The Washington times., 1912-03-18
PRESIDENT TAFT
STATES ATTITUDE
ON PRIMARIES
Massachusetts Legislature
Listens to Address of
Executive.
Continued from First Page.)

be represented by competent persons to
carry out their general will. In other
WORDS, our Government was a govern
ment of the people, for the people, by a
representative part of the people, under
fundamental compact which has vim
dicated its wisdom, its equity and its
utility, in the growth of our country
under its boneficcnt provisions, from a
struggling three millions on the Atlantic
coast to a nation, continent-wide, of
ninety millions.
Property Rights Defended.
Tho Government is not founded OH
the proposition that the people in one
expression or by one vote cannot make
mistakes.
There are those who by a radical
change in our institutions would forsee
equality of conditions as we'll as of OPP
portunity. They would do this by cur
failing, in one way or another, the right
of property. Those who have studied
closely the operations of the past believe
that next to the right of liberty, the
institution of private property is the
greatest uplifter of men that we have
had.
1T affords me pleasure to congratu-
late the State of Massachusetts on the
fact that its legislature, even before
the general sentiment to which I refer
was aroused in the country. has re-
sponded freely and sanely to the de-
mands of the hour.
ou nave recently passed What IS
called a Presidential primary law for
the election of delegates to the ma
.ttonal conventions. upon which will fall
the duty of selecting the Presidential
nominees Of the respective parties, l
have not had an opportunity to critical
~ examine the new law. but | am sure
it makes proper provision to meet the
obvious requirements.
II am glad that you have done this.
The question of how delegates are to
be elected to any political convention,
or how nominees are to be selected by
party was originally matter of
merely voluntary and party adjustment.
but so important to the public at large
lid the character of the candidate to
he selected by each party become, that
the state has properly interfered so as
10 throw safeguards around the eXer-
else. by all Of those who belong to a
rarty, of their privilege to have a voice
IN the chCicC OF their party candidates.
Lincoln Is Quoted.
The President related an instance
where "a Western governor" in urg-
ing n legislature to violate n Constitu-
tonal provision to put a law in opera
ton, declared that whatever Is right
is constitutional" and quoted LinCon's
statement The life of this nation is
greater than any constitution"
"It is impossible to escape the mean
ing of such a View," said the President,
"and that Is that the plain construC-
verted because it is thought that the
people at present would prefer not to
he subject to the limitation contained
IN the Constitution lawfully adopted.
The words of Lincoln have here
no application. It is not true that
whatever is right is constitutional
, unless the declaration OF the right is
contained in the Constitution. or is not
forbidden by It.
"SuggcstiOnS of that sort are danger
Gus because they put the ship Of state
on a sea of troubles. without a rudder.
They destroy that respect for COnstitut-
cd authority that is essential to we'll
ordered liberty. The strength Of gov
ernment and the strength of the judici-
ary must rest ultimately on the conf
dence of the people in their integrity.
! irresponsible assaults upon either in in
temperate language, or on haseless as
sumptons of corruption or bias. or in
competency. made by those whose
statements have influence with any part
OF the people, are serious menace to
enduring government"