Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-07
INSISTS THAT The WHOLE
PEOPLE BE GIVEN HEARING

and intended for its long future. But
for US it is a very practical document.
We are not about 10 ask the people Of
the United States TO adopt our plat
form. We are about TO ask them to
intrust US with Office and power and
the guidance Of their affairs. They
will wish TO know what sort Of men
We are and Of what definite purpose,
what translation OF action and Of pol
icy we intend TO give to the general
terms OF the platform which the con-
vention at Baltimore put forth should
we be elected
WORK TO BE DONE
The platform is not a program. A
program must consist Of measures, ad-
ministrative acts and acts of legisla-
ton. The proof Of the pudding is the
eating thereof. How do we intend TO
make ii edible and digestible? From
this time on we shall be under interro-
cation. How do we expect TO handle
each of the great matters that must be
taken up by the next congress and the
next administrations
What is there TO do? It is hard to
sum the great task up, but apparently
this is the sum OF the matter: There
are two great things 10 do. One is TO
set up the rule OF Justice and of right
I'm such matters as the tariff. the regu-
lation Of the trusts and the prevention
Of monopoly. the adaptation Of our
banking and currency laws to the
varied uses 10 which our people must
put them. the treatment Of those who
do the daily labor IN our factories and
mines and throughout all our great IN
dustrial and commercial undertakings
and the political life Of the people o!
the Philippines, for whom we hole
governmental power in trust, for their
service. not our own. The other. the
additional duty is the great task OF
protecting our people and our resources
and of keeping open TO the whole peo-
pie the doors Of opportunity through
which they must, generation by gener-
alton, pass If they are to make con-
quest OF their fortunes in health, in
freedom, in peace and In contentment.
In the performance OF this second
great duty we are face to face with
questions Of conservation and Of de-
velOpment, questions of forests and
water powers and mines and water
ways, Of the building OF an adequate
merchant marine. and the opening Of
every highway and facility. and the
setting up Of every safeguard needed
10y an Industrious. expanding nation.
~ PARTNERSHIP WITH PEOPLE.
These are all great matters upon
which everybody should be heard. We
have got into trouble in recent years
chicSy because these large things,
which ought TO have been handled by
taking counsel with as large a num-
Der Of persons as possible. because
they touched every interest and the
life Of every class and region. have
I'm fact been too often handled In
private conference. They have been
settled by very small and often de-
HleratCly exclusive groups Of men
who undertook 70 speak for the whole
nation. or. rather. for themselves in
the terms Of the whole natiou-very
honestly IL may be, but very ignorant
u sgmetimcs and very shOrtSightedly,
too-a poor substitute for genuine com
mon counsel. No group of directors,
economic or political. can speak for a
people. They have neither the point
OF View nor the knowledge We need no
revolution: we need no excited change;
we need only n new point Of view and
n new method and spirit Of counsel
We are servants Of the people, the
whole people. The nation has been
unnecce sarily. unreasonably at war
within itself Interest has FLASHED
with interest when there We're com
mon principles Of right and Of fair
dealing which might and should have
bound them all together. not as rivals,
but as partners. As the servants OF
all we are bound TO undertake the
great duty Of accommodation and ad-
justuent.
We cannot undertake IL except in q
spirit which some find it hard to IN
derstand. Some people only smile
. W utl YOU Slfrah VI N'Al Nf-lA a. SCI
ant Of the people; it seems TO them
Ike affectation or mere demagogy.
They ask what the unthinkinS crowd
knows or comprehends Of great com
plicated matters OF government. They
shruC their shoulders and lift their
eyebrows when you speak as II you
really believed in presidential prims-
ries. in the direct election Of United
States senators and In an utter pub
licity about everything that concerns
government. from the sources Of cam
paiCn funds 10 the intimate debate of
the highest affairs OF state.
They do not or will not cOmpre-
bend the solemn thing that is in your
| thought You know as we'll as they
do that there are all sorts and condi.
lions Of men-the unthinking mixed
with the wise. the reckless with the
prudent. the INSCRIPTIONS with the
/ fair and honest-and you know, what
| they sometimes forget, that every
/ class, without exception, affords q
/ sample OF the mixture, the learned and
/ the fortunate no less than the upedu
/ Ac+ waIII