Los Angeles herald., 1908-08-13
BRYAN'S WORDS CARRY A
MESSAGE TO THE NATION


The speech of acceptance delivered
by Mr.. Bryan follows:
Mr.. Clayton and Gentlemen of the
Notification Committees: I cannot ac-
cept the nomination which you official
ly tender without first acknowledging
my deep Indebtedness to the Demo-
cratic party for the extraordinary
honor which it has conferred upon me.
Having twice before been a candi-
date for the presidency, in campaigns
which ended in defeat, third nonii-
nation, the result of the free and vol
untary act of the voters Of the party,
can only be explained by a substan-
tial and undisputed growth in the
principles and policies for which I,
with a multitude of others, have con-
tended. AS these principles and poli-
cies have given me whatever political
strength l possess, the action of the
convention not only renews my faith
in them. but strengthens my attach
ment to them.
L shall, in the near future, prepare
a more formal reply to your notifica-
ton, and, in that letter of acceptance,
will deal with the platform in detail.
1t is sufficient, at this time, to assure
you that 1 am in hearty accord with
both the letter and the spirit OF the
platform. 1 indorse 1t in whole and in
part. and SHALL If elected. regard the
declarations as binding upon me. And,
I may add, a platform Is binding as
to what it omits as well as to what
1t contains. According to the Demo-
cratic idea, the people think for them
selves and select officials to carry out
their wishes. The voters are the SOW
ereigns; the officials are the servants,
employed for a fixed time and at a
stated salary to do what the sovereigns
want done, and to do 1t in the way the
sovereigns want it done. Platforms
are entirely in harmony with this DEM
ocratic 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 authority
vested in him to urge personal views
which have not been submitted to the
voters for their approval. II one is
nominated upon platform which is
not satisfactory to him, he must. If
candid, either decline the nomination,
or, in accepting it, propose 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 nomi-
mated not only contains nothing from
which 1 dissent, but 1t specifically out
lines all the remedial legislation which
we can hope to secure during the next
four years.
The distinguished statesman who re-
ceived the Republican nomination for
president said, in his notification
speech: "The strength of the Republic
can cause in the campaign at hand Is
the fact that we represent the policies
essential to the reform of known
abuses, to the continuance of liberty
and true prosperity. and that we are
determined, as our platform unequivo-
ca1ly 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 1t Is Inn
potent to accomplish the reforms which
are imperatively needed. Further, I
cannot concur In the statement that
the Republican platform unequivocally
declares for the reforms that are neces-
sary; on the contrary. affirm that It
openly and notoriously disappoints the
hopes and expectations OF refoxmers
(Contlnued on Psgo Two.l