The Washington herald., 1908-08-13

g
Nr. Clayton and gentlemen Of the noti-
fcauon committee: I cannot accept the.
nomination which you officially tender,
without first acknowledging my deep
Indebtedness 10 tie Democratic party for
the extraordinary honor which 1t has
conferred upon n,e- Having twice be
fore been a candidate for the Presidency.
in campaigns which ended in defeat, a
third nomination. the result Of the free
and voluntary act of the voters Of the
PARTY, can only be explained BY a subStan-
tisl and uldispUJed growth IN the princi-
pies and policies for which l. with
multitude OF others. have contended- As
these principles and policies have given
me whatever political strength possess
the action Of the convention not only
renews my faith n them. but strength
ems my attachment 10 them
A Platform Is Binding
7 shall. in the near future. prepare a
more formal reply 10 your notification,
and. IN that letter Of acceptance. viii
deal with the platform in detail Il IS
sufficient. at this time. 70 assure you
that 7 am in hearty accord with both
the letter and the spirit OF the platform
I indorss Il in whole and in part. and
d
as binding upon me And. 7 may add,
platform IS binding as 10 what It crnits
as Weu as 10 what II contains. Accord
ing 70 the Democratic idea. the people
think for themselves and select officials
10 carry out their wishes. The voters
are the sovereigns. the officials are the
servants. employed Tor a fixed time and
at g stated salary 10 DO what the SOW
eralgns want done. and TO do it in the
---rH "a 2
forms are entirely n harmony with this
Democratic idea a platform announces
the pa-Cy's position on the questions
which are at issue; and an Official IS not
al liberty 10 use the authority vested
IN him 20 urge personal views which
have not been submitted 70 the voters
for their approval II one IS nominated
upon a platform which IS not salts
factory 10 him. he must, Il candid, either
decline the nomination. or. IL accepting
il. propose an amended platform in lieu
Of the one adopted by the convention
No such situation however. confronIs
your candidate. for the platform upon
which I was nominated not only con-
Ialls nothing from which I dissent but
i specifically outlines all the remedial
legislation which we can hope 70 secure
during the next four years
Republican Challenge Accepted
The distinguished statesman who re-
celved the Republican nomination for
President said. IN his notification speech
The strength Of the Republican cause II
The campaign az hand IS the fact that We
represent the policies essential 10 the
reform OF known abuses. TO the con-
tlnuance OF liberty and true prosperity
AID that we are determined. as cur plat
form Ure eCuivocaIly declares. 10 maintain
them and carry them on
N the name OF the Democratic party,
I accept The challenge and charge that
the Republican party Is responsible for
al the abuses which nov exist IN the
Federal government. and that il is I'm
potent 10 accomplish the reforms which
are Ennera-iveIy needed Further. I can
not concur IN the statement that the Re
publican platform Eueq-.vOcally declares
for the reforms that are necessary on
the contrary. 7 affirm that l. openly and
1otor5oUsIy disappoints the hopes and ex-
pectaLons Of reformsrs. whether those
refo-ners be Republicans OF Democrats
So far did the Republican convention fan
short Of i=s duty that the Republican can
dida-e felt it necessary 70 add 10 his plat
form in several important particulars
thus rebuking the leaders Of the party,
upon whose cooperation he must rely FOR
the enactment Of remedial legislation
the leading questions At issue. shall al
this time cC16ne myself 20 the para
mount question, and 10 the fa--reachils
purpose Of our party, as that purpose Is
set forth in the platform
Shall the People RuIes
Our platform declares that the over.
shadowing issue which uan.fests itself il
all the questions now under discussion
IS "Saau the people ruIe?" No mattel
which way We turn, no matter 70 vhar
subject we address ourselves the sam.
question c11fronts IS: Shall the peop!.
control their own government. and Us,
that government for the protection o.
their rights and for the promotion O.
their welfare2 or shall the representa-
tives OF predatory wealth prey upon
defe1seless public. while the offenders Sc
cure immunity from sUbservient ofiCiaL
whom they raise 20 power by unscrupu
lOus methods This is the issue raised b1
The known abuses 10 which Mr.. Taf
refers
The Presidents Indictment.
IN a message sent 10 Congress last Jan
Uary, President Roosevelt satd: The al
tacks by these great corporations on III,
administration actions have been given
wide circulation throughout the country
in the newspapers and otherwise. b,
those writers and speakers who. con
sciOusly OF unCOnsCiOUsly. act as the rep
reseutatives OF predatory wealth-of tn
wealth accumulated on giant scale b.
all forms of IniqUity, ranging from tn
oppression Of wage earners to unfair an
Ulwh0Iesoue methods Of crushing ou
competition. and TO defraudinE the publ
by stock-jobbing and the manipulation O
securities Certain wealthy men Of thi
stamp. whose conduct should be abhOrren
10 every man OF ordinarily decent con
science. and who commit the hideou
wrong OF teaching our young men tia
plenOmenal business success must ordi
nar!ly be based on dishonesty. have. dur
ing the last few months, made It appar
eut that they have banded together q
work for a reaction Their endeavor
TO overthrow and disc-edit all who hon
estlv admin ister the law, to prevent an
additional legislation which would chez
and restrain them. and 70 secure. If pos
sible, a freedom from all restraint whic
VIII permit every unsCrupulOus wrongdoe
10 DO what he wishes unchecked. proved
ed he has enough money WHAT an ar
raignmeut OF the predatory interests,
Is the Presidents Indictment true2 Ant
4 true against whom was the indictmen
directed2 Not against the Democrat
party
Taft IndOrses the Indictment.
M Taft says that these evils hav
crept IN during the last ten years He de
clSres that. during this time. some prom
inent and influential members Of th
community. spurred by financial success.
and in their hurry for greater v-ea Irr