Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-09-30

Taft read our platform and Their
again he remembered his own and
he made another effort to get on to
our platform He said in his notifica-
ton speech that personally he was in
Clined TO the election of senators by
the people While it is very crafty
ing that even at his age he has been
brought TO a point where he expresses
an inclination toward This subject. il
is the first time in his life that he ever
expressed himself in favor of election
of senators by direct vote OF the peo-
pie. But. my friends, personally in
clined' is net enough. | would not
hurt his feelings for anything but
think | ought to say that nearly every
man who goes down to ruin is per-
sonally inclined to be virtuous but
has not the moral courage to resist
temptation. Someone has said that
the road to the lower regions is paved
with good intentions. and i'll a great
contest like that in which we are now
engaged we need something more than
personal inclination toward the right
subject
What chance would, Mr.. Taft have
of doing anything in favor of this
proposition? With party denouncing
it or ignoring it in the convention,
what chance would he have if his con-
vention would not endorse the prin-
ciple?
Now, my friends. my position diff
fers from Mr.. Taft's in this: | have
platform in favor of it; he has a
platform that is silent on the subject
have had IS years of experience in
trying to get this reform and he has
come in at the 18th hour and eX
pressed an inclination for it. 1t was
| in my platform 18 years ago when
| first ran for congress. 1t was in my
platform IA years ago when l ran fol
the senate. l have helped to put it in
| three national platforms of my party
Tard / promise if am elected president
| | will call special session of congress
| Immediately after my Inauguration anC
| that among other things, I will ash
Tor the adoption of resolution which
will make it constitutional to cleo
senator's by direct vote of the people
| Cannon the Despot.
Now, the third obstacle in the way
of the rule of the people is to be found
in the despotic character of the rule
| of the house of representatives. AND
We have had some splendid object les
sons as to what is possible unde
hose rules. The private secretary o
| The present speaker wrote a magazine
| article some time ago in which h
| went on to illustrate the powers o
| he speaker. He told of an instance
where petition was presented to tn,
speaker and it was signed by three
fourths of the members of the hous
md they asked for the consideration
i If a measure and the speaker refuse,
o consider the measure Or allow
o be considered because he said tina
lie had to bear the responsibility 70
What the house did ana, therefore. in
istea1 OF letting majority of tn
house bear the responsibility he as
!, isumed the authority to defeat the e1
preston of three-fourths of the house
Under the present rule the speake
, can prevent the consideration of
measure if he does not want tina
measure passed even though ever
other member of congress does wan
, is passed. Now, instead of rebukin
that as the democratic party did, tn
J republican party was not only silen
on the subject but it nominated as it
! candidate for vice president the yer
man who. stood next to Mr. Cannon
in strangling legislation under tn
rules of the house.
Now have given you the evidenc
that the people do not rule and | as
you to join with us in restoring to tn
people the right to make this govern
ment represent what the people wan
DONE
I AS to Labor Plank.
} Mr. Bryan held forth the Democrat
!, party as the friend of the laborin
man. The Denver platform. he sal,
,tcontains six planks advocating legi!