THE ROLL CALL

...Convention Majorities «]yTATIONAL CONVENTIONS are not representative of the Xl wishes of the members of the party who are depended upon to cast the votes to elect the ticket...

...And of this we have more to say in this Roll Call...

...First Vice-President, Congressman Norris of Nebraska...

...Thus shall the people be empowered directly to exercise their will in making the laws under which they are to be governed and to remove from office unfaithful public servants...

...The program of the National Progressive Republican League proposes to apply this principle to every elective office from President of the United States down...

...The utilization of this force along selfish lines would be most dangerous, pernicious, and demoralizing...

...Nor is the power of the President measured by his legislative and administrative veto...

...I have been loth to point to evils that exist...

...Third, the people shall elect their delegates to national conventions and have the opportunity to express at the polls their choice for party candidates for President and Vice-President...

...Each State selects its own representative on these committees and offers them to the convention...

...Under the referee system in the South and the patronage system in the Territories and insular possessions, a President, through his nominating power and the Federal machine, can, if he desires, practically control the votes of these delegations in a convention...

...The delegates thus chosen by the voters at their party primaries represented the Republicans of Wisconsin in the Republican National Convention of 1908 and they presented to that convention the now justly famed minority platform of progressive planks in the public interest...

...A minority of the State Convention, representing System interests in politics, unable to control the convention of the party organized a bolters' "convention," which nominated a candidate for Governor and named delegates to the Republican National Convention to contest at Chicago the seating of the delegates-at-large accredited from the duly constituted convention...

...Organizers of the Progressive League THE subscribers to its Declarations of Principles and organ-izers of the league are men known to the country as exponents of real democracy...

...History demonstrates that these agents of government faithfully represent the people only when their authority and opposition are derived from the people and subject to the control of the people...

...It is the common experience that people do not correct evils in their established institutions out of a deference merely to principles...

...The System-controlled commitees of the National Convention, after a sham hearing of the contest, as a matter of course seated in that Convention the delegates at large of the System bolters' "convention" from Wisconsin declaring that this was the real Republican State Convention...

...This law, when enacted in all States, will absolutely destroy the power of Federal machine to renominate a President or determine his successor...

...Frequently, at the end of his second term when, according to unwritten law he can not again succeed himself, this same power enables him to dictate the nomination of his successor...

...Senator Hale desired Senator Bourne to "explain the provisions of this scheme of his that will prevent, in the National Convention, representatives of the administration, whichever it may be, Democratic or Republican, who represent no electoral votes but are counted whether in one convention of the Republicans or in the other convention of the Democrats—delegates who represent nobody, and yet who may control the choice...

...The charter membership of the league includes also a score of Progressive Republican Congressmen, as well as several Progressive Governors of States and a number of leading citizens, in private life from Maine to California, leaders in the nation-wide struggle to re-establish in place of Aldrichism and Cannonism the true Republicanism of Abraham Lincoln...

...In the light of past experience it seems to me this plan should appeal to all patriotic citizens as well as to conscientious partisans...

...An Executive desiring to misuse this power would, in effect, start with a campaign contribution of $345,000,000 per annum and an organization of 384,000 individuals, all directed toward selfish interest, namely, perpetuation of the power of the Executive and of the individuals owing their position and advancement of this power...

...The "Federal Machine" "THE President of the United States," said Senator Bourne, "through his power of nominating Federal appointees, is the head of the greatest political machine the world has ever seen...

...the operators of the machine find that, even with the advantage of control of delegations from the Democratic States and Territories, they will not have enough votes in the convention to control its action, contesting delegations will appear from a number of States, by seating some of which the necessary additional strength may be secured...

...The delegation from the bolters' "convention" was headed by conspicuous servitors of the System...

...As unrepresentative as this feature of the national convention is, its flagrancy pales into insignificance in the presence of that other abuse against partisan conscience and outrage upon the representative system, which is wrought by the Republican politician in hopelessly Democratic States, and by the Democratic politician in hopelessly Republican States in dominating the national conventions with the presence of these unrepresentative delegations that represent neither party, people, nor principle...

...13 ROUD °f American institutions and of every page of r history that records their progress...

...Students of political institutions tell us that the Chief Magistrate of the United States possesses more arbitrary power than the head of any other civilized government in the world...

...Second, all elective officials shall be nominated by the people in direct primaries...

...Then with his power in other States, and the tremendous influence of the Federal machine, it requires but little other influence to give him the 153 additional votes necessary for his renomination or the nomination of the man he selects...

...In the Republican national convention committees on credentials, permanent organization, and resolutions are composed of one delegate from each State and Territory...

...In a National Convention the voice of the people is rarely heard above the din of the "steam roller...

...It recommends how many delegates shall be admitted from each State and Territory, how the delegates and alternates shall be chosen in the various States, how the delegates from Territories shall be selected, and recommends who shall serve as temporary chairman of the national convention...

...Thus, shall the power of the System and its "bosses" to control, through the caucus and convention system, the nomination of party candidates for office be destroyed...

...Second Vice-President, Governor Osborn of Michigan...

...The committee elects its own chairman and perfects its organization...

...The legisature of Wisconsin elected at the same time, in response to the outraged public sentiment of the State, enacted Chapter 369 of the Laws of Wisconsin for 1905, by which the people of Wisconsin by law took into their own hands at their general primaries the business of choosing delegates to National Conventions, the first law of its kind in the United States...

...Statistics compiled by the Civil Service Commission, but acknowledged to be incomplete, show that on June 30, 1910, the number of employees in the executive civil service was 384,088...

...The National Committee "THE Republican national committee consists of 53 mem-bers, one from each State, Territory, District, and island possession...

...History, and particularly current history, demonstrates the President's absolute power of veto by non-administration of the laws...

...This organization marks the first national, virile and promising movement for representative democracy in this country since the Declaration of Independence...

...For "the promotion of popular government" this organization advances five concrete proposals, each applying the fundamental idea in effective, practical terms to the correction of important defects and commissions in the system of government...

...The object of the league," declares its Declaration of Principles, "Is the promotion of POPULAR GOVERNMENT and progressive legislation...

...It sometimes happens, as it happened in 1904, that a National Convention, although dominated as to its organization and control, by a System machine, accedes, for political expediency, the nomination of a popular candidate, but such a result under the present system of nominating presidential candidates is the fruit of political chance rather than a concession to the public wish...

...The chairman of the national committee calls the convention to order and generally directs the campaign...

...If the people succeed in forcing Congress to enact just laws in the public interest, the laws themselves may be defeated by the President and the cabinet officers appointed by him by simply neglecting their enforcement...

...The Oregon Law WHEN, in 1908, the machine-controlled State convention instructed delegates to the National Convention in behalf of the candidate whose candidacy did not have the approval of the people, the people of the State by initiative legislation enacted a law providing, like the Wisconsin law, for popular election of delegates to National Conventions, and in addition providing for a popular election by the voters at the polls of their choice for candidates for President and Vice-President...

...Trust the People...

...Thus, shall the people have the power now exercised by System-controlled conventions to name the men from whom the people must choose their Chief Magistrate...

...President not Amenable to the People IT WAS urged in behalf of the adoption of the Federal Constitution that the desire of the President for re-election at the end of his four years' term would make him amenable to the public demands...

...Senator Bourne's Speech IN HIS speech in the Senate on the 27th of last February, Senator Bourne of Oregon, in discussing the Oregon Presidential Preference law, analyzed conditions which, in addition to the general criticisms that apply generally to the caucus and convention system, operate to make National Conventions hopelessly misrepresentative...

...Its program is one idea—the only dynamic, militant, growing idea in American politics today: The people shall control their government...

...Fifth, A thorough-going corrupt practices act shall put an end to the power of dollars and corrupting influences as controlling forces in government...

...Afterwards, the State Supreme Court in an action involving the election ballot held that the "convention" which sent to Chicago the delegates who were seated by the System-controlled committee of the National Convention was NOT the Republican State Convention of Wisconsin...

...The committee on permanent organization recommends the permanent chairman and confirms the other officers who are recommended by the national committee...

...It decides on place and time of convention...

...We will leave the subject to the judgment and conscience of the American people, knowing that in their own time and in their own way they will voice their desire and enforce their will...

...Other Progressive Republican United States Senators among the founders of the league are Dixon of Montana, Beveridge of Indiana, Gronna of North Dakota, Cummins of Iowa and La Follette of Wisconsin...

...The Fundamental Idea NOT MERELY because it is an organization, a banding together of recognized leaders in public affairs, leaders who enjoy the confidence of the people, but more because for what the league stands for is its organization so important, so por-tentious...

...Of course, in determining his 'duty' in the premises the President was guided by his individual judgment and the counsel of his System advisors...

...They have the honesty and the courage to make their opinions known, and they have the resourcefulness to find means to express their views...

...But putting aside personal inclinations and placing public welfare above all else, I have endeavored to present what appear to be facts regarding gross abuse of the presidential appointing power...

...Whether the President be a shrewd politician directing the machine himself or entirely ignorant of politics and delegating the power to another, the system is most pernicious...

...The Territory of Alaska, with no electoral vote and but two delegates in the convention, has the same representation and power in the national committee as the great State of New York, with 39 electoral votes and 78 delegates...

...Here then is a program based upon a single principle, upon that fundamental tenet of the Declaration of Independence that governments "derive their just powers from the consent of the governed...

...Upon the returns, every elected delegate is required to subscribe an oath of office that he will "to the best of his judgment and ability, faithfully carry out the wishes of his political party as expressed by its voters at the time of his election...

...The Southern States and Territories, giving no electoral votes, with the exception of Maryland, which gave Taft and Sherman 2 out of 8, had 338 votes, leaving 153 to be secured to give a majority...

...Afterwards, the Republican electors at the polls gave to the candidate for Governor of that alleged "convention," 12,136 votes as against 227,253 votes given to the candidate nominated by the convention whose delegates were thrown out at Chicago...

...Thus, it will be seen that under such circumstances any candidate controlling the delegations from Southern Democratic States and Territories would have to secure only 153 votes, while any other candidate would have to secure 491 votes from those States which give electoral votes as well as delegates...

...Treasurer Charles R. Crane of Illinois...

...From his speech we print the following: "Mr...

...President, the most important measure enacted or adopted by the people of Oregon at the recent election, and, in fact, next to the initiative and referendum the most important law enacted by any State in recent years, is the law permitting voters in party primaries to elect their delegates to national conventions and to instruct them through popular expression of choice for President and Vice President...

...Secretary, Frederic C. Howe of New York...

...491, or a majority, were necessary for a nomination...

...Importance of the Presidency THE office of President of the United States is a position of vital strategic importance in the control of the government of ninety millions...

...Government must always in the main be exercised and administered through agents acting for and under the authority of the people...

...Thus, the Senate, the great citadel of Privilege, shall be made responsible to the people and responsive to their demands...

...The 'steam roller' will be relegated to the political scrap-heap and its operators to the shadow of things forgotten, while fourth-class postmasters will, as they should, cease to be a political asset for anybody or any party...

...Fourth, State Constitutions shall be amended to provide for the initiative, referendum and the recall...

...In the 1908 Republican national convention 980 delegates were admitted under the terms of the national committee's call...

...A Wrong and What Came of It IN 1904, the lawfully constituted Republican Convention, representing the majority of the Republican voters in Wisconsin, chose delegates to the Republican National Convention...

...The will of the people shall be the supreme law of the land...

...In answer Senator Bourne had printed in the Record with his speech the Oregon law in full...

...This safe-guard has been destroyed through the extra constitutional agency of the political nominating convention...

...It is a well-recognized fact that nominations by national conventions are the exclusive work of politicians, which the electorate of the whole United States is permitted only to witness in gaping expectancy and to ratify at the polls in the succeeding November...

...The President takes no oath to execute the laws of Congress...

...Witness the following from the now famous "Beverly letter" written by Secretary Norton : "While Republican legislation pending in Congress was opposed by certain Republicans, the President deemed it to be his duty to the party and to the country to withhold Federal patronage from certain Senators and Congressmen who seemed to be in opposition to the administration's efforts to carry out his promises of the party platform...

...Preferring peace to controversy, I have long delayed public utterance of views frequently expressed to Members of this body...

...With such a law in operation in every state, the national political convention will become, as to the nomination of party candidates, like the constitutional electoral college, merely an instrument for registering the people's choice...

...History shows that the President's power of veto on legislation is almost an absolute power...

...Under this statute the voters of Wisconsin, themselves, chose their delegates to National Conventions in 1908...

...Recognized wrongs are generally submitted to until the people are driven by some act of opression to take measures for their correction...

...They have capacity to judge, whether trading of Federal patronage for votes in Congress or in convention is either constitutional or wise...

...The Program FIRST, United States Senators shall be elected by direct vote of the people...

...Control of the national committee by the administration gives tremendous power, which is made absolute if combined with control of the committee on credentials...

...Its officers are: President, Senator Bourne of Oregon...

...By the use of his power to control patronage he may and has exercised sinister influence in legislation...

...I have confidence in the intelligence and honesty and resourcefulness of the American people...

...The Southern States and Territories, giving no electoral votes to the Republican party, are under the domination of the machine through the referee system, and have greater influence in naming the Republican nominees for President and Vice President than have the combined States of New!York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, Massachusetts, Indiana, and Iowa, which collectively have 334 delegates...

...The modern development of political partisanship, dividing the people upon obsolete issues and along sectional lines, places in the power of the incumbent of the presidency through the control of patronage and the "federal machine" the dictation of his own re-nomination by a political convention held during his term as President regardless of popular approval or disapproval of his conduct in office...

...The only recourse left to the people under the Constituion is impeachment, and again history shows that it is a practical impossibility to impeach a high executive officer of the government...

...This does not include officers or enlisted men of the Army or Navy, nor clerks in fourth-class post offices, the latter numbering about 64,000...

...On its executive committee are Senators Clapp of Minnesota and Bristow of Kansas and Congressman Hubbard of Iowa, Lenroot of Wisconsin and Kent of California and the "founder of conservation," Gifford Pin-CHOT of Pennsylvania, and the leader of Progressive Republicanism in New Jersey, George L. Record...

...When Senator Bourne referred to the Oregon Presidential Preference law, there was recognition from an unexpected source of the truth of his charge of the misrepresentative character of National Conventions...

...Wholly aside from the bribery of patronage, presidents may, and at times have, by the exercise of the powerful influence of their office, spoken th deciding vote in the enactment of legislation...