The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-01
Thomas 1, Hisgen Is Officially
 Notified of Nomination
OLD PARTIES CRITICISED
MT. Hiseen Declares That New Party Is Necessary To Bring About Needed Reforms in Govern
 ment of United States.

New York. August 31.-There was not room enough in the new club house of the independence league to hold the large crowd that gathered tonight for the dual purpose of being presentslc the notifca- tion of Thomas L. Hlsgen, independence party candidate for President, and the house. warming of the club
 William R. Hearst and MT. Hisgen en- tered the club house shortly after o'clock and were greeted by an outburst of cheers Hisgen was enthusiastically re- ferred to as the trust buster" and 'our neM President" These titles brought forth more cheering
 Many inquiries were made for John Temple Graves, the party's candidate TOT Vice President. It had been orlglhaiiy planned to have MT. Hisgen ana MT Graves notified at the same time, put owing to the poor health of MT Graves this plan was abandoned. MT. Graves was not present tonight, as he is at the Warm Sulphur Springs, in Virginia.
 When Mr. Hisgen's name was first men tioned as the notification ceremony was about to take place there was renewed cheering Melvin G. Palliser, charmah of tho meeting. then turned the proceed ings over to Henry A. Powell chalrmah of the notification committee. MT. Powen told Mir Hisgen that he had been selected as the standard bearer of the new party and then MT. Hisgen arose to accept the nomination. There was prolonged cheers and if was several minutes before the candidate could begin MT. Hisgen reaa his address.
 Vigorous Address,
 After stating that he regarded his norniaation as a call to public service, Thomas L. Hisgen. in his speech Of ac- ceptance went right into the main issues of the campaign and gave vigorous outline of the principles ana poljcies he stands for. He declared II was necessary to organize a new party to bring about needed reforms and so the independence party came into ex- istence. The candidate asserted that the present division of the reform ele- ment had permitted the control of the government to slip from the hands or the people into the hands of machine politicians and party bosses and he said that to take control out of their hands he advocated direct nominations, the initiative the referendum and the recall"
 MT Hisgen said in part
 "The direct primary is spreading rap idly through the states Of the south and the west. Wherever the direct primary goes, the party boss disap- pears. The party convention and it's dummy delegates are the tools Of tho boss. Destroy them and the boss is powerless.
 ..The right to initiate legislation and when occasion arises to pass upon and reject legislation is the purest popu- lar government, and is condemned only by those who have lost faith in the rights and in the ability of the people to govern.
 Especially valuable is the referen- dunn when franchises and other public property are sought to be disposed ot
 Hand in hand with these measures of popular government goes the right of recall When an official elected for term of years demonstrates his un- fitness or betrays the put trust early in his term, there should be a speedy and simple way of recalling or getting rid of him instead of leaving him In office. working public mischief and at the same time strengthening his hand by the use of patronage.
 Campaign Publicity.
 q believe that to obtain genuine popular government, the corruption of money must be eliminated, and l in- dorse our platform declaration which not only calls for full publicity of cam paign contributions, as do the plat forms (but not the 1egislation) of the republican and democratic parties, but which prohibits as they do not, tho use of any money in elections except for meetings. literature and the nec- essary travelling expenses of candi- dates.
 "Given genuine popular government the question at once arises, with the con- measures and reforms do you propose to put Into effect with it? Here we are emerging painfully and slowly from panic and unnatural and unneces- sary business depression. Impoverished investors, exasperated business men and idle workmen will no longer be baited with shiftly evasions, crafty straddles and empty promises. They want to know this time.
 "As a business man 1t seems to me to be a first essential to national prosperity that there should be economical and bus inesslike conduct of public affairs Ex- fra varant appropriations, due to horde l of unnecessary officials and log-rolling legislation for purely political purposes. mean higher taxes and all taxes, whether direct or indirect, as our platform de- i clares. come out of the pockets of the 1 people and necessarily add to the ever increasing cost of living. l
 Trust Laws.
 'No business man has more reason than I to insist upon a strict enforce ment of the law against oppressive trusts l and criminal monopolies, but l would I substitute conviction of criminals for | reckless and disturbing threats and de- | nunciation. Furthermore. believe, as | our platform declares, in jail sentences | for the responsible offenders instead of | fines that are in reality imposed upon | or collected from the con l suming public.
 .Our platform condemns the evil of | capitalization and demands as a pri-