The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-08-09
KEYNOTE SPEECH
OF THIRD PARTY
Roosevelt Sets Forth Principles
Of National ProgressiVes
"OlD PARTIES MERELY HUSKS"
Argues For Right of People to Rule;
Stands For Regulation Of Courts and
. Constructive Control of Trusts;
Tackles the Tariff, High Cost of Liv-
: ing, Currency and Conservation.

Tackles the Tariff, High Cost or liv-
ina, Currency and Conservation.
Mr.. Roosevelt's speech strikes a key
note for his followers n supporters
in the new party. 1t lays down the plan
of battle 70 be waged by the National
Progressive party. He discusses those
principles under twelve subdivisions
namely, the helplessness of he old par
ties, the right of the people to rule, the
courts and the people, constructive n
troll of the trusts, rights of the wage
worker. the farmer, the tariff, the high
cost of living, currency, conservation.
Alaska and international affairs. THE
two old parties" he said, ARE husks,
with no real soul within either, divided
on artificial lines, boss ridden and priv
ilege controlled, each a tumble of In
congruous elements and neither daring
to speak out wisely and fearlessly what
should be said on the vital issues OF
the day" AS opposed to this incon-
gruity and insincerity Of action he as
serted that the National Progressive
platform will be "a contract with the
peOIBle. Will cHlilt II RAo
vision to be carried out if the people
ratify the contract on election day as
exactly and honestly las if it were ac-
tually enforceable under the law"
No Help From tho Old Party Machines.
Neither the Republican nor the Dem
Ocratic platforms or managers show
any adequate recognition of the mighty
fact that we are now in the midst of
a great economic evolution" This
irresistible movement for economic
change and improvement must be guild
ed 'by Common sense and the highest
ethical standards" in order to prevent
reasonable evolution from becoming
dangerous revolution. The Democratic
party, as is indicated by its present rec
ord in congress-, lacks the common
sense and the Republican party, by its
record of stolen delegates at the Chi
cago convention. lacks the ethical
standards.
The men who presided over the Chi
cago and Baltimore conventions and
the great bosses who controlled the
two conventions-Mr. Root and Mr..
Parker, Mr.. Barnes and Mr.. Murphy.
Mr.. Penrose and Mr.. Taggart, Mr..
Guggenheim and Mr.. Sullivan-differ
from one another, Of course, on GER
tain points. but these are the differ
ences which one corporation lawyer
has with another corporation lawyer
when acting for different corporations.
They come together at once as against
a common enemy when the dominion
of both is threatened by the supremacy
of the people Of the United States.
If this country is really to go
forward along a path of social and eco
nomic justice there must be a new
party Of nation wide and nonsectional
principles, a party where the titular
national chiefs and the real state lead
ers shall be in genuine accord, a party
in whose councils the people shall be
supreme, a party that shall represent
in the nation and the several states
alike the same cause, the cause of hu-
cheney" The reassertion Of the states
rights doctrine of the Democratic party
crfpples and forecloses any real or gen.
uine relief to the people. 1t reduces
their promises to hopeless and empty
phrases. The mission and spirit of this
progressive movement win thrill the
republic from end to end.
The Right of the People to Rule.
1.-The actions of the Chicago conven
ton and to an only less degree of the
baltimore convention have shown in
. striking fashion how little the people
do rule under our present conditions
In order to assure this popular rule Mr..
Roosevelt urged the adoption of presi-
dental primaries, popular election Of
senator's, the short ballot, efficient COW
Iupt practices act, qualified use of the
Initiative and referendum and recall.
The recall should be applied to admin
istrative officers.
Mr.. Roosevelt asserts that the adop-
ton of these new methods Of political
administration is not a~ntagonistic to
representative government. "All / de-
sire to do by securing more direct con-
troll of the governmental agents and
representatives of the people is to give
the people the chance to make their
representatives really represent them
whenever the government becomes
misrepresentation instead of represent
alive. l have not come to this way Of
thinking from closest study or as a
mere matter of theory. 1 have been
forced to it by a long experience with
the actual conditions of our political
life"
The Courts and the People.
Under this head Mr.. Roosevelt
strongly emphasizes the necessity of
the sovereign people preserving a check
on every branch Of public service. Un-
der this head Mr.. Roosevelt reiterates
his now well known views regarding
the courts. 'The American people and
not the courts are to determine their
own fundamental policies" This does
not mean that the people are to inter.
fere in cases which involve merely
questions Of justice between individu-
ais except that means should be de-
vised for making 1t easier than at pres.
emf to get rid of an incompetent judge"
But when a judicial decision involvea