Evening journal., 1912-03-21
LET PEOPLE
RULE SAYS
ROOSEVELT
Former President opposes
MIR. Taft'S attitude on
Popular Government
PEOPLES VOICE MUST
PREVAIL, ne SAYS

carnegie Ddll OOlOnel hOoseNell OellV- /
cred forceful campaign speech. 1t is
In part as follows:
The great fundamental issue now be-
fore the Republican party and before
our people can be stated briefly. 1t is.
Are the American people tit to govern
themselves, TO rule themselves. to con-
troll themselves? i believe they are.
My opponents do not. believe in the
right Of the people to rule l believe
that the majority OF the plain people Of
the United States will, day I'm and day
out, make fewer mistakes I'm govern
ing themselves than any smaller class
or body of men, no matter what their
training, will make in trying to govern
them. believe. again, that the Amer
ican people are, as a whole. capable OF
self control and OF learning by their
mistakes.
Tyranny Of Minorities.
/ / have scant patience with this talk
of the tyranny Of the majority. When
ever there is tyranny Of the majority
] shall protest against it with all my
heart and soul. But we are today suf-
fering from the tyranny Of minorities.
1t is a small minority that is grabbing
our coal deposits. our water powers
and our harbor fronts. A small minor
ity is fattening on the sale of adulter.
ated foods and drugs. 1t is a small
minority that lies behind monopolies
and trusts. 1t is a small minority that
stands behind the present law of mas
ter and servant. the sweatshops and
the whole calendar of social and in.
dustrial injustice. It is a small minor
ity that is today using our convention
system to defeat the will OF a majority
Of the people in the choice Of delegates
TO the Chicago convention.
II the majority Of the American peo-
pie were in fact tyrannous over the
minority, if democracy had no greater
self control than empire. then indeed
no written words which our forefa-
theirs put into the constitution could
stay that tyranny.
No sane man who has been familiar
with the government of this country
for the last twenty years will com
plain that we have had too much Of
the rule OF the majority. The trouble
has been far different one-that.
many times and in many localities.
there have held public office in the
states and in the nation men who
I have in fact served not the whole peo
! pie, but some special class or specia
+ interest. l am not thinking only o
. those special interests which by gross
/, er methods, by bribery and crime
have stolen from the people. l an
thinking as much Of their respectable
( allies and figureheads, who have ruled
Z and legislated and decided as II il
= some way the vested rights Of priv
: lege had a first mortgage on the whole
United States. while the rights of all the
E people were merely an unsecured debt
. Am Overstating the case? Have oui
political leaders always or generally
, recognized their duty to the people as
, anything more than duty TO disperse
the mob. see that the ashes are taken
I away and distribute patronage? Have
4 our leaders always or generally work
ed for the benefit Of human beings. "a
3 increase the prosperity of all the peo
pie, 10 give TO each some opportunity
II living decently and bringing up his
. children weil2 The questions need nc
answer.
,. New "cheeks and Balances"
D Now there has sprung up feelins
deep in the hearts Of the people, not oi
the bosses and professional politicians
. not Of the benehciaries of special privi
y lege-a pervading belief Of thinking
r men that when the majority Of the poo
4 pie do in fact as well as theory rul'
k then the servants Of the people vii
come more quickly to answer and Obey
not the commands Of the special inter
tests, but those Of the whole people T,
= reach toward that end the progressive
8 of the Republican party in certaiI
t states have formulated certain propos
T ais for change in the form Of the stat
S government-certain new checks ant
balances" which may check and bal
ance the special interests and their al
I lies That Is their purpose. Now turl
= for a moment to their proposed meth
ods.
g First there are the initiative an,
referendum" which are so framed tha
If the legislatures obey the comman'
Of some special interest and obstinatel
S refuse the viii Of the majority the ma
70 jority may step in and legislate direct
$ ". No man would say that it was bes
= to conduct all legislation by direct vot
: of the people-it would mean the los
! Of deliberation. of patient considerable
q but. on the other hand, no one who's
II mental arteries have not long sine
a. hardened can doubt that the proposes
changes are needed when the legisls
tGras refuse to carry out the win Q
, the people. The proposal is metho
10 reach an undeniable evil. The
there is the recall Of public officers, th
priuciple that an officer chosen by th
people who is unfaithful may be r.
called by vote Of the majority befoF
T. he finishes his term will speak q
y the recall OF judges in a moment
III leave that aside-but, as to the 9th,
s officers, have heard no argument al
s. vanced against the proposition say
il that it will make the public ofhc'
Sc timid and always currying favor vii
e. the mob. That argument means thi
m you can fool AN the people all the tin
y and is an avowal OF disbelief in demo
= racy. II it be true-and believe it
ii not-it is less important than to stc
. those. public officers from currying Il
OF vor with the interests.
III Limitations Of the Recall.