The Colorado statesman., 1912-02-24

COLUMBUS, w., rep. Zl.-E4-fTeSl-
dent Theodore Roosevelt, in an ad
dress delivered at the Ohio constitu-
tional convention. in session in this
city today, expressed his views regard
ing state and national legislation. He
declared that unless laws enacted by
the representatives Of the people were
subject to recall at the command of
the people government was not truly
representative. Referring to trusts he
declared himself in favor of strict
government supervision and curtail-
ment of all special privileges.
After thanking the members Of the
convention for the honor extended in
inviting him to address the body, he
said. among other things:
l believe in pure democracy. With
Lincoln, i hold that this country,
with its institutions. belongs to the
people who inhabit it Whenever they
shall grow weary Of the existing
government, they can exercise their
constitutional right of amending It,"
We progressives believe that the peo-
pie have the right, the power, and the
duty to protect themselves and their
own welfare; that human rights are
supreme over all other rights; that
wealth should be the servant, not the
master, of the people. We believe
that unless representative govern
ment does absolutely represent the
people 1t is not representative govern
ment at all. We test the worth of
all men and all measures by asking
how they contribute to the welfare
Of the men, women and children Of
whom this nation is composed We
are engaged in one of the great bat
ties of the age-long contest waged
against privilege on behalf of the
common welfare. We hold 1t prime
duty Of the people to free our gov
ernment from the control Of money
In politics. For this purpose we ad
vocate, not as ends in themselves, but
as weapons In the hands of the peo-
pie, all governmental devices which
will make the representatives of the
people more easily and certainly re-
sponsible to the peoples will. e.
Believes In ConstitutIonalIsm.
I am emphatically a believer in
constitutionalism, and because of this
fact I no less emphatically protest
against any theory that would make
of the Constitution a means Of thwart-
ing instead of securing the absolute
right Of the people to rule themselves
and to provide for their own social
and Industrial well-being. All consti-
tutions, those of the states no less
hor hof ~ ha
and must be interpreted and admin
istered, SO as to fit human rights.
Lincoln SO interpreted and admins
tered the national Constitution. Bu-
chanan attempted to reverse, attempt
ed to fit human rights to, and limit
them by, the Constitution. 1t was
Buchanan who treated the courts as
fetish, who protested against and con-
demned all criticism of the judges
for unjust and unrighteous decisions,
and upheld the Constitution as an in
strument for the protection of priv
ilege and Of vested wrong. 1t was
Lincoln who appealed to the people
against the judges when the judges
went wrong, who advocated and se-
cured what was practically the recall
of the Dred Scott decision, and who
treated the Constitution as a living
force for righteousness.
II hold 1t to be the duty of every
public servant, and of every man who
in public or in private life holds a
position of leadership in thought or
action, to endeavor honestly and fear
lessly to guide his fellow-country-
men to right decisions; but emphat-
ically dissent from the view that 1t is
either wise or necessary to try to de-
wise methods which under THE Consti-
tuition will automatically prevent the
people from deciding for themselves
what governmental action they deem
Just and proper. Constitu-
ton-makers should make It clear be-
yond shadow Of doubt that the people
in their legislative capacity have the
power to enact into law any measure
they deem necessary for the better
ment OF social and industrial condi-
tions. The wisdom of framing any
particular law of this kind is proper
subject Of debate; but the power of
the people to enact the law should not
be subject to debate. To hold the
contrary view is to be false to the
cause of the people, to the cause of
American democracy.
Aim Of Good Government.
The ends of good govern
ment in our democracy are to secure
by genuine popular rule a high aver
age of moral and material well-being
among our citizens. 1t has been well
said that In the past we have paid
attention only to the accumulation of
prosperity, and that from henceforth