The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-08-26

fTPSlutHCg, lHOSS WIN l GU
upon the ticket with me will be, like
myself, pledged to this reform, and l
shall convene Congress in extraor-
binary session Immediately after in
auguration, and ask, among other
things, for the fulfllment of this plat
form pledge.
House Rules Despotic.
p The third fundamentally employed
to defeat the will Of the people is
found in the rules of the House Of
Representatives. Our platform points
out that "the House of Representa-
tives was designed by the fathers of
the Constitution, to be the popular
branch of our Government, responsive
to the public will" and adds:
"The House of Representatives, as
controlled in recent years by the Re-
publican party, has ceased to be a de-
Lucrative and legislative body, re-
sponsive to the will Of a majority of
the members, but has come under the
absolute domination Of the Speaker,
who has entire control of its delibera-
lions and powers of legislation.
1--WE have observed with amaze
ment the popular branch Of our Fed
eral Government helpless to obtain
either the consideration or enactment
of measures desired by a majority OF
its members"
This arraignment Is fully justified.
The reform Republicans in the House
of Representatives, when in the
minority in their W party, are as
helpless to obtain a hearing or to
a vote upon a measure as are
the Democrats. In the recent session
of the present Congress there was a
considerable element in the Republic
a party favorable to remedial legis-
lation; but a few leaders, in control
of the organization, despotically sup
pressed these members, and thus
forced a real majority in the House
to submit to q we'll organized minor
ity. The Republican National Con-
vention, instead Of rebuking this at
tack upon popular government, eulo-
gized Congress and nominated as the
Republican candidate for Vice-Presi-
dent one of the men who shared in
the responsibility for the coercion Of
the House. Our party demands that
"the House Of Representatives shall
again become a deliberative body,
controlled by a majority of the peo-
pies representatives, and not by the
Speaker" and is pledged to adopt
"such rules and regulations to govern
the House Of Representatives as will
enable a majority Of its members to
direct it's deliberations and control
legislation"
shall the people rule?" They can
not do so unless they can control the
House Of Representatives, and
through their representatives in the
House give expression to their pur-
poses and their desires. The Repub-
lican party is committed to the meth
DDS now in vogue in the House of
Representatives; the Democratic
party is pledged to such a revision Of
the rules as will bring the popular
branch Of the Federal Government
into harmony with the ideas of those
who framed our Constitution and
founded u Government.
Other Issues Discussed Later.
"Shall the people rule?" I repeat,
is declared by our platform to be the
overshadowing question, and as the
campaign progresses I shall take &C.
casion to discuss this question as it
manifests itself in other issues; for,
whether we consider the tariff ques-
ton, the trust question, the railroad
question, the banking question, the
labor question, the question of i'm
perialism, the development Of our
waterways, or any other Of the nu-
merous problems which press for So
luton, we shall find the real question
involved in each is whether the Gov
eminent shall remain a mere business
asset of fav~or-seeking corporations,
or be an instrument in the hands of
the people for the advancement of
the common veal.
Party Has Earned Confidence.
If the voters are satisfied with the
record of the Republican party and
with it's management of public af-
fairs we cannot reasonably ask for a
change in administration; If, how
ever, the voters feel that the people,
as a whole, have too little influence
in shaping the policies Of the Gov
eminent; if they feel that great COM
binations of capital have ~encroached
upon the rights Of the masses, and
employed the inStrunentalities OF
Government to secure an unfair share
of the total wealth produced, then
we have a right to expect a verdict
against the Republican party and in
favor of the Democratic party; for
our party has risked defeat aye,
suffered defeat - in it's effort to
arouse the conscience of the public,
and to bring about that very awak-
ening to which Mr.. Taft has referred.
Only those VINO are worthy to be
entrusted with leadership in a great
cause, who are willing to die for 1t,
and the Democratic party has proven
its worthiness by its refusal to pur-
chase victory by delivering the peo-
pie into the hands of those who have
despoiled them. In this contest be-
tween Democracy on the n side and
plutocracy on the other, the Demo
cratic party has taken it's position on
the side of equal rights, and invites
the opposition of those who use pol
itics to secure special privileges and
governmental favoritism. Gausine
the progress of the nation, not by
the happiness or wealth or refine
ment of a few, but "by the prosper
ity and advancement of the average
man." the Democratic party charges
the Republican party with being the
promoter Of present abuses, the op.
ponent of necessary remedies and the
only bulwark of private monopoly,
The Democratic party affirms that in
this campaign it is the only party,
having a prospect of success. which
stands for justice in government and
for equity in the division Of the fruits
of industry.
~ uso 1tro,r.h