The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1908-07-07

! appointed Tuesday, the 7th day Of July,
1908, as the time, and Denver, CoIora-
do, as the place for holding the demo-
cratic national convention
| Each state is entitled to representa-
ton therein equal to double the num-
Der of its senators and representatives
in the congress of the United States,
and each territory-Alaska, District of
Columbia. Hawaii and Porto Rico
shall have six delegates All democratic
citizens of the United States, irrespec-
tive of past political associations and
differences, who can unite with us in
the efforts for a pure, economical
constitutional government are COR
| daily invited to join with us in send
ing delegates to the convention"
When the reading Of the call had
been completed Chairman Taggart an
nounced that the Rt Rev. James J.
Keane, Roman Catholic archbishop of
the archdiocese of Wyoming, would Of
fer the invocation. AS the distinguished
prelate lifted his hand the entire audi
ence rose to it's feet and listened with
bowed heads to the prayer of the elo-
quent divine.
Chairman Taggart then announced
the names of the temporary officers Sc
lected by. the national committee the
principal ones being:
Temporary chairman, Hon. Theodore
A. Bell, of California: temporary sec
retary. Hon. Urey Woodson of Ken
lucky: temporary sergeant-at- arms,
Hon. John 1. Martin of Missouri; Off
cial reporter, Milton w. Bloomburg,
Washington, D. c., first assistant Sec
retary, Edwin Seton, New York.
The selections of the committee were
ratified by the convention without de-
lay. and Taggart then appointed a
special escort to pilot Temporary
Chairman Bell to the stand. The es-
cort consisted of Governor Blanchard,
of ouisiana; Representative Ollie
James, of Kentucky, and former Gov
ernor E1lyson, of Virginia The CAL
ifornia statesman thereupon sounded
the keynote" of the convention.
The Chairman's Speech.
Chairman Bells speech was an ora
torical gem and lifted Bell from the
plane of state to that of nat1onai
politician. Bell began speaking at
1912 and his speech was received
with vociferous applause. He said:
1--WE have assembled at a time when
the public conscience is demanding
honesty of purpose in the men who un-
dertake to direct the affairs of state.
The public eye is keenly sensitive of
every political movement, and our pro-
ceedings here will be approved accord
ing to the degree of sincerity appear
ing in the work of this convention.
There is widespread belief, founded
upon evidence of a convincing charac-
ter that the party in power has not
been true to its trust. that it has be-
trayed the common interest into the
hands of the enemies of good govern
ment, thereby forfeiting its right and
destroying it's ability to rule in the
name of the people Apparent to
everyone is the fact that way down
deep in the heart of the republican
convention at Chicago there was a
1eollnS OF anger aIlu resentment over
the popular clamor for reforms: and it
is equally patent that there is no bona
fide intention on the part of the repuD-
lican party of granting any reforms,
if the machinery of that party can De
retained in present hands. It's paper
platform, divided like ancient Gaul
into three parts-barren promises
makeshifts and evasions, it is hoped
will make good campaign transpar-
ency; but no one seriously believes
that the republican party really in
dorses that neutral manuscript which
held the convention together until it
could ratify the nomination of a presi-
Dental candidate.
Abuse of Corporate Power.
Among the great evile that af-
flict the country at the present
time is the abuse of corporate power.
At first, the advancing aggressions of
the corporations are not discernable to
the common eye, for every move is
carefully covered up until sufficient
political strength is attained to defy
the protests of the people. Thus the
constant and insidious invasion of the
peoples rights finally result in a spe-
cies of arrogance and defiance so for
midable in it's appearance that the body
of the people, in fear of even worse
aggressions, hesitate to assert and ex-
ercise their rightful authority over