The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-09-18
Syracuse Speech Is Defiant
and He DareS Critics to
Fight Openly
OFFICIAL ACTS OF TAFT
ARE WARMLY COMMENDED
New Nationalism as n Doctrine IL Ex-
pounded and Said TO Consist Mere
Iy of an Application of Old
Time MoraIities

Time MoraIities
Syracuse, N Y. September 17.-Com-
ing into a stronghold of the opposi-
tion, Theodore Roosevelt today boldly
challenged the opponents of his polit-
lcal doctrines to come out In the open
and fight if they dare. He proph esied
that If they did they would be beaten.
The former President also gave warm
commendation of President Taft as
public official and expressed his ap-
proval of a number of the accomplish
ments of the Taft administration.
Colonel Roosevelt did not indorse the
administration as a whole. What he
did have to say, however, placed him
on record for the first time in re-
gard to many of the more important
features of it, breaking the silence
which he had maintained steadfastly
on the. subject except for his few brief
references to his successor made while
he was on his western trip.
He also defended his recent criti-
cisms of two decisions of the United
States supreme court, made in speech
in Denver, and quoted the words Of
William II. Taft, written when he was
Judge, to support his contention that
the people have the right to criticise
decisions of the court.
Almost all the members of the COM
mittee which took the colonel in hand
during his stay are identified with the
Onondaga county republican organiza-
tion of which Francis Hendricks, SUI
perintendent of insurance, is the head.
Mr.. Hendricks is a member of the re-
publican state committee and voted
against Colonel Roosevelt when the
state committee refused to indorse him
for temporary chairman of the repub-
lican state convention.
Meets His Opponents
The colonel spent the evening at
the horne of ..t FfH A.
White, who tHaae i'm.
There, too, h OF
men who are ght
against him. rlett A.a uff,
chairman OF t lsfsH m
4 mitten, and oi t.1- the
opposition to ne vas
here today, ~ the
| colonel and tf- rDHaH I'm.
| Colonel Roose ries
met with ch t n ted
| about their dif lfa4 ov-
ernor White ] aas" sl,v.test
speeches on record when he. intro
duced Colonel Roosevelt at the fair
ground. I'VE are here today to well
come and honor Th eodore Roosevelt"
he said, and that was all.
The colonel who had just seated
himself at the rear of the stand to
wait until Mr.. White had finished his
speech, looked up In surprise as he
saw the lieutenant governor backing
from the railing.
do l speak now?" he asked
"Mr. White said the time had come
and the colonel arose. He was In fight
ing trim as he faced the crowd. He, him.
self said so. He shook his clinched
fists in the air and Numbered forth his
message with all the energy which he
could muster Several times he departed
from the text of his speech to inject re-
marks to show how earnestly he meant
what he said.
II wish my opponents would come into
the open," he said. They shoot from the
bushes" he declared at another place.
"but you could not make them come into
the open and fight the issue
Another remark which caused cheers
was just as he had again dared his op-
ponents to put themselves on record as
against him.
Friends, they won't do it," said he.
''They may criticise me, but they will
talk as though they were treading on
eggs before they take the other side"
Servants of the People
After he had asserted that leaders in
business must act as servants of the peo-
pie and that the corporations must be
the creature and not the master of the
people, he added:
ITO paraphrase the words of Patrick
Henry. IF that be socialism, make the
most of it, r"
That's a fairly decent idea, is 1t not?"
he asked after he had declared that each
man should have a fair chance, with spe-
cial privileges for none There Is no
appeal to the mob. nothing dangerous
Nobody has any reason to oppose the new
nationalism except the crook and the boss
and they both have"
Colonel Roosevelt said he had come
here ITO say exactly what have said
In the west
LET it be understood at the outset
he continued, that 1 have not word
to retract."
"Amen" shouted a man in the crowd
That's sound-Amen-that's good doc
trine," tho colonel said. 'What I have
to say Is to take away any excuse from
those who misrepresent my words 1t is
not for me to explain. It is for them"
The colonel slightly modified his defini-
tion of new nationalism." He called u
the efficient application TO new condi-
tions of certain old-time and fundamen-
tai moralities"
The word efficient" he inserted today.
He then proceeded with defense of his
| attitude, an exposition of new nationai-
ism." and a repetition of his declaration
of war on crooks and bosses.
Colonel Roosevelt spoke In part as foi-
lows.
Roosevelt's Address
"The new nationalism,' he reiterated.
| "means nothing but applications to new
| conditions of certain old and fundamental
moralities. It means an invitation to
| meet the new problems of the present.
day in precisely the spirit In which Lin
| coin and the men OF his day met their
new problems
To his critics he put this clean-cut Is
sue "rs any party willing to take the
other side OF the propositions, of which
complaint is made?
| IF so it would be a good thing to have
the issue before the people. for In the
end the people would most certainly de-
eide in favor of the principles embodied
| In the new natonalism, because otherwise
| this country could not continue to be .
| true republic. a true democracy"
| The speaker followed with justifics-
| ton OF his attacks on the supreme court
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