Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1908-08-12
SHALL The PEOPLE RULE
That Is the 0vershad0wing
, Question.
REPUBLICANS RESPONSIBLE.
All Present Abuses a Result Of
Their Acts. and They Are In
potent IL Correct Them.

Mr.. Clayton and Gentlemen Of the
Notification Committee: | can not ac-
cept the nomination which you official
ly tender, without first acknowledging
my deep Indebtedness to the Democrat
&c party for the extraordinary honor
which it has conferred upon me. HaV-
ing twice before been candidate for
the presidency, in campaigns which
ended in defeat, thirG nomination, the
result Of the free and voluntary act OF
the voters of the party, can only be eX-
planned by substantial and undis-
puted growth in the principles and pol
icies for which l, with multitude of
others, have commended. AS these prin-
ciples and policies have given me what
ever political strength l possess, the
action of the convention not only re-
news my faith in them, but strengthens
my attachment to them.
A Platform Is Binding.
shall, in the near future, prepare a
more formal reply to your notification,
and, in that letter of acceptance, will
deal with the platform in detail. It is
sufficient, at this time, to assure you
that l am in hearty accord with both
the letter and the spirit Of the plat
form. / endorse it in whole and in
part, and shall, if elected regard its
declarations as binding upon me. And,
/ may add, Il platform is binding as to
what it omitS as well as to what it
contains. According to the democratic
idea, the people think for themselves
and select officials to carry out their
wishes. The voters are the SOvereignS;
the officials are the servants, employed
for fixed time and at a stated salary
to do what the sOvercigns want done.
and to do it in the way the sovereiSns
want it done. Platforms are entirely
In harmony with this democratic idea.
n platform announces the party'S pO-
sition on the questions which: are at is
sue; and an official is not at liberty to
use the authority vested in him to
urge personal views which have not
been submitted to the voters for their
approval. If one IS nominated upon q
platform which IS not satisfactory to
him, he must, if candid either decline
the nomination, or, in accepting it. pro
pose an amended platform in lieu of
the one adopted by the convention. Nc
such situation, however, cOnfrOntS your
candidate, for the platform upon which
l was nominated not only contains
nothing from which l dissent, but il
specifically outlines all the remedial
legislation which we can hope to Sc
cure during the next four years
Republican Challenge Accepted.
The distinguished statesman who r.
ceived the Republican nomination fol
president said, in his notification
speech: 1.-THE strength Of theRepublicai
cause in the campaign at hand is the
fact that we represent the policies es
sential to the reform of known abuses
to the continuance Of liberty and true
prosperity, and that we are determined
as our platform mequivocally declares
to maintain them and carry them on
In the name of the Democratic party
accept the challenge, and charge tina
the Republican party is responsible fol
all the abuses which now exist in thu
federal government, and that it is i'm
potent to accomplish the reforms which
are imperatively needed. Further,
can not concur in the statement tina
the Republican platform unequivocal1,
declares for the reforms that are nee
essary; on the contrary, affirm that
openly and VIGOROUSLY disappoints til,
hopes and expectations Of reformers
whether those reformers be Republic
ans or Democrats. So far did the Re
publican convention fall short Of it
duty that the Republican candidate fel
1t necessary to add to his platform il
several important particulars, thus re
buking the leaders Of the party, upO1
whose cooperation he must rely TO
the enactment Of remedial legislation.
AS l shall, in separate speeches, dis
cuss the leading questions at issue,
shall at this time confine myself to til
paramount question, and to the fa1
reaching purpose Of our party, as tina
purpose is set forth in the platform.
Shall the People Ruler
Our platform declares that the over
shadowing issue which manifests itsel
In all the questions now under discus
sion, is "Shall the people rule?" n
matter which way we turn; no matte
to what subject we address ourselves
the same question confronts us: Sha
the people control their own govern
ment, and use that government for tn
protection Of their rights and for til
promotion of their welfare? or sha
the representatives Of predatory wealt
prey upon a defenseless public, Will
the offenders secure immunity fro1
subservient officials whom they rails
to power by INSCRIPTIONS methods
This Is the issue raised by the "know
abuses to which Mr.. Taft refers.