Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-31
Colonel's First Speech Since the At
tempt on His Life.
VAST HALL Is CROWDED
Thousands Turned Away From
Madison Square Garden In New
York-Human Rights Theme.

twenty minutes progressive poilucai
rally which gave many thousands or his
fellow New Workers a chance to accord
him an uproarious welcome. For forty
two minutes after his entrance into the
crowded hall Col. Roosevelt stood at the
edge of the high-perched speakers plat
form, unable to make himself heard
above the din Of cheers. songs and band
music, while persistently was heard the
measured chant: I'VE want Teddy! Re
want Teddy
Col Roosevelt refused to sit down or
to leave the rail that edged the fimsy
platform. The attention and silence that
greeted the address by Col Roosevelt
were as marked as the demonstration that
preceded it.
The immense garden was crowded to
it's doors, and thousands of persons were
turned away. Gov Hiram Johnson, pro-
gressive candidate for Vice President. and
oscar s. Strauss candidate for Governor
of New York, preceded Col Roosevelt.
Gov. johnson was speaking wnen Soi,
Roosevelt was brought to the hall at 9:1o
pm. Cheers In the street outside sig
nailed his approach, and an answering
cheer within the hall brought Gov. John-
sons speech to an end. When quiet was
Chance Now for People.
Col Roosevelt spoke as follows
Friends. perhaps once in generation,
not more often, there comes a chance for
the people of country to play their part
wisely and fearlessly in some great bat
tie of the age-long warfare for human
rights. To our fathers the chance came
in the mighty days of Abraham Lncoin,
the man who thought and toiled and suf-
fered for the people with sad. patient and
kindly endeavor. To our forefathers the
chance came in the troubled years that
stretched from the time when the First
Continental Congress gathered to the
time when Washington was inaugurated
as first President of the republic. To us,
In our turn. the chance has now come to
stand for liberty and righteousness as in
their day these dead men stood for nd
erty and Righteousness. Our task Is not
as great as theirs. Yet it is we'll nigh as
important. Our task is to profit by the
lessons of the past and to check in time
the evils that grow around US, lest our
failure to do so may cause dreadful dis
aster to the people We must not sit SUI
pine and helpless. We must not permit
the brutal selfishneSs of arrogance ana
the brutal selfishness of envy in each to
run unchecked in its evil course. II we
do so, then some day smoldering hatred
will suddenly kindle into consuming
flame, and either We or our children Will
be called on to face a crisis as grim as
any which this republic has ever seen.
1T is our business to show that nine
tenths of wisdom consists in being wise
in time. Woe to our nation IL We let
matters drift If in our industrial and po-
litical life we let an unchecked and ut
terly selfish individualistic materialism
riot to its appointed end. That end would
be widespread disaster, for 1T would mean
that our people would be sundered by
those dreadful lines of division which are
drawn when the selfish greed Of the HAYES
is set over against the selfish greed OF
the have-nots. There Is but one way 70
prevent such a division. and that is to
forestall it by the kind of a movement In
which we are now engaged.
Movement Is Resolute.
Our movement is one of resolute in
sistence upon the rights and full &C
acknowledgement of the duties of every
man and every woman within this great
land Of ours. We war against the forces
O. evil and the weapons We use are the
weapons of right. We do not set greed
against greed, or hatred against hatred.
Our creed is one that bids US be just TO
all. to feel sympathy for all and to strive
for an understanding OF the needs or all
Our purpose is to smite down wrong. But
toward those who have done the wrong
we feel only the kindliest charity that Is
compatible with causing the wrong to
cease We preach hatred to no man. and
the spirit in which we work Is as far re-
moved from vindictiveness as from weak
ness. We are reeolute to do away with
the evil. and we intend to proceed with
such wise and cautious sanity as will
cause the very minimum of disturbance
that is compatible with achieving our
purpose.
Care Not for Words.
I'VE care for facts and not for formu-
las We care for deeds and not for
words We recognize no sacred right of
oppression. We recognize no divine right
TO work injustice. We stand for the Con-
stitution. We recognize that one of its
most useful functions is the protection
OF property. But We will not consent to
make of the Constitution fetch for the
protection of fossilized wrong We call
the attention of those who thus interpret
Ii to the fact that in that great instru-
ment OF justice life and liberty are put
on full level with property. indeed are
enumerated ahead OF II In the order or
their Importance. We stand for an up
right judiciary. But where the judges
claim the right to make our laws by
finally Interpreting them. by finally de-
Gliding whether or not We have the power
TO make them, then we claim the right
ourselves TO exercise that power. We
forbid any men, no matter what their
official position may be, to usurp the
right which is ours, the right which is
the peoples. We recognize in neither
court nor Congress nor President any di-
vine right TO override the will of the peo-
pie expressed with due elaboration in
orderly fashion and through the forms Of
law. We progressives hold that the
words of the Declaration of Independence
as given effect by Washington and as
construed and applied by Abraham Lin
coin are to be accepted as real and not as
empty phrases. We believe that in very
truth this is government by the people
themselves that the Constitution is theirs,
that the courts are theirs, that all the
governmental agents and agencies are
theirs. We believe that all true leaders
Of the people must fearlessIy stand for
righteousness and honesty. most fearless
ly tell the people what justice and honor
demand. But we no less strongly insist
that IL is for the people themselves finally
TO decide all questions of public policy
and to have their decision made effective.
In the platform formulated by the pro-
gressive party We have set forth clearly
and specifically our faith in every vital
point at issue before this people. We have
declared our position on the trusts and on
the tariff, on the machinery for securing
genuine popular government. on the meth
cd Of meeting the needs of the farmer of
the business man and of the man who
tolls with his hands, in the mine or on the
railroad. in the factory or in the shop
There is not promise have made
promise we have made that will not be
kept. Our platform is a covenant with
the people of the United States. and III We
are given the power we will live up to
that covenant In letter and I'm spirit