New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-31
MIR. RoosEvELT's SPEECH.

The Tribune reiOices in Colonel Roose-
velts quick recovery from his injury.
His vigor of constitution has stood
him in good stead. Only a man OF
extraordinary physical resources could
have faced the strain Of appearing IN
such n hall as Madison Square Garden
before the throng of people gathered
there last night so soon after receiving
n serious wound His speech IS wei
come note in his campaign. 1t is free
from personalities and has about 1t
dignity Of which the speaker until
now seems to have forgotten the eff
fectiveness. The colonel and his fol-
lowers might well wish that he had
made no speeches in any different
temper. Had he preserved this meas
ure of prOpriety he would be stronger
with the nation. His chance of cleo
ton would not be so hopeless as it is.
But even if he had chosen the better
part from the outset, never stirring the
resentment or rousing the indignation
that his frequent casting Of dignity
and restraint to the winds has evoked,
the sober, level-headed people who
make up this country could still, we
feel confident, have been relied upon
10 reject his candidacy.
They will reject it because OF his
impatlence with the established in
stitutions Of the country. This i'm
patience showed itself again in his
speech Of last night. when he said
10 his hearers: I'VE brush aside the
arguments Of those who seek to bar
action by the repetition of some for
"mula about states rights or about
1.-THE history of liberty being the his
tory Of limitation Of governmental
power or about the duty of the
courts finally to determine the mean
''ing of the Constitution Let us give
him credit for his honesty and cCur-
age in reminding the public on the
eve Of election Of what a threat his
candidacy contains against the indie
pendence of the judiciary, which this
country has always felt to be neces-
Sary TO the stability of its system OF
government and to the security Of
those least able to make themselves
secure. He would brush" all this
aside" lightly, without regard to ulti-
mate consequences, in his zeal for an
immediate end.
That impatient haste is the distinc-
tive feature of ROoseveltism, or Pro-
gressivism, TO call it by the party
name On the human side Of its pro-
gramme It has no monopoly. Republi-
can and Democrat alike when they read
Colonel ROosevelt's address will find
themselves exclaiming, "Of course"
with regard to the greater part of it.
They will heartily agree with what he
says about the need of a fairer and
more equal opportunity for all. Human
sympathies are not the exclusive pos
session Of any one person or any one
political party. It was not left for the
Progressive party or its leader to dis
cover poverty. The discovery is old.
The will to make things better is old
also. The hopes which Colonel RoOse-
welt has at heart others have at heart
The cause which he embraces in such
utterances is not new. 1t has filled the
statute books with its triumphs. 1t
will go on if Mr.. Taft wins, as it
has gone on during the years Of his
administration. 1t will go on-let us
be fair-if Governor Wilson wins.
1t Is Just because the people know
this we'll that they will reject Colonel
Roosevelt's overtures. They are not pre-
pared to brush aside" essentials Of
the American system of government
They know that progress has been
realized without the changes which
Colonel Roosevelt impulsively recon-
mends. and that II will continue to be
realized. With the earnest progress
Eives sympathy outweighs prudence.
The nation will manage to keep its
'pommon sense along with its SYM
pathy. I'VE know" says Colonel
Roosevelt, that the long path leading
upward toward the light cannot be
''traversed at once, or in a day, or in
"A year" The country is not sure
that the colonel or the more devout
Of his followers always keep this
sound principle in mind. But the coun-
try has kept it in mind always,