The Glenwood post., 1908-08-15

PUBLICITY for Campaign Contribu-
tions, He Says, 10 Democratic Idea
Mot a Foe to Wealth Honestly
Acquired-lf Elected, Promises
Justice to All.
Lincoln. Neb.-Wiliam Jennings
Bryan was formally notified of his
nomination by the Democratic party
for the presidency of the United
States. Henry d. Clayton of Alabama
was the spokesman of the notification
committee. Mr. Bryan's speech of ac-
ceptance follows:
Mr.. Clayton and Gentlemen of the No
tfcatiOn Committee: | can not accept
the nomination which you officially ten
der without first acknowledging my
deep Indebtedness to the Democratic
party for the extraordinary honor which
1t has conferred upon me. Having twice
before been a candidate for the presiden-
cy. 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 explained by sub
stantial and undisputed growth in the
principles and policies for which ], with
a multitude of others. have contended.
given me whatever political strength !
possess, the action of the convention not
only renews my faith in them, but
strengthens my attachment to them.
A Platform is Binding.
shall. in the near future. prepare n
more formal reply to 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
..,,tl 4, I,..yl,
ter and the spirit of the platform. I in
dorse 1t in whole and in part. and shall.
II elected, regard its declarations as bind
ing upon me. And, l may add, plat
form Is binding as to what 1t omits as
well as to what it contains. According
TO the Democratic idea. the people think
for themselves and select officials to car
ry out their wishes. The voters are the
sovereigns; the officials are the servants.
employed for a fixed time and at stated
salary to do what the sovereigns want
done, and to do it in the way the SOW
ereigns want it done. Platforms are
entirely In harmony with this Democratic
Idea. A platform announces the party's
position on questions which are at issue;
and official is not at liberty to use the
authority vested in him to urge personal
views which have not been submitted to
the voters for their approval If one is
nominated upon a platform which is not
satisfactory to him, he must. If candid.
cepting 1t, propose an amended platform
in lieu of the one adopted by the con-
vention. No such situation, however.
confronts your candidate, for the plat
form upon which l was nominated not
only contains nothing from which I dis
sent. but 1t specifically outlines all the
remedial legislation which we can hope
TO secure during the next four years.
As shall. in separate speeches, discuss
the leading questions at Issue, l shall at
five oIf
question. and to the far-reaching pur-
pose of our party. as that purpose is set
forth in the platform.
Shall the People Ruler
Our platform declares that the over
shadowing issue which manifests itself in
all the questions now under discussion,
is Shall the people ruler" No matter
which way we turn; no matter to what
subject we address ourselves, the same
question confronts US: Shall the people
control their own government, and use
that government for the protection of
their rights and for the promotion of
their welfare? or shall the representa-
defenseless public, while the offenders
secure immunity from subservient off,
cials whom they raise to power by un-
scrupulous methodist This IL the issue
raised by the known abuses" to which
Mr.. Taft refers
Mr.. Taft Indorses the Indictment.
Mr.. Taft says that these evils have
crept in during the last ten years. He
declares that. during this time. some
prominent and influential members of
the community. spurred by financial sue
cess and in their hurry for greater
wealth. became unmindful of the COM
mon rules Of business honesty and fidel-
ity, 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 discrimina-
tions by railroads, the accumulating evil
dence of the violations OF the antitrust
laws, by number of corporations, and
the over-issue of stocks and bonds of in
terstate railroads for the unlawful
riching Of directors and for the purpose
OF concentrating the control Of the rail-
roads under one manaEement.'-all these,
he charges. "Quickened the conscience
Of the people and brought on a moral
awakening"
Why No TarIff Rsform7
The presidents 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 the demands of the highly
protected Industries. And yet the in1u-
ence of the manufacturers. who have for
Is years contributed to the Republican
campaign fund, and who in return have
framed the tarin schedules. has been
sufhcient to prevent tariff reform. AS the
present campaign approached, both. the
president and Mr. Taft declared in favor
of tariff revision. but set the date of
revision after the election But the pres
sure brought to bear by the protected
interests has been great enough to pre-
vent any attempt at tarin reform before
the election; and the reduction prom
ised after the election 10 70 hedgod about
with qualifying phrases. that no one can
estimate with accuracy the sum total of
tart6 reform to b expected In case Of