New-York tribune., 1912-03-24
Structure CoIIapses as Colonel
Enters Auditorium Before
a Big Crowd at
Portland, Me-.
DIRECT THRUSTS AT TAFT
President Scheme WouldFBe
a Government of the People,
for the People, by the
Bosses" He De-
clares.

Taft by his predecessor in Office was
contained in a speech delivered here to-
night by Colonel Roosevelt. The colonel
spent twelve hours in Portland and re-
ceived a cordial welcome. He was the
chief guest at a luncheon and a dinner,
shook hands steadily for two hours in
the afternoon, attended a conference OF
Maine politicians, and tonight spoke for
an hour before crowd which filled the
Armory Auditorium.
The collapse Of the speakers platform
in the Auditorium created some excite
ment, although Colonel Roosevelt was
uninjured. The platform, which was
elevated about three feet from the floor,
was crowded with about thirty persons.
AS Colonel Roosevelt ascended the plat
form on entering the hall 1t gave way
with a crash. The middle portion sank
to the floor Colonel Roosevelt stepped
quickly to the front Of the structure.
which did not give way, and waved his
hand at the crowd to show that he was
uninjured. A chair was placed at the
edge Of the platform. and during the re-
mainder Of the evening Colonel Roose-
! velt remained at the very front Of tho
weakened stage
Medil Mccormick, Of Chicago, man.
ager Of the Roosevelt Washington bu-
reau, was on the platform at the time
il collapsed. He said 1t sank so gTaGu-
ally that there was no danger to any
one. Mr. Mccormick was standing di-
rectly behind Colonel Roosevelt who. he
said stepped to the front before ii gave
way completely, and did not lose his
balance None Of those on the platform
fell down The only object which top
| pied over was the speakers table
Must Stand on Our Platform
As Colone. Roosevelt entered the hall
the people rose 20 their feet with 4
cheer. For two minutes the applause
continued When Walter II. Brown.
president of the Roosevelt committee OF
Maine introduced the colonel there was
another outburst of handclapping. Ere
I uuently during his speech he was inter-
rupted by applause. Colonel RooseVelts
opening remarks, in which he referred
10 the collapse of the platform brougnt
laugh from his hearers.
The platform broke down" he said.
but il wasn't our platform. Our plat
form won't break down. In the end the
servants of the people will have 10
stand on that platform or the American
democracy will be confessed failure
| IL was Colonel Roosevelt's first visit TO
Maine since August of 1902. When he
arrived shortly after noon he was well
coined by a crowd which jammed SO
tightly into the station that he found
difficulty in forcing his way out. The
| largest gathering Of the day up 10 the
time Of the mass meeting tonight was
that which assembled for the reception
| For two hours Colonel Roosevelt stood
in a parIor of a hotel and shook hands
with a stream OF persons which moved
! by him as rapidly as it could be urged
| forward. 1t was estimated that Colonel
Roosevelt shook hands with three thou
sand or moro persons.
! Colonel Fred Hale. son of ex-Sen-
ator Hale; Frank L. Dngley. brother OF
! the late Congressman Nelson Dinsley.
and a number of other leaders in tho
Roosevelt movement in Maine brought
to Colonel Roosevelt reports OF the
progress of the fight in all parts OF tho
state. After the conference Colonel
! Roosevelt went TO Colonel Hale's home
! for dinner At the luncheon, which was
| given by the Maine Roosevelt commit
tee the colonel talked with Governor
Robert p. Bass of New Hampshire.
Assails Mr.. Taft's Theory.
! Colonel Roosevelt in his Auditorium
sreech repeated the statement which he
made in his New York address on
! "Wednesday night, that President Taft
had declared in favor n A government
"by a representative part Of the people.
"In it's actual workings" he said. the
Presidents scheme would be a govern
ment of the people, for the people by the
bosses"
Colonel Roosevelt named Senator Pen
rose. of Pennsylvania; Senator Gallinger,
of New Hampshire: William Barnes, jr..
of New York; Congressman Mckinley.
the Presidents campaign manager, and
ex-Consressman Tawney, OF Minnesota,
AS representing ''the chief present adj
herents of the President" and said that
they were precisely the men who, under
the Presidents theory, would be, as they
10 n certain degree already are. the rep
resentative part OF the people which gov
erns the rest of the people and which
docs not really represent them at all. but
msrepresents them"
The speaker added that the difference
between what he termed President
Taft's theory of government and Lin
coins theory explains why in so many
matters the Progressives do not feel that
the President, however good his inten-
tions. can properly represent them or
pay to progressive ideas the kind OF 10y
atty which results in the translation OF
words into actions
Colonel RoosevsIt's Speech.
Colonel Roosevelt spoke. in part as
follows:
The President of the United States has;
| In a number of recent speeches, aoiy anu
correctly stated the issue between him ana
ms We stand for the right Of the people
| TO rule and We stand for this as real ana
iyin9 fact and not as a Juggling formuls
iilnsai ingeniously devised so as not to find eex-
nression in fact In recent speech the
President paraphrased Lincoln's great state
| n,ent ,hat this is a government of the
neople. for the people and by the people.
proposing as a substitute that we shouid
Hereafter act on the theory that this u
government Of the people. for the people