The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-12
TRIBUTES PAID TO
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
Roosevelt Is Chief Speaker at
Banquet in Honor Of His
Memory.
.FAvoRs RECIPROCITY
En- President Also Speaks Word
i'll Favor OF Direct Flee
tons Of Senator's.
-AV0Rs RECIPROCITY

Grand Rapids, Mich, February Ii
Reciprocity with Canada and the cleo
tion OF United States Senators by direct
vote or the people is favored by former
president Theodore Roosevelt.
Colonel Roosevelt came here from
New York to be the chief speaker at
the Lincoln anniversary celebration Of
tho Lincoln Club. His subject was
Lincoln and Progressive Republicans
ISM" 'fhe banquet hall. seating more
than 1000 people, was crowded
ono of the progressive policies upon
which | think the great majority OF
Prosressives are agreed is that United
States Senators should be elected by
popular VOTE said Colonel Roosevelt
Tho Constitution should in my judg-
men,, DO SO amended as to provide for
this.
The insistencc upon the election OF
senators In some way which shall not
permit the people TO pass directly
upon them is merely Il relic Of the same
feeling which nlado the founders OF the
constitution trust the election Of tho
President to tho Electoral College, In.
stead OF TO direct popular vote. Tho
same fears OF tho people. expressed
now by those who are against choice
OF Senators by popular vote. was OK
pressed a century aud 4 quarter ago
by the good and wise men who crro-
neouSly felt that it was not safo to
trust the election Of the President to
direct popular vote
People Convinced.
y comparatively short experience
convinced the nation that the Presi-
dent should be voted for directly by
the people. And although the form OF
an Electoral College has been retained,
act ;e
President is direct vote. tho electors
haviaE no function except formally Is
raufy the popular decree. and II ii we're
possible even this Slight function could
With advantage be abolished.
None OF the evils prophesied has
re ulted from tho change in the case.
or, rre ,.1.i and the same thing.
the change Is made as regards Sena-
tors 1t will be change markedly
,ot s ,,,% Illus as much for good us
PRESIDENT But the United States
should under no circumstances sur.
render one particle OF the control it
now mas rs regards the election OF
senator's. TO do 50 would be n mistake
Mhlch might have grave and far rea CHI
ms consequences. and absolutely no
arsument worth needing can he adj
Fdnced IN faEor of such change
ieel that we are TO be congratu-
lated as a nation upon the likelihood
o. ohtalnlng Il closer reciprocity OF
tariff and trade relations with CAN
ada. Among all the powers OF the
Garth, there is none with which we
Shouiu desire TO be upon moro init
ma footing OF equal rights. TO which
We should be more closely bound i'm
relations OF mutual helpfulness. es-
.een1 and good will than in the case
or our great neighbor to the North,
whose prosperity and growth should
nc a matter of pride to all who dwell
on the American Continent. I vel
come inc proposed reciprocity treaty
ing about the closest and most friend
y. relations between the two coun-
United States Senator " q R,pd
ley. OF Kentucky. was speaker at tho
banquet. |''
Tribute to Lincoln.
No man has ever lived whose mem
ory is SO much cherished by our peo-