The Green Forest tribune., 1908-08-14


 Bryan was formally notified of his nomination by the Democratic party for the presidency of the United States. Henry D. Clayton of Alabama was the spokesman of the notification committee. MT. Bryan's speech of ac- ceptance follows:
 MT. Clayton and Gentlemen of the No- ttfcation Committees: I can not accept the nomination which you officially ten der, without first acknowledging my deep indebtedness to the Democratic party for the extraordinary honor which 1t has conferred upon me- Having twice before been a candidate for the presiden- cy, in campaigns which ended in defeat third nomination. the result of the free and voluntary act of the voters of the party, can only be explained by sub stantial and undisputed growth in the principles and, policies for which I, with multitude of others, have contended. As these principles and policies have given me whatever political strength I possess. the action of the convention not only renews my faith in them. but strengthens my attachment to them
 A Platform Is Binding.
 shall, in the near future, prepare more formal reply to your notification,
 
 deal with the platform in detail It is sufficient, at this time. to assure you that l am in hearty accord with both the let ter and the spirit of the platform. I in dorse it in whole and in part, and shall, If elected regard it's declarations as bind ing upon me. And, I may add, a plat form is binding as to what it omitS as we'll as to what it contains. According to the Democratic idea, the people think for themselves and select officials to car ry out their wishes. The voters are the sovereigns; the officials the servants, employed for fixed time and at a stated salary to do what the soveregns want done, and to do it in the way the sov- ereigns want it done. Platforms are entirely in harmony with this Democratic idea. A platform announces the partys position on 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. If one is nominated upon platform which is not satisfactory to him, he must, if candid, either decline the nomination, or, in ac- cepting it, propose an amended platform in lieu of the one adopted by the con- vention. No such situation, however, confronts your candidate, for the plat form upon which I was nominated not only contains nothing from which I dis sent, but it specifically outlines all the remedial legislation which we can hope to secure during the next four years. As I shall, in separate speeches, discuss the leading questions at issue I shall at this time confine myself to the paramount question, and to the far-reaching pur- pose of our party. that purpose is set forth in the platform.
 Shall the People Rule?
 Our platform declares that the over shadowing issue which manifests itself in all the questions now under discussion, is Shall the people rule?" No matter which way we turn; no matter to what subject we address ourselves, the same question confronts us: Shall the people control their own government. and use that government for the protection of their rights and for the promotion of their welfare? or shall the representa- Lfes ofs predatory wealth prey upon \ y4efenseless public, while the offenders secure immunity from subservient off, cials whom they raise to power by un- scrupulous methods? This is the issue raised by the known abuses" to which MT. Taft refers.
 MT. Taft indorses the Indictment.
 MT. Taft says that these evils have crept in during the last ten years. He declares that, during this time. some prominent and influential members of the community, spurred by financial sue ,rcess and in their hurry for greater wealth, became unmindful of the com-. | mon rules of business honesty and fdel- ity, and of the limitations imposed by law upon their actions"; and that ''the revelations of the breaches of trusts the disclosures as to rebates and discrimina- tions by railroads, the accommodating evil dence of the violations of the antitrust laws by number of corporations, and the oVcr-issue of stocks and bonds of in ~sA railroads for the unlawful en- arichng of directors and for the purpose of concentrating the control of the rail- roads under one management, all these, he charges, "quickened the conscience of the people and brought on a moral .awakening."
 Why No Tariff Reform?
 The presidents close friends have been promising for several years that he wouT; attack the iniquities of the tariff. VI have had intimation that MT. Taft wa restive under the demands of the high lel protected industries. And yet the infiIS ence of the manufacturers, who have f1 25 years contributed to the Republican campaign fund, and who in return haasi framed the tariff schedules, has be sufficient to prevent tariff reform. As t. present campaign approached, both tn president and MT. Taft declared in faY, o of tariff revision, but set the date uS revision after the election. But the preOil sure brought to bear by the protecte. , interests has been great enough to pre- vent any attempt at tariff reform before the election; and the reduction prom ised after the election is so hcdged about with qualifying phrases. that no one can estimate with accuracy the sum total of tariH reform to be expected in case of