The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1908-08-20

the cause Of the people on THIS SUBJECT,
The subject was ignored by the Republi-
can national convention in 1900: it was ig-
explicitly repudiated in 1908, for the re.
cent Republican national convention, by
vote Of $3.50 to ia. rejected the plank
indorsing the popular election of sem
ators-and this was done in the conven-
ton which nominated Mr.. Taft, few dele
gates from his own state voting for the
plank.
Personal inclination Not Sufficient.
In his notification speech. the Repub-
lican candidate. speaking Of the cleo.
ton of senators by the people. says:
Personally. am inclined to favor it,
but 1t is hardly party question" What
!: necessary to make this a party ques-
ton? When the Democratic convention
vote. and the Republican convention re-
5ects the proposition by . vote of seven
tndorses Proposition by q unanimous
TO one. does 1t not become an issue be-
tween the parties? Mr.. Taft can not re-
move the question from the arena of pol.
itics by expressing a personal inclination
several years he has been connected with
the administration. What has he ever
said or done to bring this question before
the public? What enthusiasm has he
shown In the reformation Of thet SEN
ate? What influence could he exert in
behalf Of a reform which his party has
openly and VIGOROUSLY condemned in its
convention, and to which he Is attached
only. by belated expression Of personal
inclination?
The Gateway 70 Other Reforms.
"shall the people ruler" Every remedial
measure Of a national character must run
the gauntlet Of the senate. The presi-
dent may personally incline toward q
reform; the house may consent to It;
but as long as the senate obstructs the
reform. the people must wait. The pres
ident may heed . popular demand; the
house may yield to public opinion; but as
long as the senate Is defiant, tho rule of
the people is defeated. The Democratic
ular election Of senators as 1.-The gate
way to other national reforms" Shall We
open the gate, or shall we allow the ex-
plotting interests to bar the way by the
control Of this branch Of the federal leg
islature Through Democratic victory
and through Democratic victory only,
can the people secure the popular cleo.
$3.50. -
unable to secure this reform: the RepVb-
lican party, under its present leadership,
Is resolutely opposed to 1t: the Democrat
&c party stands for 1t and has boldly de.
manded 1t. II I am elected to the presi-
dency. those who are elected upon tho
ticket with me will be. like myself.
pledged to this reform, and I shall con-
vene congress in extraordinary session
Immediately after Inauguration, and ask,
among other things, for the fultillment
OF this platform pledge.
House Rules pespotie.
The third fundamentally employed to
defeat the will of the people is found in
the rules of the house of representatives.
Our platform points out that "the house
of representatives was designed by the
fathers of the constitution, to be the pop-
ular branch of our government, respon-
sive to the public WILL" and adds:
The house of representatives, as con-
trolled In recent years by the Republican
party has ceased to be a deliberative
and legislative body, responsive to the
will of majority Of the members. but
has come under the absolute domination
of the speaker. who has entire control Of
Its deliberations, and powers of legis-
lation.
1--WE have observed with amazement
the popular branch Of our federal gov.
eminent helpless to obtain either the
consideration or enactment Of measures
desired BY majority of its members"
| This arraignment is fully justified. The
reform Republicans in the house of rep
resentatives, when in the minority in
their own party. are as helpless to OBJ
tain hearing or to secure a vote upon
measure as are the Democrats In the
recent session of the present congress.
there was considerable element in tho
Republican party favorable to remedial
legislation; but few leaders, in con-
troll of the organization, despotically sup
pressed these members, and thus forced
real majority in the house t. submit
to we'll organized minority. The Re-
publican national convention, instead Of
rebuking this attack upon popular gov
eminent. eulogized congress and nomin-
ated as the Republican candidate for
vice-president one of the men who
coercion Of the house. Our party de.
mands that "the house Of representatives
shall again become a dellberative body.
controlled by majority of the peoples
representatives.. and not by the speaker"
and is pledged to adopt 'such rules and
regulations to govern the house of rep
resentatives as will enable a majority
Of its members to direct its deliberations
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 Dem
ocratic party is pledged to such re-
vision Of the rules as will bring the pop
ular branch Of the federal government
into harmony with the ideas Of those
who framed our constitution and found
ed our government.
Other Issues Will Be Discussed Later.
shall the people rule?" repeat, is de-
clared by our platform to be the over
shadowing question, and as the campaign
progresses. I shall take occasion to dis
cuss this question as it manifests itself
In other issues; for whether we consider
the tariff question, the trust question, the
railroad question. the banking question,
the labor question. the question of i'm
perialism, the development of our water
ways. or any other Of the numerous prob
lens which press for solution. we shall
hnd that the real question involved in
tho sho