Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1906-05-17

NONOAhAAoht EAeulbutb OI NhuOu
Strength.
Congressman W. A. Calderhead
accepting the nomination for Reprl
sentative Of the Fifth district of Kal
sas at the Republican district convex
tlon at Junction City made clear an
definite outline Of his position on prt
sent public questions. He said:
Friends: It Is difficult to thank yol
] told you a few years ago, when 20
extended me this great honor, that
liked the service and would be gla
TO continue in II, and would like +
stay in II until one or the other Of u
gets tired, and II l get tired first
Will lot you know. 1t is a great graft
Mcation to be told today that you ar
not tired, and have not served notict
on me. I appreciate far more than
shall be able to say In few words, thu
great Kindness Of this great congress.
aional district to me.
II Is IL years since came to tho
first congressional convention that
ever saw, and you gave me the nomi.
nation for congress. Since that time
You have renewed the nomination by
reclamation SIX times. The Fifth
Congressional district and myself
seem to have become neighbors and
friends, and in all the past IL yeara
have not heard Of an opponent say.
ing an unkind word concerning my.
self. and in all that time l have mot
been accused Of saying an unkind
word about my opponents who were
COntending for the election.
During these 10 years, l have never
attempted to organize a political
machine In this district. have never
had one. l have never recommended
any man for appointment to any once
upon the condition that he should be
FOR me for Congress. l have never
asked any postmaster even that he
should see that my friends were in the
convention. l have never permitted
the county committee to say who
should be postmasters in the counties.
Wherever l could ascertain the will
of the people-the will Of the Repub-
lican Party-in the community where
the appointment was to be made, and
ind the man that would be satisfactory
to the public and able to serve, have
recommended his appointment with
out regard to whether he was for me
or not. As matter of fact, It has
been pleasure to find that, usually
they have been my friends, but those
I have named will be witnesses to
the fact that have never asked them
TO support me because l have appoint
cd them. There has been no "politi-
cal machine" running in the Fifth Dis
trict in the interest Of the Congress-
man. And in some ways 1t has been
good for the district.
Primary vs.. Delegate Nominations.
There has been but one thing I
have required. and that was based up
on my profound conviction that here
in this assembly Of free men is the
Foundation Of our civil government.
You have come Of your own free will,
as delegates chosen by your neigh
bors In open conventions, without any
mandate of law to require you to
come, and without any statute to con-
troll your actions here.
When the Constitution was made,
q was expressly said in II that "the
powers not herein enumerated are ex-
pressly reserved to the states and to
the people," And this power Of vol
unfairly assembling yourselves and Sc
lecting your own candidates for pub
lie ofhces which you have reserved
for yourselves, and which you now ex-
ercise in your own way is yours, and
no law commands you to assemble
here, no law can direct your action
here, no law can compel your action
here in any given form or manner.
Here, you are speaking as free men
IN the freest land the world has ever
known.
The only rule or requirement I have
ever made has been this one rule:
Hold your caucuses, bring your re-
pubilcans to the caucus, send only
your best men to the county conven-
Hons, send only your best men TO
either congressional or state conven- =.
Hons, and let them name the candi-
dates for office, whom the party shall
follow" This Is the only thing that
have required. This is self govern
inent Of the nation, and l speak Of It
again with emphasis in the hope that
you win remember II, never to sur
render II to the mandate Of the law.
Keep II in your own control. II has
not been proved that any other way
d better. Power drifts from the hands
that fail to use II.
State and National Constitutions.
IN our government there "a an i'm
portant difference between our nation
u constitution and our state constitu-
iona The national government Is en-
liraly distinct from the state govern
nent in this regard; the constitution
u the United States Is q grant Of pow
y, and the national government can I
MY exercise such power as Is express 4
y granted IN the constitution, and !
Iuch other powers a. are necessary 10 |
'aTy out the power that is granted 4
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