The Tupelo journal., 1908-08-21
House Rules Despotic.

The third instrumentality employed to
defeat the will of the people is found in
the rules of the house of representatives.
Gun platform points out that the house
OF representatives was designed by the
fathers of the constitution. to be the pop
ul4r 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 deliberatiye
and legislative body, responsive to the
will of a 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.
W have observed with amazement
the popular branch of our federal gov
eminent helpless to obtain either the
consideration or enactment of measures
desired by a majority of its members"
This arraignment is fully Justified. The
reform Republicans in the house of rep
resentattYes, when in the minority in
their own party. are as helpless to OBJ
tain 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 con-
troll 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 gov
eminent. eulogized congress and nomin-
ated as the Republican candidate for
vice-president one of the men who
shared in the responsibility for the
coercion of the house. Our party de-
mands that "the house of representatives
shall again become a deliberative body.
controlled by a 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
to the methods now in vogue
in the house of representatives; the DEM
ocratic party is pledged to such a 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 ruler" 1 repeat, is de-
clared by our platform to be the over
shadowing question. and as the campaign
progresses, | 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
parialism tho 1ava1oppapt of ~ n,otor
ways. or any other of the numerous prob
lens which press for solution, we shall
find that the real question involved in
each is. whether the government shall
remain a mere business asset Of favor
seeking corporations or be an instru-
ment in the hands of the people for the
Advancement of the common veal.
Democrats Have Earned Confidence.
If the voters are satisfied with the
record of the Republican party and with
its management of public affairs we can
not reasonably ask for a change in ad-
ministration; If, however, the voters feel
that the people, as a whole, have too lit
tie influence in shaping the policies of
the government; If they feel that great
combinations of capital have encroached
upon the rights of the masses. and en-
ployed the Observation-Disclosures of govern
ment to secure an unfair share of the to-
tai wealth produced, then we have a
right to expect a verdict against the Re-
publican party and in favor of the Demo-
cratic party; for our party has risked de-
feat-aye, suffered defeat-in it's effort to
arouse the conscience Of the public and
to bring about that very awakening to
which Mr.. Taft has referred.
Cnly those are worthy to be i~ntrusted
with leadership in a great cause who are
willing to die for it, and the Democratic
party has proven it's worthiness by it's
refusal to purchase victory by delivering
the people into the hands of those who
have despoiled them. In this contest be-
tween Democracy on the one side and
plutocracy on the other. the Democratic
party has taken it's position on the side
of equal rights, and invites the opposi-
ton of those who use politics to secure
special privileges and governmental IA
voritism. Gauging the progress of the
nation, not by the happiness or wealth
or refinement of a few, but by the pros
perity and Advancement of the average