Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-08-27

Democratic victory only, can the people
secure the popular rejection of senators.
The smaller parties are unable to secure
this reform; the Republican party, under
its present leadership, is resolutely OPP
posed to it; the Democratic party stands
for it and has boldly demanded it. If l
am elected to the presidency, those who
are elected upon the ticket with me will
be, like myself, pledged to this reform,
and | shall convene congress in extra
ordinary session Immediately after in
auguration, and ask, among other things,
for the fulillment of this platform
pledge. 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 popular branch of
our government, responsive 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 a majority of the members, but
has come under the absoluted DONNA
ton of the speaker, who has entire con-
troll of it's deliberations, and powers of
legislation.
"We have observed with amazement
the popular branch of our federal
government helpless to obtain either the
consideration or enactment of measures
desired by a majority of it's members"
This arraignment is fully justified. The
reform Republicans in the house of
representatives, when in the minority in
their w party, are as helpless to obtain
a hearing or to secure a vote upon a
measure as are the Democrats. In the
recent session of the present congress,
there was a considerable element in the
Republican party favorable to remedial
legislation: but a few leaders. in control
of the organization, despotically sup
pressed these members, and thus forced
a real majority IN the house to submit
to a we'll organized minority. The Re-
publican national convention, instead of
rebuking this attack upon popular COVER
ment, eulogized congress and nominated
as the Republican candidate for vice
president one of the men who shared in
the responsibility for the coercion of the
house. Our party demands that "the
house of representatives shall again
become a deliberative body, controlled
by a majority of the peoples representa-.
%tives, and not by the speaker" and is
pledged to adopt "such rules and regu-
lations to govern the house of represent
atives as will enable a majority of its
members to direct it's deliberations and
control legislation.
"Shall the people ruler" They car
not do so unless they can control the
house OF representatives, and through
their representatives in the house, give
expression to their purposes and theil
desires. The Republican party is com
mltted to the methods now in vogue in
the house of representatives: the Demo
cratic party is pledged to such a revision
of the rules as will bring the popular
branch of the federal government into
harmony with the ideas of those who
framed our constitution and founded
our government.
Shall the people rule?" | repeat, is
declared by our platform to be the over
~shadowlng question, and as the cam.
paign progresses, | shall take occasion
to discuss this question, as it manifests
in other issues; for whether we consider
the tariff question, the banking question
the labor question the question OF
imperialism, the development of ou1
waterways, or any other of the numerous
problems which for d solution, we shall
lind that the real question involved in
each is, whether the government shall
remain a mere business asset of favor
seeking be an instrument in the hands
hands of or the advancement of the
common veal.