Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-21
Editor Bryan Criticises the Re-
publican Convention.
PLATFORM DERELICTIONS
Says Delegates Ignored Reforms
Urged by President.
THE MINORITY PLATFORM
Planks Submitted by La Toilette
Men, Representing Position Of
Roosevelt, Rejected.


LINCOLN, Neb., June 20-Under the
Bryan in the next issue of the Commoner
will discuss the republican convention as
follows:
1.-The republicans who attended the ma
t1onal convention as spectators and Joined
in the demonstration in favor of President
Roosevelt and Senator La Toilette, must
have felt indignant as they watched the
panic-stricken delegates running over
each other in their effort to get away
from the La Toilette reforms, some of
which had been indorsed by the President
himself Representative Cooper Of Wis
consin. representing the La Toilette men,
brought in a minority report signed by
himself alone. Fifty-two members of the
committee signed the majority report and
one signed the minority report. The re-
publican party will find the ratio of fifty
two to one a very embarrassing one to
deal with in the coming campaign. Mr..
Cooper's report contained a declaration
in favor of publicity as to campaign funds.
1t was lost by vote of $50 to 81. more
than nine to one, and yet the President
has been advocating legislation in favor
OF publicity as to campaign contributions,
and Secretary Taft wrote letter to MIR.
Burrows advocating the passage OF a
publicity bill How fortunate it was that
Secretary Taft'S letter was finally discov-
cred and published. Senator Burrows,
the man to whom the Taft letter was ad-
dressed, was the temporary chairman OF
the convention, and the convention over
which he presided turned down the pub
49, ,ty1o 70, nynca 1n
will deny that. on this subject. the repub-
lican party is retreating?
Retreat on Railway Issue.
Another plank of the La Toilette plat
form authorized the ascertaining of the
value of the railroads. This plank was
lost by a vote of 917 to 66. nearly fifteen
to one, and yet President Roosevelt has
advocated this very proposition. Here Is
a retreat on the railroad question.
In another column reference Is MADE 10
the injunction plank. The injunction plank
adopted by the republican convention Is a
retreat from the position taken by the
President and from the position taken by
Secretary Taft in his speeches, although
neither of them went as far as they
ought to have gone In their eHort 10 pre-
vent what is known as government oy
injunction" Here Is the third retreat
The President has advocated the income
tax as a means of preventing swollen
fortunes and OF equalizing the burdens OF
government. The republican platform Is
silent on the subject Was the President
right in the position he took? II SO, then
the convention was wrong in not lndors-
ing him. Win the republican voters fol-
low the President in this just demand. or
will they follow the republican organiza-
ton in retreating from it?
Ignored Inheritance Tax.
The President advocated an inheritance
tax. but the republican convention Is sill
ent on that subject. Was the President
ahead Of the republican party in advocat-
ing this reform or has the republican par
ty receded from the Presidents position
Did the President give false alarm on
this question or has the party sounded a
retreat?
In the Presidents message to Congress
last spring he presented an indictment
against the conspiracy formed among the
great lawbreakers to prevent the enforce
ment of the law and to evade the punish
ments provided by law The platform
adopted by the republican convention con-
tainS no intimation of danger.
II there are any conSpiracieS, the con-
ventiOn did not see them; If there are any
combinations, il had not heard of them;
If there are any dangers. II was uncon-
SciOuS of them. Was the President mis-
taken when he issued his defiance. or are
the republican managers deceived when
they think that an aroused public will
calmly contemplate the encroachments OF
predatory wealth This is retreat number
six.
Against Popular Election of Senators
The convention by vote of $50 to 114-
more than z to 1-voted down the plans
in favor of the popular election of United
States senator's II is true that the Presi-
dent and Secretary Taft have never ad-
vocated the popular election of senator's
They seem to take the Hamiltonian rather
than the Jeffersonian view, but the mos,
popular reform in the United States to.
day Is the reform that has for its OBJ
ject the election of United States sena-
tors by direct vote. 1t has five times
been indorsed by the national House OF
Representatives-three times when the
House of Representatives was republi.
can 1t has been indorsed by nearly two.
thirds of the states of the Cnion ano
there is probably not a state in the
Union in which II would not be indorseG
at popular election, and yet in spite
of the record made In the houses and by
the various states. this reform is rejected
by 10 / vote in republican nationa
convention.
Here are seven propositions upon which
the republican party, in national conven
ton assembled. had retreated from the
position taken by that party in Congress:
or from the position taken by the Presi
dent. What have Roosevelt republicans
10 say? The President has awakened q
spirit OF reform within his party he ha.
at least revealed to the world that ther,
are reformers In the republican party
Can that spirit now be quelled by z
stand-pat convention?
Millions of republicans have enlisted a
the Presidents call TO arms and are read,
TO march forward: will they furl theil
banners and turn back merely because tn,
President acQuiesces in the sounding o.
a retreat?
Planning for the Convention.
Confident of at least 100 votes more thar
the required number to nominate him 70,
the presidency. w. ]. Bryan at his Fair
view farm. is already taking an active
part In the prelimnaries for the conven.
ton.
The city Of Lincoln is also busy making
preparations to appear we'll under the
spotlight which is already swinging thi.
way. A trolley line Is hastily building tc
Mr. Bryan's front door to make most
comfortable the three-mile trip from tn:
city. Mr.. Bryan has made arrangement:
for newspaper men in little cottage
which he retains and which stands direct
~ across from his front gate. a telegraph
office Is to be established here and com
modious tent erected for the quarters o.
- 0nECsS0oudents.