The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-03-09
ISSUE is SIMPLE
Roosevelt Says He Seeks Right Of
People to Govern Themselves

Roosevelt Says He Seeks Right Of
People to Govern Themselves
Colonel Theodore Roosevelt has an
article entitled DO You Believe in the
Rule fthe People? in the current is
sue OF The Outlook The article in
part, is as follows
There has been much EFFORT made to
fog the issue raised in "a, Columbus
speech In reality, the issue is per
fectly simple. DO you believe in the
rule OF the people? 7, you do, you
are with us. If you do not. you are
against u.s.
am not primarily concerned with
methods. my aim is tC secure the
right OF the people to decide for them
selves, according to the principles of
common sense and Justice, what the
public policy shall be in these mat
tiers. am concerned with the end,
not the means. If in any state the
constitution so clearly defined the
power OF The Legislature 10 act for
I the general welfare as TO prohibit the
courts from multiplying any law that
is cOnsOnant with morality and public
policy as understood by majority of
the people. and II in actual practice
the courts respected such constitu-
tional prohibition, then there would
be no need for what propose; be
cause in such case there would be full
recognition of the absolute right Of
the people to decide the policy of their
I representatives, legislative and jude
ial. in these matters and this is all
for which contend
But in actual practice ! know no
state where such conditions prevail.
they certainly do not prevail in the
state of New York. Therefore ! hold
/ that provision should be made in the
constitutions OF the several states
which in the event Of a clash between
| the legislature and the court as TO
the constitutionality of such legisla-
ton as | have spoken Of should per
/ nit the people themselves 10 decide
what the true Interpretation of the
/ constitution Is. am not concerned
with Technology Whether this is
called a referendum to the people or
whether II is called a shorter and
simpler Wy OF amending the constitu-
ton. to my mind matters nothing. The
essential thing is 10 get the power
for the people.
II is not merely untruthful but silly
TO say that such process would leave
us lat the mercy OF the mob" Such
process as | advocate would take al
the very least two years time. II in
two years the people cannot come "a
sober and deliberate Judgment. then
IL is impossible that they should ever
so come. II they have not the char
acter and the intelligence to enable
them. after two years elaboration, at
ter seeing the whole matter thresheC
out by the legislature and before the
executive and by the court, and finally
by public speakers in an election, tC
themselves decide what they mean
when they framed the constitution
hen Il is idle to talk OF their beinl
NJ to frame a constitution.
The wisest judges have always fully
] iffNAlilhtN AlAiH AAANN w th' fhNiA' ~
rule. this right Of the people to b.
! their own masters and ultimately t.
decide their own policy As formo
Chief Justice Campbell, OF Michigan
said The greatest knowledge tina
we have in this world is the common
| knowledge OF the common people
do not propose to give the people an
new power. propose to restore L
them the power out Of which the.
have been defrauded, the power whic'
Il is their right and their duty to eN
ercise. propose to provide a bette
> and more effective method for the eN
ercise OF the power reserved and II
herent in the people to make or III
} make their constitution or constru
! the constitution in accordance wit
their we'll considered needs. ] preac
no new doctrine.
The proposal that | make for tn
several states was In actual praotic