Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1908-08-20

but It Is hardly a party ques Don"
What IS necessary to make this party
question: When the Democratic con-
vention endorses proposition By
unanimous vote. and The Repu bl.caD
convention rejects the proposition by
vote of seven to one, does ii not BE-
come an issue between the parties:
afr. Taft can not remove the question
from the arena Of politics By express
Ing a personal inclination toward the
Democratic position. For several
years he has been connected With
the administration. What has he evei
said or done = bring This question -.
fore the public: What enthusiasm
has he shown in the reformation Of
the senate: What influence could he
exert in behalf II reform which his
party has openly and VIGOROUSLY con
demned in It's convention, and 70 which
he is attached only ~ bA.ated e1
preston Of personal Inclination;
The Gateway 20 O.ner ReformG
shall the people ruiet" Evey
remedial measure u national CHAR
ecter must run the gauntlet 0: -
senate. The pres.lea, may PERSONAL;
incline toward reform; the LoIsf
may consent 70 Il: but as loag as taf
senate obstructs the reform, the PEG
PIE must wait. The president ma.
heed popular demand; tie house may
yield to public opinion; but IS long as
the senate IS defiant, the rule Of the
people IS defeated. The Democratic
platform very properly describes tbs
popular election Of senators as "the
gateway to other national reforms.
Shall we open the gate, or shall we
allow the exploiting interests to ba,
the way by the control Of this branch
Of the federal legislature? Through
q Democratic victory, and through
Democratic victory only, can the PEG
pie secure the popular election of sen
ators The smaller parties are unable
to secure this reform; the Republican
party, under its present leadership. is
rrSolutely opposed TO 1t; the Democratic
party stands for II and has boldly de
manded it. If am elected to the
presidency, those who are elected upon
the ticket with me Will be, like my.
self. pledged to this reform, and
shall convene congress In eXtraordi-
nary session Immediately after inau-
guration, and ask. among other things,
for the fulfllment of this platform
pledge.
House Rules Despotic.
The third instrumentality employed
to defeat the will of the people is
found in the rules of the house of rep
resentatives. our platform points out
that the house Of representatives was
designed by the fathers Of the consti-
tuition. to be the popular branch of our
government, responsive to the public
will" and adds:
The house of representatives., as
controlled in recent years by the Re
publican party, has ceased to be a de-
Lucrative and Legislative body, respon-
sive 70 the will Of a majority of the
members. but has come under the alb
solute domination Of the speaker, who
has entire control of It's deliberations,
and powers Of legislation.
I'VE have observed with amaZement
the popular branch Of our federal gov
ernmeut helpless to obtain either the
/ consideration or enactment Of meas
/ ures desired by a majority Of its men,
/ bers."
This arraignment is fully justified
The reform Republicans in the house
Of representatives, when in the minor
z I,,f- d. bal,
/ to obtain a hearing or to secure vote
| upOn q measure as are the Democrats.
In the recent session of the present
congress. there was a considerable ele
/ ment in the Republican party favorable
/ to remedial legislation; but few lead
ers, in control of the organization.
/ despotically suppressed these mem
bers, and thus forced real majority
/ in the house to submit to q well organ
/ lied minority. The Republican national
convention instead of rebuking this
attack upon popular government, eulo-
I gized congress and nominated as the
Republican candidate for vice president
one of the men who shared in the re-
sponslbility for the coercion Of the
house. Our party demands that 1.-The
house of representatives shall again
become a deliberative body. controlled
by majority Of the peoples repre-
scntatives, and not by the speaker"
and is pledged to adopt such rules
and regulations to govern the house
Of representatives as will enable ma
jorty of its members to direct its de
l., -.