Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-08-21

convention has been willing to champion
the cause of the people on this subject. Inc
tionul convention In 1900; 1t was ignored IN
ITvt, ana Inc. pfupusitiu4 Was sApi'S.s.! ~
c p%atalGf IN by va a vote 5Us Of rs sos to ia. reject,
ed the plank indorstng the popular eiectlol
of senators-and this was done In the CON
~vention which nominated Mr.. TAFT, rev
delegates from his own state voting for the
plank.
candidate, speaking of the election of sen
ators by the people says: "iersonhiIy !
am inclined to favor 1t, but it Is hardly a
This a party question? When the demo
cratic convention Endorsed II proposition by
ii unanimous vote, and the republican c"t,
issue between the PARTIES? Mr.'raft can
not remove the questlo on from the arena
of politics by expressing Il personal In
cllnation toward the Democratic position;
For several years he has been co9nectSd
ever said or done t" bring this question
before the public? What enthusiasm has
What influence, could he exert in behalf OF
a reform which his party has openly ana
notriously condemned IN its conventl%n'
lated expI ession If personal inclinationi
shall the people rule Every remedial
measure Of Il national character must run
the gauntlet of the senate. The president
may personally incline toward a REFORM
the house may consent to IT; but us long as
lLIS sCLiit ''Si = IN NNl
must wait. The president may heed II pop
ular demand; the house may yield to public
unnt the rule of the people is defeated.
The democratic platform very property de-
scribCs the popular election, or senators rs
the gateway to other national reforms.
Shall We open the gate. or shall We allow
the exploiting Interests to bar the way by
The iiSi si r S,nyS3 Of fhis 0F n aemc %i the r feaSrS.
and through a democratic victory, only,
can the people secure the popular electirh
to secure this reform: the rcpubllcan party,
under its present leadership, is lesolutei!
opposed to it; the dgmorratic party sIii!dH
am elected to the presidency those WIZ"
are elected upon the ticket with me wilt
he, like myself, pledged to this reform; ana
shall convene congress in extraordinary
session Immediately after inauguration and
ask. among other things for the fulilsii'eh'
The third instrumcntnlity employed I" &c
fe4t the will of the people Is found III tl|
platform points out that the house of rel,
Ipsentutivcs was designed by the father Of
the constitution. to he the popular branch
of our government, responsive to the pub
lie will" and adds:
The house of representatives., as con
trollcd in recent years by the republican
party, has ceased to he II dclibcrnuve anr
lc ~lSlativc body. responsive to the Will OF
Il majority Of, the members, hut has conc
speaker. who has entire control OF its de,
liberations, and powers Of legislation.
nave observed Win auiiLe'H'lii luz
popular branch Of our federal soyHrnm@n,
helpless to obtnin either the consideration
or enactment of measures desired by 4 ma
jority of its members.
This arrairnment is fully justified. The
reform republicans in the house or reprr
sSn5"tiyGs; when j IN nein, minoI rn oh in th'!,
hearing or to secure a vote upon Il meas
IRE as are the democrats. In the recent
party fav"Tahle to remedial legislation; nnt
ton. despotirnlly suppressed these Ecnn
bers, and thus forced Il real ,lmaj"r!fv in
The house 70 submit to a well organized
minority. The republican national conyen
,lon, instead of rcbuking this attack upon
popular government. oI!o@tzcd con%rrsS and
nominated rs the republican can1idlt" 70,
II the responsibility for the coercion It th"
house. Our party demands that the I'n1Sc
deliheiHtivc body. centralized by n maj"ri
ty of the peoples representatives. and no
~ II" sn"nke,, End Is nie3Iri .o t% =" .
house of representatives AS will enable i
majority Of its memh%rs TO direct its dcH"
"Shall the people rui":" They can no,
90 so unless they can ,~contio the .hoES" ct
representatives, and through their repre-
their pun poses and their desires. Tho re
publican part is committed to the meth"hs
low in vogue in the house Of repreSenta-
tives: the democratic party is pledged L"
such Il revision Ct the rules as VIII hTli"
the pGpnInr branch of t th ,ha tG iI"as q E" ,hd1r
who framed our constitution ana ioun1@H
our government.
shall the people ruler l repeat. is de
Jared by oul platform to be the ovcrshad-
wing question, and as the campaign pro,
tr!esses. shall take occasion 70 discuss
his question as it manifests itself in othel
issues: for whether we conSlCer the tallG
question:. the trust question:: the riilrnnd
question, the question or imperialism, IN
lev 'lopment of our waterways. or any 9th
t r. of fo the IN num @r ss, pTo ihd ,b whif thc pI IesI
I~nestion involved in each is, whether the
government shall rem,in a mere business
n instrument in the hands Of the people
or the advancement If the common veal.
If the voters are satisfied win 'hs recol"
sonably ask for Il change in administration:
IS i whole. have too little :nnnencr in
shaping the policies of the government; T.
hey feel tnat grent comhinatinns or cApI
al have encroachcd upon the rights Of TN
masses. ana employed the inStrrmtntaI lie:
Il government to secure an unfair snare {!
he total wealth produced. then we have /,
i@ht to expect u verdict against the IcIiNh
lean party and in favor OF III" delnoC' all
,arty: for our party, has risked defeat
he conscience of the public and to DltnS
bout that very awakening to which Nj
raft has referred.
vim leadership IN e great cav cause wn" @I@
party has. proven its worthinGsS, by its re.
people into the hands Of those VIII" have
.espoiled them. In this contest between
democracy on the one side and plut""lac
N the other. the democratic patty has
AIKEN its position ON the SID" Of, "rIaI
ights, and invites the opposition e thnsv
who use politics to secure special nriyll"Gr.
nd "yer ~ Ht faTsiti Isl, ~ G4 ,G$ hsb me
ness or wealth or refinement of a few. hut
10y the pcrverslty and advancement of the
Iverage man" the democratic party
The promoter cf present abuses, the oppo-
cent of necessary remedies and the only
bulwark of private monopoly. The demo-
ratic party adirmS that in this coillDai-u
success. which stands for .%ilstire .in goT
srnmeut ard for cu,;ity in the division o.
he fruits Of Industry.
We NAV expect those who have commit
nifty with their political influence to at
Tempt to raise false issues and to cmnlnT
the livery Of Heaven" TO conceal thci'
avlI purposes. hut they can DO longer de
Give. The democratic party is not the en-
luv of INV legitimate industry or OF honest
communications. 1t is, On the contrary. q
friend of industry and the stcadtaSt PIX
crvice to society. TIE d@moc"4tiC rait'
Ices not seek Il annihilnte all corpora
ions: it simply asserts that rs the gov
arnment creates corporations. II must lc
tain the power t" rHGnlate and to cont"'
hem, and that ii shonll rot permit an
corporation to convert Itself into q me-
nopoly. Surely We should have the q"
operation of all Legitimate corporations in
our effort 10 protect husine"S aud industry
from the odium which iawless combinations
Of capital will. if unchecked, "aTt nnc-
them. Only by the separation Of the good
The democratic party seeks nat r"vulG-
tion but reformation. md ! need hardly 70