The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1912-08-06
CONFESSION OF
FAITH" DELIVERED
CONTINUED from first page.)

of both is threatened by the supremacy
of the people Of the United States.
If this country is really to go
forward along path Of social and eco
nomic justice there must be new
party Of nation wide and nonsectional
principles, a party where the titular
national chiefs and the real state lead
ers shall be in genuine accord, party
in whose councils the people shall be
supreme, party that shall represent
in the nation and the several states
alike the same cause, the cause of hui
man rights and Of governmental eff
ciency." The reassertion Of the states
rights doctrine Of the Democratic party
cripples and forecloses any real or gen
uine relief to the people. 1t reduces
their promises to hopeless and empty
phrases. The mission and spirit Of this
progressive movement will thrill the
republic from end to end.
The Right of the People to Rule.
'"The actions of the Chicago conven-
ton and to an only less degree Of the
Baltimore convention have shown in
striking fashion how little the people
do rule under our present conditions.
In order to assure this popular rule Mr..
Roosevelt urged the adoption Of presi-
Dental primaries, popular election Of
senators, the short ballot efficient CON-
rupt practices act, qualified use Of the
initiative and referendum and recall.
| The recall should be applied to admin
| istrative officers.
Mr.. Roosevelt asserts that the adop-
ton Of these new methods of political
administration is not antagonistic to
representative government. Call l de-
sire to do by securing more direct con-
troll of the governmental agents and
representatives Of the people is to give
the people the chance to make their
representatives really represent them
whenever the government becomes
misrepresentation instead Of represent
alive. I have not come to this way Of
| thinking from closest study or as a
mere matter of theory. l have been
| forced to it by long experience with
| the actual conditions of our political
life"
ne Courts and tho People.
| Under this head Mr.. Roosevelt
strongly emphasizes the necessity Of
the sovereign people preserving check
on every branch Of public service. Un-
der this head Mr.. Roosevelt reiterates
his now we'll known views regarding
the courts. 1.-THE American people and
not the courts are to determine their
own fundamental policies" This does
not mean that the people are to inter-
fere in cases which involve merely
| questions of justice between individu-
ais except that means should be de-
vised for making it easier than at pres
ent to get rid of an incompetent judge"
! But when judicial decision involves
| hn Interpretation of what the people
| mean by the constitutions which they
have framed and laws passed by the
! people are nullifed because the courts
| say those laws are contrary to the peo-
| pies will as expressed in their consti-
! tuition there must be a reference to
! the people Of the public effect Of such
! decisions under forms securing full de-
| liberation" to the end that the people
! may rectify this alleged defect in their
| constitution by popular vote having
| all the force of a constitutional amend
ment. "Our purpose is not to impugn
| the courts, but to emancipate them
from a position whenever they stand
| finally in the way of social justice.
- am we'll aware that every
| upholder Of privilege, every hired
agent or beneficiary Of the special in
terests, including many we'll meaning
parlor reformers, will denounce all this
as socialism or 'anarchy'-the same
terms they used in the past in denounc-
ing the movements to control the rail-
ways and to control public utilities.
AS matter Of fact, the propositions
make constitute neither anarchy nor
socialism, but, on the contrary, a cor
receive for socialism and an antidote
to anarchy"
Constructive Control of the Trusts.
In addition to punishment for wrong
doing by the trusts, the imperative de-
mand is effective and complete regu-
| lation. The views of President Van
Hise Of the University Of Wisconsin in
his scientific work on trust regulation
are in harmony with the program Of
the National Progressives. 1.-THE pres
ent conditions Of business cannot be
accepted as satisfactory" The reason
for this is explained, in Mr.. Roosevelt's
opinion, by the fact that "those dealing
with the subject have attempted to d.
vide into two camps, each as unwise
as the other" One camp has fixed it's
attention only on the need for pros
perity-'prosperity to the big man on
top, trusting to their mercy to let some
thing leak through to the mass Of their
countrymen below, which, in effect,
means that there should be no attempt
to regulate the ferocious scramble in
| which greed and cunning reap the
| largest rewards" The other camp has
so fixed its attention upon the injus-
tees of the distribution Of prosperity,
! "omitting all consideration of having
something to distribute, and advocates
| action which, it is true, would abolish
most of the inequalities of the distri-
button of prosperity, by only the IN
fortunately simple process Of abolish
ing the prosperity itself" The ten
dency Of those now in control Of the
! Republican party is to give special
privileges to "big business" and to cor
| rect the evil Of such a course when
! they become crying by sporadic law
suits under the antitrust law. The