The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-08-14


Personal inclination Not Sufficient.
In his notification speech. the Repub-
licm candidate, speaking of the cleo
ton of senators by the people, says:
Personally. I ann inclined, to favor It.
but it is hardly party question.
Whatis necessary, to make this party
question? When the Democratic con-
yention endorses proposition by a
unanimous vote, and the Republican
convention rejects the proposition by a
vote of seven to one, does it not be-
come an issue between the parties?
Mr.. Taft can not remove the question
from the arena of politics by express
ing a personal inclination toward the
Democratic position. For several
wears he has been connected with
the administration. What has he ever
said or dove to bring this question be-
fore the public? What enthusiasm
has he shown in the reformation of
the senate2 What influence could he
exert in beha If of reform which his
party has OPENLY and VIGOROUSLY con-
demned in it's convention, and to which
he is attached only by belated ex-
preston of personal inclination?
The Gateway to Other Reforms.
"Shall the people ruler" Every
remedial measure Of national char
acter must rum the gauntlet of the
senate. The president may personally
incline toward reform; the house
may consent to it; but as long as the
senate obstructs:, the reform, the peo-
pie must wait The president may
heed popular demand; the house may
yield to public oItnion; but as long as
the senate is defiant, the rule of the
people is defeated. The Democratic
platform very properly describes the
popular election OF senators as Athe
gateway to other national reforms"
Shall we open the gate. or shall we
allow the exploiting interests to bar
the way by the control of this branch
of the federal legislature? Through
a Democratic victory, and through
Democratic victory only, can the peo-
pie secure the popular election of SEN
ators. The smaller parties are unable
to secure this reform; the Republican
party, under it's present leadership, is
resolutely opposed to it;.the Democratic
party stands for it and has boldly de-
manded it. If / ann elected to the
presidency, those who are elected upon
the ticket with me will be, like my
self, pledged to this reform, and l
shall convene congress in extraordi-
nary session Immediately after inau-
guration, and ask, among other things,
for the fulfillment Of this platform
pledge.
The third instrumeItality employed
to defeat the will of the people is
found in the rules Of tive house of rep,
resentatives. Our platform points out
that "the house of representatives was
designed by the fathers of the consti-
tuition, to be the popular branch Of our
government, responsive ITO the public
WILL" and adds:
1.-THE house of representatives, as
controlled in recent years by the Re
publican party, has ceased to be de-
Lucrative and legislative body. respon-
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 branchlof our federal gov
eminent helpless to obtain either the
consideration or enactment Of meas
ures desired by a 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 hearing or to secure vote
upon measure as are the Democrats.
In the recent session Of the present
congress, there was a considerable ele
ment in the Republican party favorable
to remedial legislation; but few lead
ers, in control Of the organization,
despotically suppressed these mem
bers. and thus forced a real majority
in the house to submit to well organ
convention, instead of rebuking this
attack upon popular government, eulo-
gized congress and nominated as the
Republican candidate for vice president
one of the men who shared in the re.
sponsibility for the coercion of the
house. Our party demands that 'the
house Of representatives shall again
become deliberative body, controlled
by a majority Of the peoples repre-
sentatives, and not by the speaker"
and is pledged to adopt "such rules
and regulations to govern the house
of representatives as will enable a ma
jority of it's members to direct its de-
alterations and control legislation"
"Shall the people rule?' They can
not do so unless they can control the
house of representatives, and through
their representatives in the house, give
expression to their purposes and their
desires. The Republican party is
committed to the methods now in
vogue in the house Of representatives;
the Democratic party is pledged to
such revision Of the rules as will
bring the popular branch of the federal
government into harmony with the
ideas of those who framed our coRsti-
tuition and founded our government.
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