The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-08-22
their constitutional function"

their constitutional function"
Democratic Confession of Weakness.
Mr.. Cannon thought for a moment
and then an amused look came to his
face as he said: 1.-THE strongest argu-
ment that his friends have to make
in Mr.. Bryan's behalf is that he
pledges himself, If elected. to serve
but one term. They couple this with
the statement that as the senate of
the United States is Republican, he
can do nothing radical without the
consent of that body. This is a strange
argument with which to corral votes.
1t is an admission that his policies
are vicious, and confession that his
hands would be tied, in the event of
his election so he can do no harm.
submit to the plainest Of the people.
to the wage Garner, the farmer, the
banker and the financier, and even to
the Democrats the question, If it is
not true that a solid Republican house
and senate, with a Democratic presi-
dent, can not legislate without his ap-
prevail?
II Bryan Should Be Elected.
eff Bryan should be elected, and
the congress be Republican, we would
simply mark time for the next four
years, and take not a single step in
advance. There would be the greatest
anxiety, uncertainty and distress 1t
would be at once seen, by the great
and small interests of the country,
that a majority which would place
him in the presidential chair in 1908,
might re-enforce him with a senate
and house of like persuasion and be-
liefs in 1912.
'If the Republican party is placed
in power it promises and pledges itself
to revise the tariff at an extraordinary
on the 4th Of March next. and 1t de-
cIares the policy under which that re-
vision shall be made. That policy
crudely outlined is one that q tax
shall be placed on every article made
abroad coming to our markets that
completes with our products. The
amount of this tax should bear a
direct proportion between the cost of
production at home and abroad, plus
a reasonable profit. In addition to
this the Republican party pledges
itself to arrange a reciprocity system.
so that If any foreign country shall
discriminate against this country, the
president shall have the power to in
crease the tariff above that which are
imported from friendly nation
which does not discriminate against
u.s.
Mr.. Cannon was urged to COM
ment further upon the Bryan plat
form and then said: "Mr. Bryan, in
his platform. denounces the speaker of
the house of representatives as an
autocrat, and declares that he con-
trolls the 1872 members in that body.
Mr.. Bryan promises If only to be
clothed with the national power there
will be good speaker In the house
and the handouts will be stricken off
the members of the house. This is
not the first time that such denuncia-
lions have been directed against the
speaker of the house. In 1890, when
Mr.. Bryan's friends announced that
they would be present for mischief
and absent for business, when they
were in fact physically in the house
chamber all the time, Speaker Reed
counted them as present to make a
quorum. The whole Democratic
party, including Mr.. Bryan, went wild
with rage and abounded in denuncia-
tions. Mr.. Bryan himself was elected
to the house of representatives and his