Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-30
HITS HIGHEST COURT
Roosevelt Sharply Criticises
Two Recent Decisions.
POPULAR RIGHTS ABRIDGED
State Laws Set Aside and Nation
Made Powerless, He Says.
FIVE SPEECHES AT DENVER
Gives Views on Conservation at
Great Meeting in Auditorium, Be-
sides Addressing Legislature.
POPULAR RIGHTS ABRIDGED
FIVE SPEECHES AT DENVER

DENVER, August 30-Acts Of the Su-
preme Court of the United States were
sharply criticised by Theodore Roosevelt
I'm his address In the state capitol here
before the Colorado legislature.
The former President cited two de-
cisions by the Supreme Court. which. he
declared, were contrary 10 the principles
OF democracy. and said emphatically that
II those decisions indicated the permanent
attitude of the court. the entire American
system Of popular government would be
upset.
Col Roosevelt's speech before the leg
islature was one Of five that:he delivered
IN Denver yesterday. Everywhere he
went he was greeted by cheering multi
tudes. The Auditorium. I'm which he de-
Iivered his speech on conservation. holds
$4,000 people. and yet II was large enough
TO seat only part of the throng that
sought admission.
In addition TO his speech in the Audi
torium. under the auspices OF the Ma
tionai Live Stock Association. ana ms
speech before the legislature, he ad-
dressed the Spanish War Veterans. VINO
are holding their encampment here; the
Colorado Live Stock Association at
banquet yesterday evening and the Den.
yer Press Club at a chuck wagon
luncheon at Overland Park.
Denounces Dishonest Legislators.
In addition to his remarks censuring
the Supreme Court. Col. Roosevelt de-
nounced dishonest legislators and dema-
Rogues In his speech before the iegisla-
ture. He scored men who gain their
riches at the expense of the people. at
tackled untruthful newspapers and maya
zines and praised the periodicals and
newspapers which. he said, boldly told the
truth In order to purify the body polite
The colonel faced legislature that was
democratic In both branches. one member
OF the house being a woman, and was
presented by the president or the senate
as a typical westerner." In his remarks
concerning the Supreme Court the col
onei discussed the division OF authority
between the state and the national gov
eminent In legislative matters. and ar
gued that there should be no neutral
ground, when with neither authority In
power ''unscrupulous individuals are LETT
free to riot at will.
"I am anxious that the nation and the
state shall each exercise its legitimate
essary hey should work together. but,
above all, they should not leave a neu-
trail ground in which neither state nor
nation can exercise autnor,sy; and 1or when ncn
who wish to act crfminally. and espe-
cially for the very rich men who wish
to act against the interests OF the COM
munity as whole.
Sugar and Bakeshop Cases.
LET w illustrate what mean by q
reference to two concrete cases. The
frst Is the knight Sugar Trust case. In
that case the Supreme Court OF the
United States. under cover of what a
man whose interest is chiefly in sane
constructive stewardship can only call
. highly technical legal subtlety. handed
down a decision which rendered 1t ex-
ceedingly difiicult for the nation effect
lively to control the use of masses OF
corporate capital In interstate business.
As the nation obviously was the sole
power that could exercise this control
any one state). this was really de-
eision rendering 1t exceedingly difficult
for the people TO devise any method OF
controlling and regulating the business
merce. II was q decision nomfnally
against national rights. but really against
popular rights
The second case Is the so-called New
York bakeshop case. In New York city.
as IN most large cities, the baking busi-
ness Is likely to be carried on under UNI
hygienic neutrality-suspicious. which tell
on the welfare Of the workers, and. there
fore. against the welfare of the general
public. The New York legislature passed,
and the New York governor signed, bill
remedying these improper conditions.
New York state was the only body that
could deal with them; the nation had no
power In the matter.
Powerless Themselves; Blocked
Others.
Acting on information which to them
seemed ample and sufficient; acting In
thu interest Of the public and In accord
- 11A r1rfI,r
only governmental authority having al
6rmative power in the matter, the gov
amor and the legislature of New York
took the action which they deemed neces-
sary. after what inquiry and study was
needed to satisfy them as to the condi-
tons and as to the remedy.
THE governor and the legislature alone
had the Affirmative power to remedy the
abuse. But the Supreme Court Of the
United States possessed. and. unfor-
tunately. exercised, the negative power OF
not permitting the abuse to be remedied.
BY a to vote they declared the action
In the state of New York unconstitu-
tional. because. forsooth. that men must
not be deprived OF their liberty TO work
under unhygienic conditions. They were.
OF course. themselves powerfess to make
the remotest attempt to provide a remedy
and their refusal to permit action by the
state did not confer any power upon the
nation TO act
Against Popular Rights"
They IN effect reduced to impotence the
only body which did have power. so that
IN this case the decision, although nomi-
inally against state rights. was really
against popular rights. against the demo-
cratic principle OF government by the
people, under the forms o. law.
IF such decisions these two indi-
Gated the courts permanent attitude
there would be real and grave cause to
give alarm for such decisions. II consist
entity followed UP. would upset the whole
system OF popular government I am.
however. convinced both from the incon-
sistency OF these decisions with the tenor
OF other decisions. and furthermore from
the very fact that they are In such ma
grant and direct contradiction to the
spirit and needs of the times, that sooner
or later they will be explicitly or i'm
plicitly reversed.
81 mention them merely TO illustrate
the need OF having a truly national sys-
tenn OF government under which the peo-
pie can deal effectively with all problems.
meeting those that affect the people as a
whole by affirmative federal action end
those that AFFECT merely the people OF
one locality by Affirmative state action.
II am a most earnest and convinced
believer In exercising the power of the
nation where that power alone can be
really effective. yet / am no less a con-
WINGED believer In seeing that the power