The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-08-06
(National News Association

(National News Association)
CHICAGO, Aug. 6.-Mr. Roosevelts
speech strikes a keynote for his fol
lowers and supporters in the new par
| ty. 1t lays down the plan of battle to
be waged by the National Progressive
party. He discussed those principles
under twelve subdivisions, namely,
The Helplessness of the Old Parties;
The Right of the People to Rule; The
Courts and the People; Constructive
| Control of the Trusts; Rights OF the
Wage-Worker; The Farmer; The Tar
! iff The High Cost of Living; Cur
| rency; Conservation; Alaska and In
lternational Affairs. The two old par
ties" he said, "are husks, with no real
soul within either, divided on artificial
| lines, boss-ridden and privilege-con-
| trolled, each tumble of incongruous
elements, and neither daring to speak
out wisely and fearlessly what should
be said on the vital issues of the day"
AS opposed to this incongruity and in
sincerity of action he asserted that the
National Progressive platform will be
"a contract with the people" with def
mite and concrete provisions to be car
ries out if the people ratify the con-
tract on election day as exactly and
honestly "as if it were actually en-
| forceable under the law"
No Help From the Old Party Machine.
| Neither the Republican nor the Dem
ocratic platforms or managers show
any adequate recognition of the
mighty fact that we are now in the
midst Of great economic evolution
This irresistible movement for econo-
mic change and improvement must be
guided by both common sense and
the highest ethical Standards" in Or
der to prevent reasonable evolution
from becoming dangerous revolution.
The Democratic party, as is indicated
by it's present record in Congress,
lacks the common sense, and the Re
publican party, by it's record of stolen
delegates at the Chicago Convention,
lacks the ethical standards. "The men
who presided over the Chicago and
Baltimore Conventions, and the great
bosses who controlled the two Con-
ventions-Mr. Root and Mr.. Parker,
Mr.. Barnes and Mr.. Murphy, Mr.. Pen
rose and Mr.. Taggart, Mr.. Guggen-
helm and Mr.. Sullivan-differ from
one another, Of course, on certain
points, but these are the differences
which one corporation lawyer has with
another corporation lawyer when act
ling for different corporations. They
come together at once as against a
common enemy when the domination
of both is threatened by the suprema-
cy of the people of the United States"
The Right Of the People to Rule.
"The actions of the Chicago Conven-
ton, and to an only less degree of the
Baltimore Convention, have shown in
striking fashion how little the people
do rule under our present conditions.
In order to assure this popular rule
Mr.. Roosevelt urged the adoption of
Presidential primaries, popular cleo.
ton of Senators, the short ballot, an
efficient corrupt practices act, quail
fed use of the initiative, referendum,
and recall. The recall should be ap-
piled to administrative officers. Mr..
Roosevelt asserts that the adoption of
these new methods of political admin.
, istration is not antagonistic to repre-,
sentative government "All I desire to
, do by securing more direct control OF
-, the governmental agents and represen
: tatives of the people is to give the
people the chance to make their rep
, resentatives really represent them
, whenever the Government becomes
/ misrepresentation instead of represen
, tative. l have not come to this way
5 of thinking from closet study or as a
mere matter of theory; I have beer
forced to it by a long experience with
the actual conditions of our politica
, life"
The Courts and the People.
1 Under this head Mr.. Roosevelt
strongly emphasizes the necessity Of
3 the sovereign people preserving 6
check on every branch of public ser
vice. Under this head Mr.. Roosevelt,
reiterates his now well-known views
l regarding the courts. "The American
! people, and not the courts, are to de
!. termine their own fundamental poll
CloS. HIS uOeS uOl ulSdu ludL lle
. people are to interfere in cases which
involve merely questions of justice
between individuals except thai
means should be devised for making
it easier than at present to get rid o.
an incompetent judge" But when 6
judicial decision involves an interpre
tation of what the people mean by the
. constitutions which they have framed
" and laws passed by the people are null
lifted because the courts say those
!, laws are contrary to the peoples will
as expressed in their Constitution
!, there must be reference to the PEG
: pie of the public effect of such decis
i, ion under forms securing full deliber
: ation." to the end that the people may
rectify this alleged defect in theil
4 Constitution by a popular vote having
u all the force of CONSTITUTIONS
> amendment. Our purpose is not to i'm
pugn the courts, but to emancipatt
/ them from a position whenever they
/ stand finally in the way of social jus
l. tice. am we'll aware that ever,
tupholder of Driyileoe eyery hiraf