The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-08-26
FORMATION, NOT REVOLUTION

Condemns Taft For Stand on Cam
. paign Publicity - Republican
Party Impotent t Secure Relief
Will Convene Congress.
Lincoln, Neb.-In the presence OF
over 10000 people, William ]. Bryan
was informed that he is the Demo-
cratic candidate for the Presidency Of
the United States.
Hon. Henry D. Clayton, of Ala
bama, chairman of the Notification
Committee, said the Democratic con-
vention stood for the conservatism Of
government under a written Consti-
tuition.
Where the notification speech vas
not controversial Mr.. Bryan confined
himself to three positive declarations:
The immediate converting of Con-
gress in extraordinary session follow
ing his Inauguration, if elected, to
pass a measure for the election of
United States Senators by popular
vote.
The radical amendment of rules Of
procedure in the House of Represen-
tativeS to bring it Into harmony with
the ideas of those who framed our
Constitution and founded our Govern
ment."
A promise that if the reforms pro-
posed by the Democratic platform are
not applied to the Federal Govern
ment now, other reforms will have to
be applied at some time in the
future.
Nomination Accepted.
In reply to Mr.. Clayton, Mr.. Bryan
said:
Mr.. Clayton and Gentlemen of the
Notification Committee cannot &C
cept the nomination which you
officially tender without first acknowl-
edging my deep Indebtedness to the
Democratic party for the eXtraor-
binary honor which it has conferred
upon me. Having twice before been
a candidate for the Presidency, 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 a substantial and u~ndisputed
growth in the principles and policies
for which I, with a multitude Of 9TH
ers, have c%ontended. AS these princi-
Piles and policies have given me what
ever political strength I possess, the
action Of the convention not only re-
news my faith in them, but strength
ems my attachment to them.
A Platform is Binding.
I shall, in the near future, prepare
a more formal reply to your notifica-
ton, and, in that letter of acceptance,
will deal with the platform in detail.
1t is sufficient, at this time, to assure
you that I am in hearty accord with
both the letter and the spirit Of the
platform. I indorse il as {. whole and
in part, and shall, if elected, regard
its declarations as binding upon me.
And, ! may add, a platform is bind
ing as to what it omits as we'll as to
what it 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, employed for a fixed
time and at a stated salary to do what
the soyereigns want done, and to do
1t in a way the sovereigns want 1t
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
issue; 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 iSnot satisfactory to
him, he must, if candid, either de-
cline the nomination or, in accepting
it, propose an amended platform in
lieu of the one adopted by the conven-
ton. No such situation, however,
confronts your candidate, for the plat
form upon which I was nominated not
only contains nothing from which I
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 Repub-
lican cause in the campaign at hand
is the fact that We represent the poll
cies essential to the reform Of known
abuses, to the continuance o. liberty
and true prosperity, and that W. are
determined, as our platform unequiv-
ocally declares, to maintain them and
carry them on"
In the name of the Democratic par
ty, I accept the challenge, and charge
that the Republican party is respon-
sible for all the abuses which now
exist in the Federal Government, and
that it is impotent to accomplish the
reforms which are im%peratively need
ed. Further, l cannot concur in the
statement that the Republican plat
form unequivocally declares for the
reforms that are necessary; on the
contrary, l affirm that it openly and
VIGOROUSLY disappoints the hopes
and expectations Of reformers, wheth-
er those reformers be Republicans OK
Democrats. So far did the Republic,
can convention fall short of its duty
that the Republican candidate felt it
necessary to add to his platform in
several important particulars, thus
rebuking the leaders of the party,
upon whose cooperation he must