Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-31
CITES LOR|MER CASE
Vindication Due to "Misrepre-
Sentation," Says Roosevelt.
HITS RAILROAD RATE BILL

DETROIT. Mich, March 3O.-The issue
between Theodore Roosevelt and the
present national administration was en-
phasized by a speech which the former
President delivered here tonight The
railroad rate bill passed by the present
Congress and the Lorimer case furnish
ed the themes for his speech.
With his visit to Detroit. which he
reached after an all-day ride from the
west. Col. Roosevelts campaign tour
of the central states virtually came to
an end, as he expects to make no stop
on the return trip to New York.
Mr.. Roosevelt said that the railroad
rate bill. submitted to Congress by the
administration, was "a thoroughly mis-
chleVous and improper measure" The
proeresslv senators, he said. reconstruct
ed the bill against the violent opposi-
uon or the reactionarieS. who supported
the administration" retaining as the one
provision for the Commerce Court This
court, he said. has worked badly.
Greeted by Large Groves.
Passing TO the Lorimer case, Col Roose-
Welt declared that the vote of the Senate
committee this week recommending that
the Illinois senator be allowed to retain
his seat. illustrated the working lin ac-
tuai practice of the Presidents theory of
government of the people by what he
calls representative party of the
people"
The Roosevelt meeting here tonight was
held in the guard armory, which was
crowded. On the trip from Chicago this
afternoon Col Roosevelt made number
of speeches from the train. The crowds
which gathered at the railway stations as
he passed through Michigan We're the
largest which have assembled to hear the
coloneis two-minute talks from the car
platform during his present trip. In
these speeches he discussed the presiden-
tial primary, and praised Gov. Osborn
for his work for such a measure.
The governor has represented the peo-
pie" he said. while those who have
stood against the direct presidential pri-
mary have misrepresented them"
At Ann ArbOr the students at the Uni
versity of Michigan We're on hand and
gave the colonel an uproarious greeting.
Col. Roosevelt went from the mass
meeting to the train. for the trip to New
York He expects to reach home late to-
morrow for a short rest before starting
on his southern tour next week.
Scores Railroad Rate Bill.
In his speech tonight Col. Roosevelt
said:
The one great bit OF progressive legis-
lation in the last Congress was the rail-
road rate bill. AS submitted for action
by the administration this YVES a
thoroughly miSchievous and improper
measure, which would have meant the
undoing of most of the work that had
been done in the last twenty years, for it
legalized monopoly without furnishing
any additional safeguards in the way of
control
But one of the essential features OF
the origina, administration bill was left
This was the provision for commerce
court. As a matter of fact, this is the
only provision of the bill that in practice
has worked badly.
Il wish TO call your attention to the
last instance of the working in actual
practice of the Presidents theory Of gov
ernment of The people by what he calls
a representative part OF the people. Ii
means and can only mean, government
of the people, for the special interest
by the bosses.
THE immediate Illustration of this fac,
is afforded by what the Senate commit
tee has done In the Lorimer case
1T seems to me that this Lorimer case
so far from being an argument in fAvO
of the Presidents position that we should
have government Of the people by par
of the people, is a strong argument fO
more direct government by the people
a strong argument for the direct election
Of United States senators by the people.
I'VE have also heard good deal of tall
recently by our opponents. headed l All
sorry to say, by the President himself
against what they have called the impul
sive judgment of the people Now. o
course, as a matter of fact in nothin.
that We have proposed have We asked 70
/ impulsive Judgment.
Charges Use of Patronage.
/ In the proposal that l have made 70
giving the people the right by a reason
! ably quick method of construction o
amendment of the Constitution to sa,
what they meant when they made tn
| Constitution. / have expressly stipulate,
for at least two years time. before tn
final vote is taken. and If that is not suf
| fcient TO turn impulse into sober judge
| rnent then the people are wholly unfit Z
govern themselves at any time.
But i would like to point out an anus
ing incident of our opponents incon
sistency. Most OF the southern states
are under the dominion of the officeholders
ard Wherever this was the case our op
ponents took good care to secure an eX
| ceedlngly impulsive judgment by thes
patronage-controlled southern states Ion
| in advance of the action of the state
| where there is a real republican party
and where when given the chance the re
publtcanS can express their own will a
10 who should be the nominee for Presi
| dent.
Among our opponents one OF tn
complaints most often made against IN
! is. forsooth. that l was a dictator whel
was President. Never in any in
stance was there so much as an accu
! satiOn that / was trying to dictate L
the people. The accusation was that
tried to dictate TO the senators an
representatives. Well. mind you. tn
only way l tried TO dictate to the sena
tors and representatives was by get
ting the case put as plainly and a
vividly as possible before the people
and then letting them do the dictatin
if they chose.
Because of the great crowd at tn
armory. Mr.. Roosevelt addressed a
overflow crowd from the balcony OF tn
Cadillac Hotel