The Detroit times., 1908-08-13

ling publication before the election.
Democratic Party Promises Publicity.
How can the people hope 10 run NJ
! the election what the predatory inter
ests are doing? The Democratic party
meets Ths Issue honestly ana courage
/ ously. IL says:
! we pledge the Democratic party 10
| the enactment OF law prohibiting any
corporation from contributing To
/ campaign fund. and any individual
= from contributing an amount above a
rea sonahle maximum. and providing
/ for the publication. before election, of
( all such contributions above redsoh-
Fable minimum.
The Democratic national committee
/ Immediately proceeded to interpret and
I apply this plank. announcing that no
contributions would be received from
corporations. that no individual would
be allowed 10 contribute more than
I $4,000, and that all contributions
above 500 would be made
public before the election-those re-
I ceived before oct. 8. To he made pub
lie on or before that day. those received
day when received. and no such CON
! trihutlons 10 be accepted within three
days OF the election. The expenditures
ave 10 be published after the election.
Here is "A plan which IL complete and
! effective,
/ Popular Election OF Senators.
Neat ~ .'tS Soiau-it use % money
, the ptesent uetnod % eiectlhs Chiteu
| states senators ID most Tesponsibic l0i
the obstruction ~ reforms. ror one
! nunured SeaIs AFTER tue adoption OF
, the constitution. the uemanu ioi the
! popular election OF senators. While md
ms increased expression, dld not Ds-
4 come uomlnanl sentiment. consli-
| tutiOnal amendment nad from time ~
| Tune been suggested ana the matter
| had boon more on less discussed III q
1 lew or the states. but the movement
| had not reached u point where IL man
Ifesteu itseAI through congressional &C
| ton. In the hIty second congress, now
ever, u resolution was reported from d
house comsnltee proposing the heces-
sary constitutions amendment, ana thls
l resolution passed the nous. OF IepiS-
! sentatiNes ~ vote which was pIac-
tieally unanimous. Ia the hfty thlid
/ congress "A similar resolution was re-
ported 10. and adopted by, the house
| OF representatives. Both the nfty sec
9nd and my, third congresses Weds
| Democratic. the Republicans gained
control OF the house as result OF the
| election OF 1894 and IN the hrty fourth
| congress the proposition died In com
nlttee. As time went on, however, the
| sentiment grew among the people un-
| I'll II forced Republican congress 10
| Follow the example set by the Demo
Gratis, and then another and anolner
| Republican congress acted favorably.
! state after state has endorsed this re
! form, until nearly two thirds or the
/ states have recorded themselves In its
| favor. The United States senate how
ever, impuuently and arrogantiy OBJ
| structs the passage of the resolution,
Notwithstanding the faCt mat the vol
ers of the United States. by an over
| whelming majority. demand IL. And
i this refusal is the more significant
when IL IS remembered that a number
! OF senators owe their election 10 great
corporate interests. Three Democratic
national platforms-the platforms or
| 1900. 1904 and ls0s-specihcaily call Tor
| change In the constitution which VIII
| put the election OF senators in the
! hands OF the voters. and the PROPOSE
! tion has been endorsed by number
LIT no Ian a hint I(..f. h.
| lican national convention has been
willing to champion the cause OF the
people on this subject The subject
was ignored by the Republican nation
al convention in 1900: ii was ignored
| In 1904. and the proposition was eXplic
lilly repudiated In 1908, for the recen,
Republican national convention. by
vote OF SOC TO ia. 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 kepub-
lean candidate. speaking OF the cleo
Personally, l am inclined To favor IT,
but 1t is hardly party question.
| What is necessary to make this d party
question When the Democratic con-
vention endorses a proposition by
unanimous vote. and the Republican
convention rejects the proposition oy
!
/ come an issue between the parties? Mr..
| Taft can not remove the question from
| the arena OF politics by expressing
personal inclination toward the Demo
cratic position. For several years he
has been connected with the admins
| tration. What has he ever said or
| done to bring this question before the
public" What enthusiasm has he
shown in the reformation OF the sen
| ate? What influence could he exert III
behalf Of reform which his party has
I or al ned N
! its convention. and to which lie is at
| tached only 10y a belated expression OF
! personal inclination?
The Gnicwa. 10 Other Reforms.
Shall the people rule2" Every rem
F, edial measure OF national character
must run tie gauntlet of the senate.
The president may personally incline
toward a reform. the house may con
| sent to ii. but as long as the senate
obstructs the reform. the people must
wait. The president may heed a popu
| lar demand. the house may Weld to
J public opinion; but as long the sen
ate TX defiant. the rule of the people -
defeated. The Democratic platform
| very properly describes the popular
election OF senators AS the gateway
to other national reforms" Shall we
open the gate. or shall We allow the
exploiting interests 10 bar the way by
the control of this branch Of the fed
I oral legislature? Through Demo
cratic victory, and through Demo
cratic victory only. can the people Sc
cure the popular election OF senator's
The smaller parties are unable to Sc
cure this reform, the Republican party
under its present leadership. Is reso-
mtcly opposed To IL. the Democratic
party stands for Il. and has boldly de-
manded n. II | am elected Ia the pres
idcncy. those who are elected upon the
ticket with me will be- like myself
pledged 20 this reform, and | shall con-
venc congress in extraordinary session
Immediately after Inauguration. and
ask among other things, for the full
nllment OF this platform pledge.
House Rules DespOtic.
The third fundamentally employed
to defeat the VIII of the people ls
found In the rules OF the house Of rep
rescntatIves. Our platform points out
| that the house Of representatives wps
! signed b. the fathers OF the consti-
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 L. legislative body respou-
| sive To the Will OF majority OF the
members. but has come under the alb
solute domination OF the speaker, who
| has entire control OF it's deliberations
and powers OF legislation.
We have observed with amazement
the popular branch OF our federal gov
eminent helpless to obtain either the
consideration or enactment OF meas
ures desired by majority OF its mem
bers
This arraignment is fully justified
/ The reform Republicans In the house
OF representatives. when In the minor
ity In their own party are AS helpless
to obtain "a hearing or to secure "A vote
upon a measure are the Democrats
In the recent session OF the present