Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-08-20
BRYAN'S SPEECH
Of ACCEPTANCE
TAKES THIRD NOMINATION AS
WNDIcATIoN OF HIS
PRINCIPLES.
ACCEPTS TAFTS CHALLENGE
AND LAYS ALL ABUSES
TO REPUBLICANS.
DECLARES QUESTION OF PoPu,
LAR RULE TO BE A LEAD
ING ISSUE.

Lincoln, Neb, Aug 13.-"Mr. Clay
ton and gentlemen Of the notification
committee: / can not accept the
nomination which you officially tender,
without first acknowledging my deep
Indebtedness to the democratic party
for the extraordinary honor which 1t
has conferred upon me. Having twice
before been candidate for the presl-
dency, 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 ex-
planned by a substantial and undls-
puted growth in the principles and
policies for which /, with a multitude
Of others, have cOntended. AS these
principles and policies have given me
whatever political strength l possess
the action of the convention not only
renews my faith in them, but strength
ems my attachment to them"
Such we're the opening words OF
William Jennings Bryan in response
to the address of notification, made by
Chairman Henry D. Clayton Of Ala
bama Continuing Mr.. Bryan said:
A Platform Is Binding.
Il shall, in the near future, prepare a
more formal reply to your notification
and, in that letter Of acceptance, Will
deal with the platform in f2tail. 1t IS
sufficient, at this time, to assure you
that / am in hearty accord with both
init o.
form. | endorse il in whole and in
part, and shall, # elected, regard its
declarations as binding upon me.
And / may add, platform is binding
as to what it omits az well as to what
it contains. According to the demo
cratic idea, the people think for them
selves and select ofIic ais to carry out
their wishes. The voters are the
soyereigns; the officials are the ser
wants, employed for a fixed time and
at a stated salary to do what tn 2
sovereigns want done, and to do II III
the way the sOVereigns want 1t dom"
Platforms are entirely in harmony
with this democratic idea. A platform
announces the party's position on the
questions which are at issue. and an
official is not at liberty to use the au-
thOrity vested in him to urge personal
views which have not been submitted
to the voters for their approval. II
one is nominated upon a 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 or
the one adopted by the convention
No such situation however, COnfronLs
your candidate, for the platform upon
which 7 was nominated not only con-
tains nothing from which ! dissent, but
1t specifically outlines all the remedial
legislation which we can hope to Sc
cure during the next four years.
Republican Challenge Accepted.
The distinguished statesman VINO
received the republican nomination
for president said, in his notification
speech: The strength of the repub-
lican cause in the campaign at hand is
the fact that we represent the policies
essential to the reform of known abu-
ses. to the continuance of liberty and
true prosperity, and that we are deter
mined. 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 impotcnt to accomplish
the reforms which are imperatively
needed. Further, l can not concur IN
the statement that the republican plat,
form uneQuivocally declares for the re-
forms that are necessary; on the con
trary. | affirm that it openly and no
toriously disappoints the hopes and e1-
pectations of reformers. whether those
reformers be republicans or democrats.
SO far did the republican convention
fall short Of its duty that the republ1'
can candidate felt it necessary to add
TO his platform in several important
particulars, thus rebuking the leaders
of the party, upon whose cooperation
ne must rely LOT me tudNlAuSuL VI
remedial legislation.
AS I shall. in separate speeches, dis
cuss the leading questions at issue,
shall at this time confne myself to
the paramount question and to the
far-reaching purpose of our party, as
that purpose is set forth in the plat
form.
Shall The People Rule,
Our platform declares that tn
overshadowing issue which manifests
itself in all the questions now under
discussion, is Shall the people rule?"
No matter which way we turn; no mat
ter to what subject We address our
selves. the same question confronts
rs: Shall the people control their
own government. and use that govern
ment for the protection of their rights
and for the promotion of their welfare
or shall the representatives of preda-
tory wealth prey upon defenseless
public while the offenders secure I'M
munity from subservient officials
whom they raise to power by ut
pulous methods? This is the issue
raised by the known abuses 10
which Mr.. Taft refers.
Presidents indictment of His Party.
In a message sent to congress last