The San Francisco call., 1910-09-11

ADDRESS TO STRIKERS
ROOSEVELTAT COLUMBUS
COLUMBUS Sept l0.-Colonel Theodore Roosevelt delivered
speech here today capitol His remarks Dhch oow.
had direct bearing The strike progress here

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 I entered Ohio and
ever since, I 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 frankly that l did not
like to come here, but I like still
less lodging, so 1 have come.
I notice I have been advertised to
speak on the subject of law and or
der, and so I shall. But shall also
speak on justice, for exactly what is
the duty of all good citizens to see
absolutely and without reserve that
law and order prevail. it is just as
much their duty to see that justice
prevails.
The first requisite to the estab-
hshment of justice is the establish
ment OF law and order, and woe to
the man. public official or private
citizen, who fails to realize this fact.
And especially should we 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 serv
ants
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 whether justice has been
denied and injustice committed. and
then to use the whole power of the
government TO right any wrong that
has been done.
Now at the outset let me say as
clearly as possible that I do not and
can not undertake 20 say what the
exact facts are, for thoroughly rep
utable citizens. writing to me on
behalf Of the two sides, fatty con-
tradict each other But there are
certain broad points directly applic-
able to your present situation which
can be laid down without hesitation.
There IS no question whatever
that many acts of violence have
been committed, including bomb
throwing and the use Of that wea-
oon of the worst meanest, the bas-
est and most cowardly type Of as
sassins-dynamite
Now, the first duty OF the gov
ernmental authority, high and
low. from top to bottom, is to put
an end to the reign of vio-
lence and disorder, check and
punish every crime of brutality and
lawlessness. No excuse can be ac-
cepted for any government official
who fails TO do his duty in this re-
gard and no excuse can be accepted
for any private citizens who fail
not merely passively, but actively,
he araiY1 dr1TU Of
citizenship in joining with the au-
thorities in helping to put an end
to such an intolerable condition.
I call your attention to what
Judge Safer did a year ago in the
case of the striking miners in
southern Ohio. The employers ap-
piled to him for an Injunction
against the miners. He declined
TO grant 1t, but he gave to both par
ties a lecture from the bench to
which I am glad to say they paid
heed. He warned them that violence
would not be permitted and that the
whole power of the state would if
necessary, be invoked to suppress it.
He warned the miners particularly
that their worst enemies were those
among their own number or their
sympathizers who committed deeds
OF VIOLENCE, ana ne warned the capl-
talists that deeds Of violence by the
employers did just as much damage
to their cause and were just as fla
grant outrages against the public as
the deeds of violence committed by
the miners and sympathizers of the
miners and that one would be no
more tolerated than the other
Therefore. friends, your first duty is
to establish law and order, and it is
especially to the interest of the
wage workers that law and order
should be established, and they
should be the first to join effectively
in the movement No plea should
be entertained for. moment that
would delay the putting of an end
10 the regulation of lawless violence.