The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1908-08-20
Full Text of MIR. Bryan's Speech of Acceptance

",
the house of representatives. Both
the Fifty second and Fifty-thlrd con
crosses were Democratic. The Rcpub-
leans gained control of the house as
result of the election of 1894 and In
the Fifty-fourth congress the PROPOSE
ton died In committee. As time went
on. however, the sentiment grew among
the people, until 1t forced n Republican
congre 80 to follow the example set by
the Democrats, and then another and
another Republican congress acted IA
vorably State after state has endorsed
this reform, until nearly two-thirds of
the states have recorded themselves In
It's favor. The United States senate,
however, impudently and arrogantly
obstructs the passage of the resolution
Notwithstanding the fact that the vot-
ers of the United States. by an over
whelming majority, demand it. And
this refusal Is the more significant
when ii IL remembered that number
of senators owe their election to great
corporate interests. Three Democratic
national platforms--the platforms Of
1900, 1904 and 190S-speciflcally call
lDE IL ClliuSe III TIC tbllSlllutlDu WHICH,
will put the election of senators In the
hands of, the voters. and the proposi-
tion has been endorsed by q. number
of the smaller parties, but no Rcpub-
lican national convention has been
willing to champion the cause of the
people on this subject The subject
was ignored by the Republican national
convention In 1900; 1t WAS ignored in
1904, and the proposition was explicit
ly repudiated in 1908, for the recent
Republican national convention. by
vote of SG6 to III, rejected the plank
endorsing the popular election of sena-
tors and this was done in the conven-
tion which nominated Mr.. Taft, few
delegates from his own state voting for
the plank
Personal inclination Not Sufficient.
In his notification speech the Repub-
lcan candidate, speaking of the cleo
tion Of senators by the people. says,
"PergJnally, I am inclined to favor 1t,
but 1t is hardly a party question"
What Is necessary to make this a party
question: When the Democratic con-
vention endorses proposition by
unanimous vote, and the Republican
convention rejects the proposition by
vote of seven to one, does it not be-
come an issue between the parties?
Mr.. Taft can not remove the question
from the arena of politics by express
ing n personal inclination toward the
Democratic position. For several
years he has been connected with
the administration. What has he ever
said or done to bring this question be-
fore the public? What enthusiasm
has he shown in the reformation of
the senate? What influence could he
exert in behalf of a reform which his
party has openly and notoriously con-
demned in its convention, and to which
he is attached only by belated ex-
preston OF personal tnclination2
The Gateway to Other Reforms.
"Shall the people rule?" Every
remedial measure of a national char
acter must run the gauntlet of the
senate. The president may personally
incline toward reform; the house
may consent TO It: hut as long as the
senate ObStructs thu reform. the peo-
pie must wait The president may
heed popular demand; the house may
yield to public cpIiun; but as long us
the senate is defiant, the rule of the
people is defeated The Democratic
platform very properly describes the
popular election OF senators as "the
gateway to other national reforms"
s,I,
allow the exploiting interests to bar
the way hy the control of this branch
Of the federal legislature? Through
Il Democratic victory. and through
Democratic victory only, can the peo-
pie secure the popular election of SEN
ators, The smaller parties are unable
to secure this reform; the Republican
party, under It's present leadership. is
resolutely opposed to it; the Democratic
manded it. If / am elected to the
presidency, those who are elected upon
the ticket with me will be, like my
self, pledged to this reform, and l
shall convene congress i'm eXtraordi-
nary session Immediately after iuau-
guratlon, and ask, among other things,
for the fuiGllnent of this platform
pledge,
House Rules Despotic.
The tliu instcum2ntality employed
to defcut the will of the people Is
found in the rules of the house of rep
rcsentatveS. our platform points out
that "thc house of representatives was
designed by the fathers of the comst-
tuition, 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 de-
Lucrative and legislative body, respon-
sivo to the will of n majority of the
members, but has come under the alb
solute domination of the speaker, who
has entire control of its deliberations,
and powers of legislation.
"Wo have observed with amazement
the popular lru lch of our federal gov
ernment helpless to obtain either the
consideration or enactment of meas
ures desired by n majority Of its mem-
bers."
This arrnignment is fully justified.
The reform Republicans in the house
of representatives, when in the minor
tty In their own party, are as helpless
to obtain hearing or to secure vote
upon measure ms are the Democrats.
In tIa -