Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-13
Continued from page one,.
renews my faith in them, but strength
ems my attachment to them.
DIafForf, lie Rindinr


A Platform is Binding.
l shall, in the near future, prepare
more formal reply to your notitica-
ton, 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
platform. | endorse it in whole and in
part, and shall il elected, regard its
declarations as binding upon me. And,
| may add, a platform is binding as
to what it omits as we'll as to what 1t
contains. According to the Democratic
idea, the people think for themselves
and select officials to carry out their
wishes. The voters are the soyereigns,
the officials are the servants, employ
ed for fixed time and at stated sal
airy to do what the sovereign wants
done. Platforms are entirely in har'
mony with this Democratic idea. A
platform announces the party's posi-
ton on the questions which are at Is
sue; and an 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, either de-
cline the nomination, or, in accepting
1T, propose an amended platform in
lieu of the one adopted by the conven-
. ton. No such situation, however, con-
fronts your candidate, for the plat
form upon which | was nominated not
only contains nothing from which
dissent, but it specifically outlines all
the remedial legislation which we
can hope to secure during the next
four years
Republican Challenge Accepted.
The distinguished statesman who
received the Republican nomination
for president, said in his notification
speech: "The strength of the Republi-
can cause in the campaign at hand is
the fact the we represent the policies
essential to the reform of known
abuses, to the continuance of liberty
and true prosperity, and that we are
determined, as our platform unequiv-
.ocally declares, to maintain them and
carry them on
In the name of the Democratic par
ty l accept the challenge, and charge
that the Republican party is RESPONSE
BILE for all the abuses which now exist
In the federal government, and that it
Is impotent to accomplish the reforms
which are imperatively needed. Fur
Their, cannot concur in the statement
that the Republican platform unequiv-
ocaIy declares for the reforms that
are necessary; on the contrary, l af-
firm that it openly and notorously
dlsappoints the hopes and expectations
of reformers, whether those reformers
be Republicans or Democrats. So far
did the Republican convention fall
short of it's duty that the Republican
candidate felt it necessary to add to
his platform in several important par.
ticulars, thus rebuking the leaders of
the party, upon whose cooperation he
must rely for the enactment of rene
dial legislation.
AS | shall in separate speeches dis
cuss the leading questions at issue, ]
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 plat.
form.
Shall the People Rule?
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: nc
matter to what subject we address
ourselves, the same question con
fronts US: Shall the people contro
their own government, and use thai
government for the protection of theil
rights and for the promotion of theil
welfare? or shall the representatives
OF predatory wealth prey upon a de
fenseless public, while the offenders
secure immunity from subservient off
Gals whom they raise to power by un
scrupulous methods? This is the issue
raised by the known abuses tc
which Mr.. Taft refers.
Presidents Indictment AGAINST the
Party.
In a message sent to congress last
January President Roosevelt said
The attacks by these great corpora
tons on the administrations actions
have given wide circulation through
out the country, in the newspapers
and otherwise, by those writer's anc
speakers who, consciously or uncon
oSS S'o eLlS representatives o.
predatory wealth of the wealth &C
cumulated on a giant scale by al
forms of iniquity, ranging from the CD
preston of wage earners to unfair
and unwholesome methods of crush
ing out competition, and to defraud
ing the public by stock-jobbing ane
the manipulation of securities. Certain
wealthy men of this stamp. whose con
duct should be abhorrent to every MAJ
of ordinary decent conscience, an:
who commit the hideous wrong o
teaching our young men that phenom
email business success must ordinaril,
be based on dishonesty, have. durin,
the last few months made it apparen
that they have banded together t,
work for reaction. This endeavor i
to overthrow and discredit all wp
honestly administer the law, to pre
vent any additional legislation whic
would check and restrain them, and /
secure, If possible, freedom fror
all restraint which will permit ever
unscrupulous wrong-doer to do villa
he wishes unchecked, provided he ha
enough money What an arraigr