Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-03-19

President in Boston Speech
Declares Himself in Favor
of Method Wherever It's
Legal and Practical.
REPLIES TO CRY OF ..'
'.LET PEOPLE RULE" :"

Says Intimation That Peo-
pie Have Not Ruled and
Do. Not Rule is Reflection
on Government.
Boston, Mass, March 1S.-President
Taft today declared himself in favor
of preferential primaries surrounded
by certain conditions for the coming
campaign.
wherever full and fair notice Of the
election can be given, wherever ade-
quate election safeguards can be
thrown around to protect preferen-
tial primary for the presidency, where
ever the constitution Of the state per-
mits its being made applicable to the
present election, favor it and well
come it." This was the statement the
president made today before the gen
eral court of Massachusetts. It was his
first personal reply to the challenge to
preferential primaries issued some
time ago by Senator j. M. Dixon, Col.
Roosevelt's manager. President Taft
did not refer to the challenge, how
ever. - ~
The president made rather pointed
reference to the proposition "let the
people rule and had something to say
about the recall of the judiciary and
the recall Of judicial decisions
irresponsible. assaults through in
temperate language or on baseless as
Z sImptions of corruption or bias OF in.
competency, made by those whose
statements have influence with any
part Of our people, are serious men-
ace to enduring government" said the
president. His address in part follows:
"You recently have passed what is
called presidential primary law for
the election Of delegates to the ma
tional conventions which Will fill the
duty of selecting the presidential
nominees Of the respective parties. VI
have not had opportunity critically to
examine the new law but l am sure it
makes proper provision to meet the
obvious requirements. am glad you
have done this. ~
Il am not going to discuss in detail
the question of direct primary cleo
tions-their uses and abuses. I think
every one will admit, however, in or
der that they may accomplish the good
they are intended to accomplish they
should be safeguarded by effective
provision as to the party eligibility Of
voters who participate in them and by
penal provisions, securing conformity
to rules of such eligibility and the
honest casting and counting of the boil
lot.
Opposes "soap Box" Primary.
II don't hesitate to say that in my
judgment voluntary primary outside
the law known by it's informal charac-
ter as the soap box primary is worse
than none, for it gives full opportun-
ity to the ineligible electors of the
other party to cast unfair votes, and,
without the sanction and safeguard of
penal provisions in respect to casting
and counting the ballots, is an open
avenue for fraud and violence.
ut is eminently appropriate that in
every election and in the discussion of
all issues that affect the republic we
should discuss and hear much of the
popular will and the rights Of the peo-
pie. This is government based on
popular control.
I'VE all concede that the operation
of elections and the operation of gov
ernment are not perfect and some
times are subject to corrupt influ-
ences and control and that it is the
part of patriotism to remove, as far
as possible, the obstacles which pre-
vent honest primaries, honest elec-
tions and the honest administration of
the government in the interest Of the
people
Says People Now Rule.
''But the continued iteration and
reiteration Of the proposition let the
people rule if it has any significance
at all and it is intended otherwise
than to flatter the people, is intended
to be reflection on the government
that we have had down to the present
time. Now, in spite Of all the corrup-
ton, in spite of all the machine poll
tics, in spite Of every defect in the
operation Of our government that can
be pointed out, I don't hesitate to
state that the history of the last 135
years shows that the people have
ruled. They may have been defeated
at times by corrupt and corrupting in
fluences; congresses and legislatures
may have been halted by subterranean
methods in carrying out what the peo-
pie desire, but in the end, under our
present constitution and our present
laws, we have had a really popular
government.
.I do not mean to say we cannot
make it better. do not mean to say
we may not remove some obstacles
(CG-~'sued on Page Sd