Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-08-14
BIZ yam
ACCEPTS
In Hearty Accord
With Platform.
SHALL THE PEOPLE RULE
That Is the 0YeTshadOwing
Question.
REPUBLICANS RESPONSIBLE.
All Present Abuses a Result Of
Their Acts, and They Are In
REPUBLICANS RESPONSIBLE.
All Present Abuses a Result of
Their Acts, and They Are In
pOteit to Correct Them.

Mr. Clayton and Gentlemen of the
Notification Committee: | can not ac-
cept the nomination which you official
ly tender, without first acknowledging
my deep Indebtedness to the Democrat
&c party for the extraordinary honor
which 1t has conferred upon me. Hav-
ing twice before been candidate for
the presidency, in campaigns which
ended in defeat, third nomination, the
result of the free and voluntary act of
the voters of the party, can only be ex-
planned by 4 substantial and undis-
puted growth in the principles and pol
Others. have contended. As these prin-
ciples and policies have given me what
ever political strength / possess, the
action Of the convention not only re-
news my faith in them, but strengthens
achment to them
A Platform is Binding.
shall. in the near future, prepare q
more formal reply 10 your notification,
and, in that letter of acceptance, will
deal with the platform in detail. 1t is
sufficient, at this time, TO assure YOU
that | am in hearty accord with both
the letter and the spirit OF the plat
form. | endorse it in whole and in
part, and shall. if elected, regard its
declarations us binding upon me- And,
may add, a platform is binding as to
what il omits as well as TO what II
10 no. "A 81,
idea, the people think for themselves
and select officials to carry out their
wishes. The voters are the sovereigns;
the officials are the servants, employed
FOR fixed time and at stated salary
TO do what the sovereigns want done.
and 10 do IL In the way the sovereigns
want Ii done. Platforms are entirely
III harmony with this democratic idea.
A PLATFORM announces the party's POI
sltion on the questions which are at is
sue; and an official is not at liberty 10
use the authority vested in him TO
urge personal views which have not
been submitted to the voters for their
approval. II one is nominated upon Il
PLATFORM which is not satisfactory To
him. he must. IL candid, either decline
the nomination, or. I'm accepting il. pro-
pose an amended platform in lieu 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 l dissent, but II
speclhcany outlines all the remedial
iegislation which we can hope TO Sc
"a during the next four years.
Republican Challenge Accepted.
The distinguished statesman who re.
ceived the Republican nomination for
president said. in his notification
speech: The strength of the Republican,
cause in the campaign at hand is the
dact mat we represent the policies es
sental to the reform of known abuses.
10 tae continuance of liberty and true
prosperity. and that we are determined.
us our platform unequlvocal!y declares.
10 maintain them and carry them OH"
III the name of the Democratic party.
accept the challenge. and charge that
the Republican party is responsible for
all the abuses which now exist in the
federal government. and that il is i'm
potent TO accomplish the reforms which
are imperatively needed. Further. |
can not concur in the statement that
the Republican platform unequlvocally
declares for the reforms that are nee.
eSsary: oil the contrary, / affirm that IL
openly and VIGOROUSLY disappoints the
hopes and expectations OF reformers.
whether those reformers be Republic
ans or Democrats. SO far did the Re
publican convention fall short of is
duty that the Republican candidate felt
IT necessary To add to his platform in
several important particulars, thus re-
Duking the leaders OF the party. upon
whose cooperation he must rely for
the enactment of remedial legislation.
AS shall. In separate speeches, dis
cuss the leading questions at issue. I
shall at this time confine myself to the
paramount question. and to the far
reaching purpose of our party. as that
purpose Is set forth In the platform.
Shall the People Rule?
Our platform declares that the over
onadowing Issue which manifests itself
III all the questions now under discus.
sion, is Shall the people rule?" Nc
matter which way we turn; no matter
10 what subject we address ourselves.
the same question confronts us: Shall
thezpeople control their own govern.
ment, and use that government for the
protection of their rights and for the
promotion of their welfare? or shall
the representatives of predatory wealth
prey upon a defenseless public, while
the Offenders secure immunity from
subservient officials whom they raise
10 power by INSCRIPTIONS methods d:
This is the issue raised by the known
abuses to which Mr.. Taft refers.
Presidents Indictment Against tn,
Party.
In. message sent to congress last
January, President Roosevelt said
THE attacks by these great corpora
tons Oh the administrations action.
have been given a wide circulation
throughout the country, in the news
papers and otherwise, by those writer.
ard speakers who, consciously or nm
consciously, act as the Representatives
or predatory wealth-Of the wealth ac
cumulated on a giant scale by all form.
or iniquity, ranging from the oppres
sion or wage earner5 to unfair and nm