Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-02

Fiercely denunciatory of Hearst and sur
charged with utterances of a startling char
acter was the speech of Secretary Root at
Utica N. Y, last evening. While admit
tedly voicing the views and sentiments of
the President the Secretary himself took
occasion to pay his compliments in no
measured terms to the Gotham editor, the
arraignment as a whole being perhaps I'M
precedented in a gubernatorial contest.
The teachings of Hearst were openly held
responsible for cardinal crimes innumer-
able, and pertinent reference to the as
sassination of President Mckinley left but
small doubt in the minds of the great mass
of auditors. An appeal to voters OF New
York to cast their ballots for Hughes was
put on a point of logic and the election of
Hearst was pictured as a menace to the
welfare of labor and a danger to the state
OF terrific and far-rea aching effect.
The Secretary was interrupted under con-
dtions that seem to indicate preconcerted
arrangement for that purpose.
Here Is the speech:
My Friends and Neighbors:
A demogogue is one who for selfish ends
seeks to curry favor with the people or
some particular portion of them by pander-
ing to their prejudces or wishes or by
playing on their ignorance or passions.
We are witnessing in the state of New
York one of those tests of popular govern
ment which often have come in the past
and always will come when skillful dema-
gogue attempts to get elected to office by
exceeding all other men in the denuncia-
ton of real evils and in promises to cure
them. Honest and well-meaning voters,
smartng under the effects of political or
social business wrongdoing, naturally
tend to sympathize with the man who ex-
presses their feelings in the most forcible
and extreme language and who promises
the most sweeping measures of REFORM
and in the excitement and heat of public
indignation they are sometimes in danger
of forgetting that he who cries stop
thief the loudest may be merely seeking
his own advantage. may be worthless as a
leader. may belong to the criminal class
himself.
The enemies of popular government have
always asserted that the great mass of a
people, and particularly the working peo-
pie could not be trusted to reject appeals
to passion and prejudice and follow the
dictates of sober reason, TO distinguish be-
tween mere words OF violent denunciatiOn
and extravagant promise on the one hand
and proved capacity for useful and faithful
service on the other and that their suf-
frage would always go to the most violent
and extreme agitator
The believers in popular government have
always answered that In a country where
universal education goes with universal
suffrage the great mass of the people, and
particularly those who are doing honest
work. can be depended upon to inform
themselves carefully and to think soberly
and clearly about political questions, and
that their plain, strong, common sense will
surely detect and reject the self-seeking
demagogue. however violent his denuncia-
ton of wrong and however glowing his
promises of redress, and approve the gen.
utne man, the competent man. even though
ne may not promise much or puff him
self so much or use such violent language.
Sure to Come Out Right.
firmly believe that the contention of the
friends of popular government is right;
believe that the people of this country and
of this state, under our system of universal
suffrage and universal education, are sure
to come out right in the long run. Never
theless it cannot be doubted that many