Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-11
Associate l Press1

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 10.-In Ian
guage as emphatic as he could make 1t,
Col. Roosevelt told the people of Co
lumbus today that scenes of disorder
such as had occurred here during the
street car strike were reprehensible and
reflected disgrace on any person who
either was responsible for them or tel
Grated them.
Col Roosevelt spoke to one of the
largest crowds of his western tour. He
was guarded by an escort of regular
| troops from the barracks at Columbus,
| although there was no sign of disorder.
| The colonel raised his voice to the
| highest pitch, and with fists clenched
and his face set sternly he told them
| that it was their first duty to repress
| lawlessness.
| Mayor Marshall of Columbus, whose
conduct of the police force during the
strike has been the subject of much dis
| cuSsion, said to Col. Roosevelt after he
had finished his address:
you do not know how much strength
you have given me-"
Policemen who heard the former pres
ident denounce the officers Of the law
who did not repress lawlessness went
to him and shook his hand.
The great crowd cheered him for sew
eral minutes.
TALKS ABOUT STRIKE
Col. Roosevelt's address was as fol-
lows:
Before I came to Ohio I of course
knew of the lamentable conditions
which had continued for so many weeks
here at Columbus
"As soon as 1 entered Ohio and ever
since / have from time to time been
addressed by letter and even personally
by both sides, asking me to come to
Columbus and speak. will say frank
ly that 1 did not like to come here,
but 1 like still less lodging, and so
have come. I notice have been adver-
tised to speak on the subject Of law
and order, and so I shall. But 1 shall
also speak on justice, for exactly as it
is the duty of all good citizens to see
absolutely and without reserve that law
and order prevail, 1t is just as much
their duty to see that Justice prevails.
The first requisite to the establish
ment of justice is the establishment of
law and order and woe to the man,
public official or private citizen, who
fails to realize this fact. And especial
ly should we abhor and reprobate the
conduct of the public servant who for
any reason fails in his duty in this re-
spect. We must equally condemn the
public servants and ourselves. The
people also are as responsible as the
public servants.
WOULD PROBE TROUBLE
"If we stop content with the mere
establishment of law and order, we
fail to our further duty, which is
by thoroughgoing investigation to find
out whether justice has been denied
and injustice committed, and then to
use the whole power of the govern
ment to right any wrong that has been
done.
Now, at the outset let me say as
clearly as possible that I do not and
cannot undertake to say what the
exact facts are, for thoroughly reput-
able citizens, writing to me on behalf
of the two sides, fatty contradict each
other. But there are certain broad
points directly applicable to your pres
ent situation which can be laid down
without hesitation. There is no ques-
ton whatever but what many acts of
violence have been committed, includ-
ing bombthrowing and the use of that
weapon of the worst, meanest, the
basest and most cowardly type of as
sassins-dynamite.
"Now, the first duty of the govern
mental authorities, high and low, from
top to bottom, is to put an end to the
reign of violence and disorder, to
check and punish every crime of
brutality and lawlessness. No excuse
can be accepted for any governmeSnt
official who fails to do his duty in this
regard and no excuse can be accepted
for any private citizens who fail, not
merely passively but actively, to per-
form the prime duty of good citizenship
in Joining with the authorities in help
ing to put an end to such an intoler-
able condition.
ADVICE TO EMPLOYEES
'Let the employees remember that it
may we'll be to the interest of some
of their leaders for political or other
reasons to have lawlessness and dis
order continue, but that it is pre-emi-
nently against the interest of the
workingmen themselves.
"Then your duty has not ended. It
has only begun. Then you will have
Continued on Page FiVel