Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1908-04-13

the convention on the first ballot with
"many soft spots in the Taft legions
that may be successfully attacked
1t would appear that the Republican
party Is likely to suffer in the same
way that some undemocratic Demo
Gratis wish to make the Democratic
party suffer. 1t is perfectly apparent
to any observer of politics that Il ma
jority Of the Republicans of the ma
ton desire Secretary Taft's nomina
tion-that Is, a majority desires 1t if
President Roosevelt himself shall re
main out of the running. A comhina
ton of favorite sons, made only in or
der to defeat the secretary's nomina
ton. is likely to have the effect of de
feating whosoever they may final.
unite on in the event that he himseli
shall not be nominated. That Taft
would be a strong candidate before
the people nobody in Washington eX
cept the administration circle believes
The hostility of organized labor anu
the bitterness of the negroes in the
north against him will do more than l.
needed to overcome the strength tina
may be lent him by the Roosevelt anG
administration support.
Appeal Of the Federation of Labor.
Heads Of the affiliated unions in the
Federation Of Labor issued from Wash
ington recently an appeal to the work
ingInen Of the country for united pc
litical action. They ask that candidates
for the presidency, for congress or for
other Offices be requested to specifically
declare their positions ON such matters
ton, the eight hour law, the employ
ers' liability law and other legislation
directly affecting working people. The
appeal has been. handled by many
newspapers as though it indicated a
purpose on the part of the Federation
of Labor to organize a distinctly labor
party. AS matter of fact it only ex-
presses q purpose to take such action
as is eniinently proper for any such
great organization to adopt. That a
candidate for office, seeking the votes
Of workingnen, should hesitate for a
moment in answering questions as to
policies that vitality affect the rights of
laboring classes would unfit him for
Office. Here in the United States we
have not developed as we really should
have the methods Of free debate in po-
litical campaigns that they have in
England.
There are only few men in our
public life who invite questions from
their auditors in public meeting The
man who has most successfully adopt
ed this method is Mayor Tom L. John
son of Cleveland. A speech by Tom
johnson is an inspiration to any one
who believes in really frank discus
sion Of public questions. Nothing de-
lights him more than to abandon the
any one who may be dissat istied with
his argument to question him frankly
and to receive frank response
have watched him time and again in
action and sincerely believe that his
readiness to enter upon discussions of
this sort is one Of his greatest sources
Of strength in his campaigns.
OF course 1t may not always be nee
essary. particularly on the part of can
didates for national office. to repeated
ly answer the same questions. But l
am unable to see why the Federation
OF Labor should not at the beginning
OF a campaign ask the aspirants for
ar II fa fn, nf 1,o; Il,
views on pertinent matters and then
act accordingly.
The Two. thirds Rule.
In all probability an effort will be
made at the next Democratic national
convention to modify or to abrogate
the two-thirds rule. This will not be
attempted before the nomination., for
no wise man would care to become a
candidate before the Democratic voters
with the record of having secured his
nomination by overturning established
Democratic practice, however unwise
that practice may be. That it is un-
wise is coming now to be generally adj
mitted. Democracy means the rule Of
the majority, and one more than half
constitutes majority. One more than
half of the members of the committee
on resolutions can send to the full con
vention the platform by which the
party is to be guided, and bare ma.
jority of the convention can adopt that
platform. The inslstence that two
thirds Of the convention must unite in
order to nominate candidate is made
illogical and ridiculous when the ability
Of mere majority to fix its principles
Is borne in mind. Moreover, under the
unit rule the vote of one man might
determine how the seventy eight votes
Of New York or the siXty-eight Of
Pennsylvania might be determined.
Just now the two-thirds rule Is being
strenuously appealed to by group of
utterly undemocratic politicians who
hope to utilize it, not for the nomina-
ton Of any particular candidate, for
they have none, but for the defeat Of
the one candidate whom the great ma
jority Of Democratic voters desire to
see nominated. 1t is practical denial
Of the principle Of majority rule, which
Is fundamental of Democracy.
Washington, D. c.