The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1912-04-13
ROOSEVELT HAS |
CATECHISM

. Theodore Roosevelt has an editorial In
the current issue of The Outlook entitled,
"a Short Political Creed" In the ar
ticle he says:
"a good friend of mine who has been
asked many questions about the political
philosophy which / endeavored to in
terpret and formulate in my Columbus
speech has put those questions in the
form of a short catechism; and in an
swering them l have endeavored to out
line the philosophy.
What Is the aim for which political
Progressives are striving?
"The promotion of genuine popular
government in America, the defense of
human rights and the establishment of
social and Industrial justice, so that
every force in the community may be
directed toward securing for the average
man and average woman higher and
better and fuller life in the things of the
body no less than those of the mind and
soul.
do you believe that the pursuit of
this aim requires the adoption of new
and radical principles?
No. i believe it requires new and
radical application OF the old principles
Of justice and common honesty, which
are as eternal as life itself. New me-
thods and new machinery are needed for
carrying these principles into our nat
ional existence; and also a broader sym
pathy, SO that our justice may be gen.
erous and human, and not merely legal
istic.
do you believe in a short ballot?'
Il do. i consider it one of the most
important methods to be adopted. BY
the short ballot l mean the principle
OF electing few men to important Offices
and making more administrative Offices
appointive.
do you believe in direct primaries?'
81 do. In the State the primary should
be OF the simplest form consistent with
preventing fraud that. will enable each
individual voter to act directly on the
nomination of elective officers; in the
nation the Presidential primaries should
, be so framed that the voters may choose
their delegates to the national conven-
tions, and at the same time express their
preference for nominees for the Presi-
deney.
"Do you believe in the election of
United States Senator's by the people?"
do. I think the people are just as
competent to elect United States Sena-
tors directly as they are to elect Cover
nors or representatives in Congress or
State Legislatures.
'1Do you believe in sic initiative or
referendum?
YES, under certain definite limita-
lions. Action by the initiative or refer
endum ought not to be the normal way
of legislation; l think the Legislature
should be given an entirely free hand.
Put l believe the people should have the
- power to reverse or Supplement, me work
of til. .Lesislattddfscc whenever it becomes
necessary.
do you believe in the recall?
81 believe the people should be pro-
vided with the means of recalling or I'M
electing important elective administra-
tive officers to be used only when there
is widespread and genuine public feel
ing for such recall among a majority of
the voters.
do you believe in the recall OF
judges?
Il believe that the evils which have
led to the very widespread propo sal TO
apply the recall to judges are very real.
] see no reason why the people, If they
are competent to elect judges, are not
also competent to unelect them. | think
the judiciary should be made clearly to
understand that they represent justice
for the whole people. Personally, and
having in view the success of the Massa-
chusetts system, am at present Inclined
to believe that judges should be ap-
pointive. Then we can Apply the prin-
ciple of the recall to the pointiye power.
In addition | would have the appointive
judges removable; and, in Keeling our way
to the proper solution, | would try hav-
ing this done by majority vote of the
two houses of the Legislature, as may
now be done under the Massachusetts
law, whenever the people through their
representatives feel that the needs of the
people require such removal.
do you believe in the ieview of judi
cial decisions by State courts and what
do you mean by it?
Il do. What | mean may be fully ex-
pressed by the phrase, 1.-THE right of the
peop to review certain judicial deci
sions which nullify laws demanded by the
people in the exercise of the police or
general welfare power on the ground that
these laws are unconstitutional This
would amount to a similar method of
constituting or amending the judicial in
depreciation of the Constitution wher-
ever such Interpretation becomes clearly
adverse to human rights. 1 believe, as
/ have said over and over again, that
sls.~A ho L. 81