The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-09-10
0NLAW AND ORDER
Col. Roosevelt Makes a Speech
at Columbus, Ohio
Dealing With the Strike Of the
Street Car Men.
POINTS OUT THE DUTY
OF the officials and Law Abiding
Citizens.
Order First and Then Justice Is
His Program.
POINTS OUT THE DUTY

Columbus, o. Sept. 1O.-Coming to-
day to the scene of the street car riots
which kept Columbus in state of dis
order for weeks. ex-President Roose-
welt in a speech here denounced in
strongest terms acts of lawlessness and
men who committed them. The state
capital is still being guarded by mill
tia and Colonel Roosevelt himself was
escorted by u. s. troops from the
Columbus barracks.
AS the strike is still on, j. c. Met
calf, chairman of the Roosevelt recep-
ton committee, asked President Taft
to assign the regular troops to guard
the ex-president today and the presi-
dent consented.
Colonel Roosevelt was met at the
station by the regulars and state militia
and committees representing the
Chamber of Commerce and citizens of
the city. He proceeded at the head
of a parade to the park, half a mile
from the station, where he delivered
his speech.
Mayor George S. Marshall occupied
a seat on the platform from which
Colonel Roosevelt spoke.
1t has been announced today that
Governor Harmon will withdraw his
| control of the situation here and the
municipal government under Mayor
Marshall will have full charge.
Colonel Roosevelt's speech was as
follows:
Before I came to Ohio I, of course,
knew of the lamentable conditions
which had continued for so many
| weeks here at Columbus.
He Does Not Like to Dodge,
| LAS soon as entered Ohio and ever
since I have from time to time been
addressed by letter and even PERSONAL
| ly by both sides, asking me to come to
Columbus and speak. will say frank
but 1 like still less lodging and SO I
have come.
ST notice 1 have been advertised to
speak on the subject of law and order
and SO shall. But l shall also speak
on Justice, for it is the duty of all good
citizens to absolutely and without re-
serve see that law and order prevail
and it is just as much their duty to see
that justice prevails.
1.-THE first requisite to the ablish-
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
~ should he abhor and reprobate the
conduct of the public servant who for
any reason fails in his duty in this
respect. We must equally condemn
the public servants and ourselves, the
people also are as responsible as the
public servants.
. "If we stop content with the mere
establishment of law and order we
fail to do our further duty which is by
thorough going investigation to find
OUT Wn0tn0T Justice mas D00u Ueul0O
and injustice committed and then to
use the whole power of the govern
ment to right any wrong that has been
done.
Nov at the outset let me say as
clearly as possible that / do not and
| can not undertake to say what the ex-
act facts are, for thoroughly reputable
| citizens, writing to me on behalf of the
| two sides, fatty contradict each other.
| But there are certain broad points di-
i reetly applicable to your present situa-
| ton which can be laid down without
hesitation. There is no question what
ever that many acts of violence have
been committed. including bomb
throwing and the use of that weapon
of the worst, the meanest, the basest
and most cowardly type of assassins-
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 form of brutality and
lawlessnesS. No excuse can be accept
ed for any government official who
fails to do his duty in this regard and
no excuse can be accepted for any pri-
waite citizen who fails not merely pas
sively, but actively to perform the
prime duty of good citizenship in join
ing with the authorities in helping to
put an end to such an intolerable con-
dition.
IT call your attention to what Judge
Safer did a year ago in the case OF
the striking miners in southern Ohio
The employers applied to him for an