The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-31
TAFT WAYOF DOING
THINGS IS WRONG
Roosevelt Tells People
Some of Presidents
Mistakes.
REVIEWS ATTACK ON
AID M IN is TRATION
Cites Loriner Case and Railroad
Rate Bill as Instances Where
He Could Have Done Much
Better Than His Sue
ccssor in White
House.
rspecial 10 zinc rImes.pisna,rh

IL
Detroit. Mich, March au.--Colonci
on the national administration to-day.
Speaking before Grove which filed
the Light Guard Armcry to Its ca
| pacity OF 5000 persons. the former
President brought up the railroad rate
bill, which the present Congress passeo.
and the Lorimer case In support of bis
contention that President Tafta way
Of doing things is wrong.
1t Was Colonel Roosevelt's last
speech of his Western trip, during
which he has stumped eight States.
His reception from the people Of Michi-
gan was perhaps the most cordial OF
any he has received on this trip. The
!, Colonel was delighted He beamed
upon the crowds which met him at the
stations along tho line through Michi-
gan. AZ some places IT, looked as If
| the whole town had turned out Tn
his speeches from the rear platform of
his car, the Colonel repeated his argu-
nents in favor of direct presidentia,
primaries. He told the people that II
was fair and square lineup. "A Roosc-
welt army on the side OF presidential
primaries and his opponents against
II.
Governor Osborn has represented
the people," he said. while those who
have stood against tho presidential
primary have misreprcscntcd them
Students Drown Ills Voice.
The livelicst meeting of the days
trip was at Ann 4Arbor. Several
thousand students from the University
oil michigan were on hand. and they
! shouted SO hard that even the C,oloncl's
shrill voice could not he heard as he
called out TO them TO give him !,
chance. So much of the time was
ePent In cheering that the Colonel did
not have time to say much
+! After the night meeting here col.
onei Roosevelt started for the train
nc expects to so straight through ia
New York, reaching home late to-
iioFro" Tor short rest before start
Ing on his Southern trip.
The speech hero tonight follows
me one great bit of progressive
legislation OF the last Congress was
| the railroad rate bill. AS submitted
LOT action BY the administration, this
was thoroughly mischicvous and
improper measure, which would have
meant the undoins of most of the
/ work that had been done I'm tho last
twenty years. for 1t legalized monop-
Oily without furnishing any additional
safeguard In the way of control. This
WAS doing tho exact reverse OF what
the progressives have always stood
for, for we have insisted upon Tho
most going and far-rcaching
! control OF monopoly. where, as a prac-
'icai matter. 1t proves unwisc or i'm
possible TO break It up
The administration plan was cham,
pioncd by Senator Aldrich and nut
through the committee unchanged 1t
was reconstructed upon the floor Of
the senate by the progressive Senator
against the violent opposition OF the
rcuctionaries who champoned the adj
ministration. But one of the essential
features OF the original administra-
tion bill was left. This was the pro-
vision for a commerce court. AS a
matter OF fact, this is the only pro-
! vision OF the bill that in practice had
worked badly. 1t has tended in effect
10 large degree to nulIity the OK
pert decision of the Interstate COM
mcrce Commission. II represents re-
PROGRESSION in thut respect. But tho
rest of the bill for which the pro-
gressive Senators alone are entitled
to the credit has represented p real
and great Improvement. One OF the
essential features of the progressive
amendments was to shift the burden
of proof as to the justice of an in
creased rate from the small shipper
to the great railway company, and 10
give the Interstate Commerce Com
mission a much increased and more
directly effective control.
Cites tho I.orimcr Case.
II wish to call your attention to the
last instance fine working IN actual
practice of the Presid ,nt's theory OF
government OF The people by what he
calls a 'rcprcscntativ part of thc pco-
pic. The Immediate illustration of this
fact is afford VI by what the Senate
committee has done in tho Lorimcr
case. The ronctionary members of
Both parties on tho committee have
TODD b. Mr. I.oriiner and against the
protest @! the minority have recon-
rt.ondcd that he be allowed to continue
IS. Mig place. DO YOU think ;hat tho
-crYCscntativcs who have acted this
way really represent the people? I
don't. Do YOU think that this specimen
~ government of the people b. rep
:escntntive part OF tho peorle repr.-
cents an improvement OIL government
: ny tile people? don't,
"Vor instance, one of tho sntlemen
who. signed the report OH behalf OF Mr.
Loriiner WAS Senator Dillingham;,
Vermont. do not for ono moment be-
could vote on this Issue they would
vote to retain MIR Lorimer in the Sem
ate do not for one moment believ.
that thc people OF WASHINGTON and
South Dakota, would have voted for
Mr. I.ari,ncr. and yet their Senator's
Messrs. Gamble and Jones, did. II
sc!nas 10 me. that this I.orimor case, so
far from bein gan argument in favor
OF the Presidents position that VIC
should have government of tho people
by part of the people is strong ar
gunent for tho dirsct election OF
Of United States Senators. by ,hc pco-
pie
I'VE have also heard a good deal o
talk recently By our opponents, headed
- 1c,nntinncd on Secnnd parsI -