New-York tribune., 1912-03-03
HOT SHOT FOR ROOSEVELT
Dr.. Thompson Likens His The
cries to Bakunin AnarChiSm.
RECALL is 'EXTRAORDlNAR
Philadelphia Educator Says Con-
stitution Has Stood Test of
Time Admirably.
TBy Telegraph to The Tribune. ]


Philadelphia, March 2.--Hot shot for
Colonel Roosevelt came to-day in an arti-
Gle by Dr. Robert Ellis Thompson. presi-
dent of Central High School. in THE
Irish World" DIR. Thompson, besides be-
ing widely known as an educator, has dis
tinction as a student of political economy
and political science.
He believes" says DR.. Thompson Of
the colonel, whatever he strongly wishes
to believe, even when the evidence is pre-
ponderant against his belief"
Drawing the deduction that such a mind
is unfit for the important duty of states
man in guiding the people, Dr. Thompson
passes on to the main question Of The
Charter of Democracy" and says:
Historically. Americans are republicans
and not democrats, and nothing but revo-
luton in our government can make US
democrats and drag us from the founda-
tiOn laid by Washington, Madison Jefferson
and the Adamses to one which they delib-
erately and wisely rejected.
That is the leading purpose of the inno-
vations which Mr.. Roosevelt adopts as his
own They rest upon IN assertion or
right OF set-government comparable 10 the
free vote, which ruined Poland. or TO the
anarchism of Michael Bakunin and his
school.
There is a sort of excuse for this aberra-
can orators have indulged, as to the SUI
perior wisdom of the people the right or
the popular will TO prevail whether Just or
unjust wise or foolish. The state does not
exist for the doing Of any will but the will
of God. which means the doing Of justice,
especially in the realization Of the natural
rights of every person within the national
boundaries.
When the will Of the people runs counter
to that. and to right reason, II is to be an
tagonized, rebuked and by all lawful means
NAA An1 h0y In
tory the popular will has deserved this.
Mr.. Roosevelt brings against our const-
tutional restrictions an array or facts
which may be very true. and which show
the need OF change in some quarters. But
he does not face the question whether the
needed changes can be effected without up
setting the system under which they occur
Nor does he weigh the possibilities of still
worse abuses when his reforms have been
introduced. He argues like the socialists
from remediable evils to work OF destruc-
ton, as though we had exhausted all the
possible remedies and must fly to revolu-
ton. ...
His most extraordinary proposal is to
submit to a plebiscite the decisions OF the
courts against the constitutionality or
laws which affect human rights. He de-
clares himself friend OF consututioniai n tnrit !,
OF the voters In either state or nation 10
alter the Constitution whenever II was
profoundly interested IN getting sometn,i.ng
done which was forbidden by constitu-
tional law as interpreted by the highest
authority.
The object of constitution Is 10 secure
fhe permanency Of the general features OF
the government and for this reason the
process OF altering it is made long and
troublesome Mr.. Roosevelt would make IL
short and easy TO degree.
Americans have been used TO thlhK OF
the Constitution as rock amid the waves
OF time. A nose Of wax would be a htter
comparison. under these new conditions
Gladstone expressed the opinion that our
Constitution was the most wondertul docu.
ment that ever emanated from the nina OF
man. In saying this he was thlhhlhS' ho
doubt Of its marvellous history. -
do not saw that Mr.. Roosevelt oeslres
m sWeep all this away But | do say thdt
the principles he laws down. II carried 10
their logical consequences, would leave W
with no safeguard against the peril WHICH
the Constitution seeks to obvlate
DIR. Thompson also said that had the
Roosevelt recall been in force Washing
ION would have been retired from pubic
life for signing the Jay treaty: ana thdt ~
1852 Lincoln would have been forced 70 gut qhd
the White House for not having won the
war by that time.
Michael Bakunin. TO whose anarchlsuc
teachings d. Thompson compared Roose-
velt's theories. was a Russian agitator'
who came here in 1869 and founded the
Social Democratic Alliance. He attempted
10 impose his ideas Of militant anarchism
on the association. and for that was eX-
pelled from it in 1872 Bakunin returned 10
switzerland and died there in 1876.