The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1908-08-12

the democratic nomination for presi-
dent:
Mr.. Clayton ana Gentlemen of the
Notification Committee: I can not &C.
cept the nomination which you official
~ tender, without first acknowledging
my deep Indebtedness to the Democrat
ic party for the extraordinary honor
which it has conferred upon me. Hav-
ing twice before been a candidate for
the presidency, in campaigns which
ended in defeat, third nomination, the
result of the free and voluntary act Of
the voters of the party, can only be ex-
planned by substantial and undis-
puted growth in the principles and pol
icies for which I, with multitude Of
others, have contended. AS these prin-
ciples and policies have given me what
ever political strength I possess, the
action Of the convention not only re-
news my faith in them, but strengthens
my attachment to them.
A Platform Is Binding.
shall, in the near future, prepare
more formal reply to your notification,
and, in that letter of acceptance, will
deal with the platform in detail. It is
sufficient, at this time, to assure you
that I am in hearty accord with both
the letter and the spirit of the plat
form. endorse it in whole and in
part, and shall, if elected, regard it's
declarations as binding upon me. And,
1 may add, a platform is binding as to
what 1t omits as we'll as to what it
contains. According to the democratic
idea, the people think for themselves
and select officials to carry out their
wishes. The voters are the sovereigns;
the officials are the servants, employed
for fixed time and at a stated salary
to do what the SOvereignS want done,
want it done. Platforms are entirely
in harmony with this democratic idea.
A platform announces the party's po-
s1tion on the questions which are at is
sue; and an official is not at liberty to
use the authority vested in him to
urge personal views which have not
been submitted to the voters for their
approval. If one is nominated upon
platform which is not satisfactory to
him, he must, if candid, either decline
the nomination, or, in accepting it. pro
pose an amended platform in lieu of
the one adopted by the convention. No
such situation, however, confronts your
candidate, for the platform upon which
was nominated not only contains
nothing from which I dissent, but it
specifically outlines all the remedial
legislation which we can hope to Sc
cure during the next four years..
Republican Challenge Accepted.
The distinguished statesman who re-
ceived the Republican nomination for
president said, in his notification
speech: '"The strength of the Republican
cause In the campaign at hand is the
| TACT that we represent the policies es-
| sentlal to the reform of known abuses,
to the continuance of liberty and true
prosperity, and that we are determined,
as our platform unequivocally declares,
to maintain them and carry them on"
In the name Of the Democratic party,
accept the challenge, and charge that
the Republican party Is responsible for
! all the abuses which now exist in the
! federal government, and that it is i'm
potent to accomplish the reforms which
are imperatively needed Further, T
| can not concur in the statement that
| the Republican platform unequivocally
declares for the reforms that are nee
| essary; on the contrary, affirm that 1t
openly and notoriously disappoints the
hopes and expectations Of reformers,
whether those reformers ~be Republic
ans or Democrats. So far did the Re-
publican convention fall short of it's
| duty that the Republican candidate felt
1t necessary to add to his platform in
several important particulars, thus re-
Duking the leaders Of the party, upon
whose cooperation be must rely for
the enactment of remedial legislation.
AS shall, in separate speeches, dis
cuss the leading questions at issue. ]
shall at this time conflne myself to the
paramount Question and ! to- the TAR