be SO? In the
monarchies of the old world the
rulers, by whatever name they are
called, are sovereign and the source
of authority. In the United States,
since the declaration OF American
independence and the adoption of
the federal constitution, the people
are sovereign and the source of
authority. There is no power above
them.
Another reason why such things
should be discussed is that the leg.
islature which is to be elected this
fall will have to elect a United
States senator, to serve six years,
and the people will elect thirteen
representatives to serve two years.
And they should be chosen with
reference to their opinions on these
and other Federal questions. And
to deny the people the right to
consider these questions would be
equivalent to an abandonment of
the right and duty of self.govern.
ment, and that they are subjects
bound to obedience instead of SOW.
ereigns with authority to command.
Questions of coinage and curren.
cy, of tariff and other taxation, and
of the regulation of interstate com.
MERGE affect directly and in an i'm.
portant degree the interests OF every
human being in the United States.
Why should the people so affected
be denied the right TO express their
opinions in the primary meetings
and conventions on these questions ?
Why should they stand dumb be.
fore the president, or con
gress, or national convention and
be denied the right, in their capac
ity as sovereigns, to declare their
views and wishes on such questions
To 30 hold is to deny the authority
of the declaration of indepen dence
and of the constitution of the
United States, to overturn our
theory Of government and to deny
the sovereignty of the people and
their capacity for self government
And yet their are persons in this
state who would do this merely to
obtain petty partisan advantage.
For expressing these views, now
reiterated and emphasized, have
been charged with being opposed to
the national Democratic platform OF
principles. The people will judge
as to the justice or injustice OF this
charge. If my whole political life
is not sufficient answer to such a
charge have nothing more to say.
1t has been charged, and certain
men and newspapers never weary
! of repeating the charge, that | was
opposed to the adjustment proposed
between the two wings of the Dsmo
: cratic party at Dallas; and that
am opposed to the union and hsr-
mony of the Democratic party. The
only foundation there Is or ever
was for this charge is that l in
sisted, if real harmony was desired
and no political advantage was in
tended to be secured by either side
that meeting ought to refer al
8 questions of principle and of polit
! ical policy to the people in thell
8 primary meetings and conventions
q That they in their capacity of SOW