The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-15
BRYAN HITS AT
PARTY PLEDGES
Addresses Texans On
Tariff Matters.
"cANNoNIsM IS DEsP0TlSM"
Wants Platform To Correct Roles
Of House.
Commoner Demands That All Candi-
dates for Public once Shall
Clearly Define Their Views
Before Election.


an this morning outlined his views as
to the tariff before an audience which
crowded Bush Temple, one OF the
largest auditoriums in Dallas. Mr..
Bryan primarily urged free raw mate
rails and suggested planks for the
Democratic platform In accord, he de-
clared, with Democratic doctrine.
Mr.. Bryan came to Dallas at the
solicitation of party leaders OF the
State to discuss political affairs. He
came from his ranch in South Texas
after several days hunting and fishing
and his address was delivered to en-
thusiastic auditors.
''Cannonism" Mr.. Bryan described az
gested was an amendment to the rules
OF the House Of Representatives to
correct what he called faults.
While not denying candidate the
right to repudiate part of his plat
form. such Reputation. he asserted.
should come before the election.
After his address here Mr.. Bryan
went to Fort Worth, where he spoke
this afternoon, returning to Dallas to-
night TO be the guest of honor at o
dollar dinner"
ing by DR.. c.. M. Rosser of Dallas.
Taking for his subject Democracy and
the Tariff" he spoke In part as fol-
lows:
Must Declare Himelf.
'T believe that a candidate has .
right to repudiate a part of his plat
form II he believes the platform
wrong" said Mr.. Bryan, but this re-
pudiation must be made before the
election, so that his declarations on the
subject may constitute a new platform
which will be binding upon him.
I'm my acceptance speech at Lincoln.
Neb., a year ago, discussed this SUBJ
ject and outlined what I regard is the
Democratic position on the subject. J
expressly recognized the right of Mr.,
Taft to dissent from the action of sis
convention on certain quAstiona and to
substitute his own pledge for the
sxasdEe that the convention refused q
make. when was In Congress n re.
fused to vote for the repeal OF the tas
on state banks, because had in my
campaign dissented from that plank OF
the platform and promised my constit-
uenfs to vote against It. ~
owing to the fact that q number
of Senators and members have refused
to be bound blythe national platform
on some propositions, / think that ev-
cry Congressional platform adopted
next year should begin with q plank
declaring that platforms are binding.
and I will later suggest q form for
such q plank.
'I take the liberty of presenting
some OF the reasons that lead me AND
those who think as ] do, to favor the
admission of the principal raw mate
rails free of duty and in order that
the issue may be made plain, VIII
submit three planks which / think
should be inserted In every Congress
sional platform.
Hits MT LeEisIators.
eff all the Democrats in the House
and Senate had voted against every
proposed increase in the tariff, and for
every proposed decrease. we might
have made our fight next year upon
the party's record without making .
SPECIFIC declaration on items Of sched-
ules, hut In view Of the fact that DEM
ocrats in both the Senate and House
differed as to the Interpretation of the
Democratic platform and as to the rates
that should be imposed under the va
rious schedules, believe that 1t 10
necessary for our platform to be spe-
cific and emphatic. If we expect to
secure control of Congress, We must
convince the public that we will, IL en-
trusted with power. favor material re-
auctions. Unless our candidates for
they are not likely to agree after the
election"
Mr.. Bryan then read the three
planks to which he referred as fol-
lows:
"First-A platform Is a pledge. CIV
en- by the candidate to the voters and
when ratified at the polls becomes o
contract between the Official and his
constituents.
'To violate 1t. in letter or in spirit.
Is not only un-Democratic. but repug-
nant to the principles OF representa-
tive government and constitutes an
smbezzlement OF power.
"Second-We denounce the despotism
known as Cannonism. and favor such
an amendment of the rules of the Ma
tional House OF Representatives as VIII
restore popular government in that
body and insure the rule of the ma
Jority on every question.
Endorse Tariff Plank.
"Third-We endorse the tariff plank
of the last National Democratic plat
form and believe that the measure
carrying out the promise Of that plat
form should, among other things, pro-
vide for free wool, the abolition of
the compensatory duties on woolens
and a substantial reduction in the
al valorem rate on woolens, free lum-
Der. free wool pulp and free paper
free hides. leather. harness, boots and
shoes; free oil and products of oil; free
iron ore, free coal and low duties or
all manufactures of iron and steel;
free binding Irvine. cotton ties. and
cotton bagging. Material reductions in
the cotton schedules and in the tariff
upon all other necessaries of life, es-
pecially upon articles sold abroad more
cheaply than at home, the aim being
to nut the lowest duty on articles Of
necessity and the highest on articles
of luxury.
"Articles coming into competition
with trust-made articles should be
placed on the free list.
"a platform drawn upon these lines
presents an issue and II you can elect
a majority of the members Of Congress
on such a platform" continued Mr..
BRYAN. 1.-The House can pass the tariff
reduction measure and send 1t to the
senate; IL the Senate rejects II, the
issue can then be presented to the
country in 1912. II. howver. our Demo-
Gratis cannot agree on a tariff meas
ure. we will be worse of with ma
tority on Congress than without one
for a failure to agree upon tarifI
measure would insure our party's de-
feat In advance, II the tarin question