The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1909-09-30

people and transportation lines 10
lnew lands, by offering them free ac-
cess to the natural wealth of the
region. Now 1t is desirable to save
the coal. mineral and forest lands and
Iwator power for the benefit of the
lpeople. President Roosevelt temper
larily and arbitrarily withheld from
settlement several millions of acres,
while he aroused the people to in
terest in the question. That was
right; but II is not right for the ex-
ecutive department to disobey the in
functions of congress persistentnly
even to protect the people. Congress
should enact laws in harmony with
the prevailing sentiment and repeal
those, which contravene public
policy.
II the people desire the public do
main protected, they must take steps
through their representatives to en-
act laws to that purpose, instead of
weakly depending on the executive
department to save them by tyran-
nous methods. Isn't that fair prop
osition to a strong. independent peo-
lple?
IL is scarcely becoming a sover-
eign people to content themselves
with whining at the laws delay, the
lack of justice and lax execution. We
have our representatives in congress,
and they represent us, too-with all
their graft and incompetence and
sloth. That is the worst of it.
How many sovereign citizens in
this or any other congressional dis
trict have exercised their sovereignty
to inquire personally Of their repre-
sentatives how they stand on the
question Of conservation of natural
resources, protection TO labor. de
velopment of internal waterways, de-
velopment of the merchant marine,
reform in postal laws and economy Of
all mail transportation, regulation of
public service corporations, and ex-
tension of the civil service? Only
those. whose personal interests are
directly affected by specific legisla-
ticn, we suspect.
II the candidate is a Democrat OF
a Republican. as the case may be,
and slick enough to get the nomina-
ton, that is all the average sovereign
: citizen requires. We could take that
congress and make it so completely a
unit. that one couldn't tell a Demo-
crat from a Republican, il every citi-
, zen would exercise his prerogative to
: dictate to his congressman what sort
of legislation we wish, instead of
bhndly following party organs and
cheering vulgar anecdotes about the
Opposing party at political rallies and
barbecues.
I'VE have laws enough" seems to
be a satisfactory sort of explanation
TO the average man with lazy brain,
'All we need now is their enforce
ment." That is good. sound reason
ing on the hypothesis that flaws is
laws; bur there are good laws and
bad laws; sufficient laws and made
quate laws; efficient laws and ante
quated laws.
The president, a citizen elevated TO
the chief magistracy of the country,
7 pledged to a certain policy of admin
istration, and in position to see the
requirements and test the laws, sur
rounded by able counsel, is touring
the states. explaining to the people
, what he has done and why he has
done 1t, and showing them wherein
the laws are lacking to enable him TO
do what he thinks the people wish
, done. What he has done or has not
: done is important only as it demon
strates the need for improvements in
the public service; but what he wishes
to do and what he requires TO enable
! him to do IL, should catch and hold
the closest attention of the people.
. Covert sneers and flank attacks of
} anti-adimnsitration papers. more de-
voted to a desire to discredit the gov
eminent than to promote the welfare
of the United States, should not dis
|. tract attention. In all things II is
well to keep faced forward. Mr..
Taft has not apologized for anything
he has done. II he has entered into
an explanation at all, II is simply be-
cause he feels a responsibility to the
citizenship Of the country, which OPP
position congressman and news
papers, apparently do not feel
There is only one preliminary ques-
tion for the patriot to ask himself
: That Is whether he thinks Mr.. Taft is
conscientiously doing what he does
for the best interest OF his country.
II he thinks Mr.. Taft is not, and that
Mr.. Taft is traitor, then he is justi-
fed in regarding with suspicion every
thing the administration undertakes:
but, be he Democrat or Republican.
II man Is a patriot, and thinks the
administration is acting to the best of
its knowledge and belief for the well
fare of the United States and the
people, he must necessarily uphold
the hands Of the administration and
regard its policy from a friendly,
rather than an unfriendly point of
view, and wherein the administration
unquestionably is right, that men
should see to it. that insofar as his