The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-09-09
Col. Roosevelt Urges the Citizens
of Illinois
To Insist on Cleanliness in Pub
lie Life.
TURN THE RASCALSOUT
Don't Wait on a Conviction in
Court, He Says.
He Is Given an Ovation at Ham,
iltOn Club Banquet.
URN THE RASCALSOUT

Chicago. Sept 9.-Standing in the
presence of 1900 men. nearly all of
them citizens of the state of Illinois
and the majority of them prominent in
politics and business life, Theodore
Roosevelt brought his hearers to wild
enthusiasm by his scathing denuncia-
ton of the political conditions in Illi-
nois.
The great banquet hall at the Con-
gress hotel, which has been the scene
of gatherings of this kind without num-
her never witnessed such a scene, nor
echoed to such a tumult as follOWeu
the close of Colonel Roosevelt's address.
The members of the Hamilton club, I'M
der whose auspices the banquet was
given, together with their guests stood
on chairs and tables, waving handker-
chiefs in a wild manner while they
cheered the speaker at the top of their
voice.
After his Introduction Colonel Roose-
welt declared he was about to talk on
delicate matters which. nevertheless
were matters to be treated only with
directness Following this he took up
the condition in Illinois politics descr1b :
ed by witnesses in the present trial or
Lee O'Neil Browne for bribery IN con-
nection with the election of William
Lorimer to the United States senate.
Read the confessions of those four
members of the Illinois legislature VINO
have appeared in the case" declared
Colonel Roosevelt: read the evidence
obtained by the states attorneys of two
counties. and know that Illinois politics
cannot be cured by ignoring what is
going on"
After ending his speech Col. Roose-
welt was to have attended reception
in another room of the hotel He tried
to reach this room, but for some time
was unable to make way through
A. lbs Loft I1n
platform, some one started a cheer for
Joseph G. Cannon. THIS was taken up
until the speaker arose from the table.
During the Roosevelt speech Speaker
Cannon received much attention from
the audience. 1t had been rumorod
during the day that in case any ref
erence to him were made by Colonel
Roosevelt, and to which the speaker
took exception, an answ5c had been
prepared. Colonel Roosevelt made no
reference to that Illinois congressman.
When introduced by President Bat
ten of the Hamilton club. Colonel Roosex
welt was greeted with tumultuous ap-
plause lasting for several minutes. His
address was as follows:
RoOsevelt's Address.
Il have had long and to me a most
pleasant and profitable connection with
this club. / have known you before
had attained any special prominence in
public life and when came back from
the Cuban campaign it was a committee
of your club that was practically the
first organization to meet me When
/ was inaugurated as governor a body
of representatives of this club were
present. think it was chs club which
was practically the first organization
to be so unwise as to Formulate a de-
sire to have me made president.
ut was at an address hece at thu
Hamilton club that 1 used the express
sion strenuous life,' an expression
which from that day TO this l have
never more been able 70 use and when.
ever have come to you, or whenever
/ have spoken, either II this club, oil
3 whenever 1 have spoken at Chicago
have always addressed myself to tn,
instant need of things for it would no
be worth your while to nave me. anC
1t would not be worth my whiIa I,
come If 1 could not speak exactly as
thought on the questions of the hour
I feel that when 1 am in Chicago
am in my own city, that am in one OF
the centers of the expression of thf
vital American spirit. Your problems
are my problems for your problems
are problems of the American people
Now, there are just two sources o.
danger to the American people, lawles,
violence and corruption; lawness VIC
lence that we most often have to face
from among the people who have Ieasr
of the worlds goods, and corruption
which we most often have to fac,
among the people that have most O
the worlds goods.
In the program tonight you havt
done me the honor to print certain
quotations from speeches have made
mostly before the Hamilton club an,
the final quotation is We must Sc
that there is civic honesty, civic clean
Illness, civic good sense in our who'll
administration of city, state and ma
tion.'
my friends, the value of a senteno
like that consists exclusively in TIL
way in which we try to live up to il
The worth of what 1 have to say t
you. and whether or not it is wort
your while to listen to me, depend
upon the way in which we translat
words into deeds. 1t is all right to an
plaude a sentence like that in favor q
civic honesty, stating that civic hon
esty Is essential to the welfare of ma
ton. 1t is we'll enough to applaud i
but woe to you if you applaud tn
sentence in the abstract and fail to az
up to 1t IN the concrete.
Morality and Progress
TT has been we'll said that the prc
gress, the true progress of people ca
best be gagged by their standard :
moral conduct. by their Judgment as
what conduct is moral. and what cor
duct is immoral. and by the effectiv,
ness with which they make their al
probation of the moral and their di.
appreciation of the immoral felt
Each state of the Union, each in
portant city of the Union has fro
time TO Time TO lace TINS QueSt1O
More than once we have been brougl
face to face with it in the state of Ne
York You are face to face with 1t no
in the state of Illinois.
It have been reading the reports
the investigation of the two states a
torneys which resulted in the Indie
ment of four members of the legi
lature and together with that 1 ha
read the reports of the confession
four other members of the legislatul
was advised today by worthy friel
not to talk on this matter. because
was a delicate subject and he add
that no one had been convicted:
Now. 1 feel most strongly that
make the question Of public honesty
sham If we limit the use OF the Wo