Evening journal., 1912-03-18
PRESIDENT
DENOUNCES
PRIMARY
Says Soap Box" Selection of
Delegates Means Fraud
Unless Law Holds Tight
BEPLORES IDEA OF RECALL
OF JUDICIAL OPINIONS
By The United Press.

BY The United Press
BOSTON. March 1S-Denouncing a
Ssoap box" presidential primary, as an
ropen avenue for fraud and violence
unless properly safeguarded by legal
regulations, President Taft today
gave his reasons for opposing pri-
mary unless amply legal machinery
he provided The President spoke to
the General Court of the Legislature
of Massachusetts.
In discussing the agitation for the
recall of judges and the recall of judi
cial decisions, the President declared
that it is impossible for all the people
10 take direct part in all the func-
tions of the government He said the
constitution founded government
"of the people, for the people, by
representative part of the people He
denied the proposition that whatever
is right is constitutional. Many READ
a direct attack on Colonel Roosevelt
into the concluding statement of the
President. when, after doploring the
action against the courts and the
constitution. he said
irresponsible assaults upon either
i'm Incorporate language, or on base
less assumptions Of corruption o.
bias, or incompetency. made by those
whose statements have influence with
any part of the people, are serious
menace to enduring government
zone can easily discover tendency
i'm modern politics to cNalt above the
written law and above the Wrltleh
constitution what is called popular
will, as If that were higher law 10
which we must all admit allegiance
and by Obeying it, ignore or trans
gress statutory and constitutional I'M
itation There is no rule for ascertain
ing what this popular will is except
the observation and imagination Oi
the person who is appealing TO II.
"The continued reiteration OF the
proposition let the people rule II II
has any significance at all, and Is
intended otherwise than to flatter tie
people, is intended to be reflection
on the government that we have had
down to the present time. Now III
spite of every defect in operation Ol
our government that can be pointed
out. / do not hesitate to say that the
history of the last 1S5 years shows
that the people have ruled.
THE occasion for these remarks Us
inc dlldCh upon Oul JuuiNldiy OIL" III
proposal by judicial recall or recall
of judicial decisions, to destroy It's
importance and thus TO take away
from the arch OF government the key
stone | deny that there is in th'
decisions of the courts, or the char
acter of the judges or the result O
litigation, that which justifies such
radical innovation. ] do not hesitat'
10 say that i'm my Judgment volun
tary primary outside the law. know
by its informal character as a soap
box primary, is worse than none; fo
# gives full opportunity to the inelig
ible electors OF the other party TO cas-
unfair votes and without tho sanction
and safeguard of penal provisions II
respect TO casting and counting th'
ballots is an open avenue for frau'
and violence. Wherever full and fall
notice of the election can be given
wherever adequate election safe
guards can be thrown around TO pro
tect a preferential primary for th
presidency l favor it and welcom
a."