The Detroit times., 1908-08-13
Shall the People
Rule, the Paramount
Issue, Says Bryan

party for the extraordinary honor
which IL has conferred upon me. Hay
ing twice before been "A candidate Tor
the presidency, In campaigns which
ended ina defeat. "a third nomination, the
result Of the free and voluntary act
OF the voters OF the party can only be
explained hy substantial and undis-
puted growth In the principles and
policies Tor which |, with multitude
OF others have contcnded As these
principles and policies have given me
whatever political strength possess.
the action OF the convention not only
rcnews my faith In them, but strength
ems my attachment To them
4 Platform Is binding.
shall. In the near future. prepare
more formal reply TO your notification,
and, I'm that letter OF acceptance, VIII
deal with the platform In detail. Ii 10
sufficient. al this time. TO assure you
that | am in hearty accord with both
the letter and the spirit OF the plat
form. 1 endorse II In whole. and IN
part. ana shall. If elected. regard ~
declarations as binding upon me. And,
may add, platform is binding as To
what u omits as well as To what IL
contains. According TO the Democratic
idea, the people think for themselves
and select officials To carry out their
wishes The voters are the sovereiSns
the officials are the servants, employed
for fixed time and at stated salary
to 10 what the sovereigns want done
and to do IT tn the way the soVer-
tlrcly In harmony with this Democratic
idea a platform announces the party's
position on the questions which are at
Issue: ana an official is not at liberty
10 use the authority vested In him To
urge personal views which have not
been submitted TO the voters for thei
approval II one is nominated upon
platform which is not satisfactory 10
him hc must. IL candid. either decline
the nomination. or, in accepting IL. pro-
pose an amended platform in lieu OF
tho one adopted by the convention. No
such situation. however, confronts your
candidate for the platform upon which
was nominated not only contains
nothing from which dissent but 4,
legislation which we can hope to Sc
cure during the next four years
Republican Challenge Accepted.
The distinguished statesman who re-
president said. IN his notification
speech: The strength OF the Repub-
lican cause IN the campaign at hand l.
the fact that we represent the policies
essential To the reform OF known
abuses. to the continuance OF libeitJ
and true prosperity, and that we are
determined as our platform unequivo ,
cally declares. TO maintain them and
carry them on"
In the name OF the Democratic party
! accept the challenge, and charge that
the Republican party Is responsible for
all the abuses which now exist in the
federal government. and that IL is i'm
potent to accomplish the reforms which
are imperatively needed. Further,
can not concur in the statement that
the Republican platform unequivocal-
~ declares for the reforms That are
necessary, on the contrary. | affirm
that IL openly and VIGOROUSLY disap-
points the hopes and expectations OF
refOrmers, whether those reformcrs pc
Republicans or Democrats. So far did
the Republican convention fall short OF
it's duty that the Republican candidate
felt II necessary 10 add to his platform
in several important particulars, thus
rebuking the leaders OF the party, upoL
whose cooperation he must rely Tor
the enactment OF remedial 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 platform.
Shall the People Rule!
Our platform declares that the over
shadowing issue which manifests Itself
In all the questions now under discus
sion, is Shall the people rule?' NJ
matter which way we turn, no matter
To what subject we address ourselves
the same question confronts us: Sha.'
the people control their own govern
ment, and use that government Tor the
promotion OF their welfare or shall the
representatives Of predatory wealth
prey upon defenseless public, while
the offenders secure immunity from
To power by INSCRIPTIONS methods"
This is the issue raised by the known
abuses" to 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
lions on the administrations actions
have been given wide circulation
pers and otherwise, by those writers
and speakers who. consciously or un-
consciously, act as the representatives,
OF predatory wealth--of the wealth ac-
cumulated on a giant scale by all forms
OF iniquity ranging from the oppres-
sion OF wage-earners 10 unfair ana
unwholesome methods OF crushing out
competition, and to defrauding the pub
lie by stock Jobbing and the manipula-
ton OF securities Certain wealthy men
Of this stamp, whose conduct should
be abhorrent To every man OF ordinar-
ily decent conscience and who commit
the hideous wrong OF teaching our
young men that phenomenal business
success must ordinarily be based on
dishonesty have. during the last few
months. made II apparent that they
have banded together To work for
reaction Their endeavor is TO over
throw and discredlt all who honestly
administer the law. to prevent any ad-
ditional legislation which would cheek
and restrain them. and to secure, n
possible. "A freedom from all restraint
which Will permit every INSCRIPTIONS
wrong -doer ID do what he wishes un-
checked. provided he has enough
money What an arrangement OF the
is tile presidents indictment true
And. II true. against whom was the in
diCtment directed? Not against the
Democratic party.
Nr. Taft Endorses the Indictment.
Mr. Taft says that these evils have
crept In during the last ten years. lie
declares that during this time. some
ia tfal
the community, spurred by hnancia!
success and I'm their hurry for greater
wealth. became unmindful OF the com
mon rules OF business honesty and
fidelity. and OF the limitations imposed
bX law upon their actions and that
the revelations Of the breaches OF
trusts, the disclosures as to rebates and
limitations by railroads, the ac-
cumulating evidence OF the violations
OF the antitrust laws. by a number OF
corporations. and the oVer-issue of
stocks and bonds OF Interstate rail-
roads for the unlawful enriching OF di-
rectors and for the purpose OF conCeu-
trating the control OF the railroads
under one management. all these. hc
charges. "9uickened the conscience -
the people and brought on moral
awakening"
During all this time. ! beg TO re-
mind you. Republican officials presided
In the executive department. filled the
cabinet. dominated the senate CONTROL
ed the house Of representatives and ocl
cupied most OF the federal Judgeships.
-Four years ago the Republican plat
form boastfully declared that since
1S6O--with the exception OF two years
the Republican party had been ~
control OF part or OF all the branches
OF the federal government, that for
two years only was the Democratic
party In "A position 20 either enact or
rWpeai a law Having drawn the sal
aries; haN ing enjoyed the honors. hav-
ing secured the prestige. let the Repub-
lican party accept the responsibility