The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-03-22
ROOSEVELT A CAMPAIGNER.

Those who read the news OF the day
found in The Tribune yesterday morn
inc a fair and full presentation of COL
Roosevelt's speech IN New YORK oity
ON Wednesday evening. The speech
was delivered in Carnegie Hall, and
was a bitter attack upon President lalt
and his attitude toward what Roose
welt considers the pressing questions o.
the time, and was characterlsticatly
disinocnuous and assumptlve. 1t was
entirely dishonest in Col, RooseVeit 10
undertake to say that President TAFT
shows a disbelief in the people when
they vote at the polls, merely because
President Taft is insistent upon; pre-
serving the rights of minorities as guar
anteed in the constitution and In
the laws. Roosevelt S idea is that when
"the people" want anything they have
a right to vote 1t, whether it is con-
stitutional or not, and whether 1t Is
conformable to vested rights or not.
The minority has a vested right under
the constitution to its full protection
in liberty. property, and lawful actlV-
tiles. Col. Roosevelt thinks that the
majority can at any time vote away
these rights of the minority, set aside
the constitutional guarantees, and carry
things with high hand. To he sure,
he says that at any time that the ma
iority should undertake to oppress the
minority. he would step in and prevent
lit. But it is infinitely better to have
the protection of the supreme law and
of the principles laid down in the CON
stitution, in statutes, and court decl"
sious, than to depend upon the power
full arm of even such a great champion
as Col Roosevelt, to protect the rights
of the minority.
| The truth is that with the Roosevelt
doctrine given full sway. and the right
| of the majority to have whatever they
want without restriction, our constitu-
tion would be swept aside at breath;
and so far from his idea being, AS he
expresses it, a short way to amend the
constitution, it is, IN fact, a short way
to do away with the constitution alto
gether. And his attempt to show that
any one opposing this radical change
of government is "dlstrustful of the peo-
pie. is either dishonest or it shows a
total lack in him Of ability to .compre-
hend the true principles upon which the
American government is founded. 1t
will be in vain that Col. Roosevelt ar
raigns President Taft on this ground,
for the people understand fully the
fundamental basis upon which our
Government is founded, and the neces-
sity for the protection of the rights of
every individual IF any community
were at liberty to disregard the rights
of even one person, rob him Of his
property, vote away his citizenship, and
put him in Jail merely because of popu'
lar clamor, then our government would
be no longer government OF law aud
order, but a government Of ruthless op.
preston; no man would be at liberty
to array himself against the sentiment
of the community in which he lived or
any question whatever, AT pain of be
, ing dealt with by the community
! without regard 70 law or right.
For a. man who is simply q receptive
, candidate, who reluctantly consents
, TO saw that he would accept the Prcsi
, Dental nomination if il is offered IL
, him. Col Roosevelt is exhibiting an in
terest and vigor in the progress of hi:
campaign that would be worthy of th'
emulation OF the most active seeke
: after the office Col Roosevelt ot
J. course. does not seek the Presidency
s we have his own word for this. n
: would merely take the office if the Re
publican National Convention offer
him the nomination. and the peopi
ratify that nomination at the polls. 81