The San Francisco call., 1908-07-08
BELL ENTHUSFS
BIG CONVENTION
Continued From Page 1. Column

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them. including portion of the Cal
lfornla delegation, feared that he
woodland he did.
ENTHUSES THE CONVENTION
SO long as Bells keynote speech
shall remain in the memory of politi-
clans there will be strenuous objec-
tion to It's description as great Be
that as it may, Bell made a good
speech and his speech made good. 1t
injected some degree of enthusiasm
into convention that was apa
thetic as any political convention con-
trolled by a man against whom the
delegates are absolutely impotent may
be. Bells speech has been freely crit
icised today as an invasion of the field
properly to be covered tomorrow by
the permanent chairman, Congressman
Clayton. That criticism falls fat in
view Of the fact that Bell was the mes
senger selected by the dominant com
moner, first to voice Bryan's platform
ideas to the convention. Bell dis
charged the duty imposed upon him
with credit He told democracy's rep
resentatiVes what Bryan expected
them to ratify in the way of a platform
in a manner that evoked the cheers
that exhibitions of Bryan's portrait to
the accompaniment of Dixie had sig
nally failed to arouse And he man
aged to tell the convention that it was
about to surrender a third nomination
to Bryan. without mentioning Bryans
name, with skill which was rewarded
with the heartiest cheers given for
Bryan since the convention vanguard
descended on Denver.
ATTACKS REPUBLICAN OMISSIONS
Bell was at his best when attacking
the sins of omission which he attrib-
uted to the republican party and was
most explicit in his outlines of what
should be democracys attitude with
regard to the questions of campaign
contributions. publicity, election of
United States senators by popular vote
and Asiatic exclusion.
Just what Bell meant by his discus.
sion of the anti-injunction policy of
the party will be disclosed by the COM
pleted work of the platform committee
He said that whatever democracy does
with that most important question
should be done frankly, fairly and un-
equivocally. Taken all in all, it was
an excellent speech, splendidly deliv
cred. The democracy of California may
take justifiable pride in this day and
in Theodore Bell, who houted by his
own delegation, captured the national
convention.
BETRAY POWER TO
GOVERNMENTS ENEMIES
Following is the full text of Bells
speech:
We have assembled at a time when
the public conscience is demanding
honesty of purpose in the men who
undertake TO direct the affairs of state.
The public is keenly sensitive of every
political movement and our proceed
lnUS here will he nnnrnWad according
TO the degree of sincerity appearing
in the work of this convention. There
is a widespread belief. founded upon
evidence of a convincing character,
that the party in power has not been
true TO its trust, that it has betrayed
the common interest into the hands of
the enemies Of good government, there
by forfeiting its right and destroying
its ability to rule in the name of the
people.
Apparent to every one is the fact
that way down in the heart of the
republican convention at Chicago there
over the popular clamor for reforms;
and ii is equally patent that there is
no bona f1de intention on the part of
the republican party of granting any
reforms If the machinery of that party
can be retained in present hands. It's
paper platform, divided like ancient
Gaul into three parts-barren promises.
makeshifts and evasions-it is hoped
will make good campaign transpar-
ency; but no one seriously believes that
the republican party really indorses
that neutral manuscript which held
the convention together until it could
ratify the nomination of a presidential
candidate.
Approaching our great task in a
Fmanly, dignffied manner, imbued with
the loftiest sentiments of patriotism
ambitious to throw every safeguard
around the liberties of our people, de-
termined to stamp out the abuses that
a fac1nF Inc 4lA1 Tl,e.N1,
nation, let us proceed to our appointed
duty with the sustaining consciousness
that we are responsible alone to God
and our country for the justice of our
cause.
There are three things which this
convention should do 1t ought to
present in a plain and ineligible
manner the serious Industrial and no
the peace and happiness of our coun-
try. We should then proceed to a
courageous exposure of the republican
policies that are cooperating with pri-
vate greed In the general oppression
of the people. Most important of all
we must exhibit a readiness and an
ability to grasp the problems of the
hour and to effect their solution in a
manner that will satisfy the sober,
common sense Of the multitude whose
! interests are at stake.
ABUSE OF
| CORPORATE POWER
! b
the country at the present time Is
the abuse of corporate power AIT
| first the advancing aggressions of the
corporations are not dscernible to the
common eye. for every move Is care
fully covered up until sufficient polit-
! ical strength is attained to defy the
! protests of the people Thus the con-
stant and insidious invasions of the
1 peoples rights finally result in spe-
/ cies of arrogance and defiance so for
/ midable in it's appearance that the
body Of the people, in fear of even
worse aggressions, hesitate to assert
and exercise their rightful authority
over these colossal enemies of the
commonwealth. And so we behold a
subversion of our free institutions. a
government voluntarily subordinating
itself to selfish, private ends, special
privilege resorting to cunning bribery
and intimidation to maintain its un-
/ holy power, while the masses timidly
hope that when avarice has at last
reached the point OF safety it will then
benevolently permit the people to re-
sumo their rightful share in the gov
ernment Of themselves Whenever the
mutterings of the people become too
| threatening the cry of confiscation goes
up and appeals are frantically made to
the sacred rights Of property. This is
intended to alright the ears of honest
men in the pniOVn1pnt of tho fr,,i+c 8