The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1908-08-14
ceptance, will deal with the platform

Tune, to assure you that I am
hearty accord with both the lette
and the spirit of the platform.
endorse it in whole and in part, an
shall, if elected, regard it's declare
tons as binding as to what it omit
as well as to what it contains. Az
ccrding to the democratic idea, tn
people think for themselves and sc
leet officials to carry out their wish
es. The voters are the sovereigns
the officials are the servants employ
ed for fixed time and at state
salary to do what the sovereign
want done, and to do it the way tn
sovereigns want. it done. Platform
are entirely in harmony with thi
democratic idea. A platform an
nounces the party's position on tn,
questions which are at issue; ant
an official is not at Thirty to use tn,
authority vested in him to urge per
sonal views which have not beer
submitted to the voters for their ap
prevail. If one is nominated upon 6
platform which is not satisfactory tc
him, he must, if candid, either de.
cline the nomination, or, in accept.
ing it, propose an amended plat
form in lieu of the one adopted by
the convention. No such situation,
however, confronts your candidate
for the platform upon which I was
nominated not only contains nothing
from which I dissent, but it specific
ally outlines all the remedial legis-
lation which we can hope to secure
during the next four years.
Our platform declares that the
overshadowing issue which mani
tests itself in all the questions now
under discussion, is Shall the peo-
pie rule?" No matter which way we
turn; no matter to what subject we
address ourselves, The same question
confronts us: snail the people con-
troll their own government, and use
that government for the protection
of their rights and for the promo
tion of their welfare? or shall the
representatives of predatory wealth
prey upon defenseless public,
while the offenders secure immunity
from subservient officials whom they
raise to power by INSCRIPTIONS
methods? This is the issue raised
by the known abuses to which Mr..
Taft refers.
Shall the people rule?'' 1 re-
peat, is declared by our platform to
be the overshadowing question, and
as the campaign progresses, I shall
take occasion to discuss this ques-
ton as it manifests itself in other
issues; for whether we consider the
tariff question, the trust question,
the railroad question, the banking
question, the labor question, the
question of Imperialism, the devel-
opment of our waterways, or any
other of the numerous problems
which press for solution, we sha.l
find that the real question involved
IN each is, whether the government
shall remain mere business asset Of
favor seeking corporations or be an
instrument in the hands of the peo-
pie for the advancement of the com
mon wealth.
The democratic party seeks not
revolution but reformation, and i
need hardly remind the student OF
history that cures are mildest when
applied at once; that remedies in
crease in severity as their applica-
ton is postponed. Blood poisoning
may be stopped by the loss of fin
ger today; it may cost an arm to-
morrow or a life the next day. So
poison in the body polite can not be
removed too soon, for the evils pro-
duced by it increase with the lapse
of time. That there are abuses
which need to be remedied, even the
republican candidate admits; that
his party is unable to remedy them,
has been fully demonstrated during
the last ten years. / have such CON
fidence in the intelligence as we'll
as the patriotism of the people, that
l can not doubt their readiness to
accept the reasonable reforms which
our party proposes, rather than per-
nit the continued growth of existing
abuses to hurry the country on to
remedies more radical and more
drastic.
The platform of our party closes
with a brief statement of the party's
ideal. 1t favors such an admins
tration OF the government as will in
sure, as far as human wisdom can,
that each citizen shall! draw from so-
sciety a reward commensurate with
his contribution to the welfare of
society,""
Governments are good in proper
ton as they assure to each mem
Der OF society, SO far as government
can, a return commensurate with in
diyidual merit.
There is Divine law Of rewards
When the Creator gave us the earth
with its fruitful soil, the sunshine
with its warmth, and the rains with
their moisture, He proclaimed, as
clearly as if His voice had thun.
Itde,ed from the clouds, go work
and according to your industry and
your Intelligence, so shall be your
reward" Only where might has
cyerthrown cunning undermined OF
government suspended this law, ha.
]. 9 different law prevailed. To con
fo,m the government to this Law
aught to be the ambition OF The
statesman; and no party can have
Ia higher mission than to make it I;
4 reality wherever governments cal