The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-09-17
To Provide for the Human We'll
fare Platform PIanks.
MUST WORK FOR STATES
"HOwever," Big Moose Says,
''There Are Certain Matters
We Can Take Up in Congress" :"
at Tucson Today.

Tucson, Ariz., Sept. 17.-If Colonel
Roosevelt is elected president he said
in a speech here today, he will call
. special session of congress immedi-
ately after his Inauguration to put into
effect, as far as can be done by con-
gress, the Progressive partys program
for social and industrial legislation
The program includes minimum wage
scale for women, living wage" pro
hibition of child labor, regulation OF
hours of labor. and other measures.
Colonel Roosevelt reached Tucson ar
ter all-night run from Los Angeles
and opened his one day campaign IL
Arizona here.
while there are many important
planks in the platform of the Progress
sive party he said, Il am most in
terested in the plank dealing with nu-
man welfare. I believe that the issues
there raised are the great issues of
this campaign, which neither of the
old parties is facing squarely. The
Progressive party, if it is put into
power will carry out every promise
which it has made in it's platform. We
regard the platform as a contract with
the people-a contract to be kept to
the letter.
States Must Make Reforms.
"If I am elected president, 1 shall
call special session of congress I'M
mediately to take up these matters.
1t is of course true that the reforms
for which we call are largely subjects
-~hich must be dealt with by the leg
islatures of the various states but
there are certain matters which we
can and will take up in congress, if
the opportunity is given US.
I would have congress take up
three things:
First. is the application of our pro-
gram to employees of the govern
ment. Next is it's application to the
District of Columbia and Alaska. In
the third place, we would apply It to
interstate commerce as far as would
be possible
Colonel Roosevelt said I was diff
ficult to define the lengths to which
congress could go in dealing with con-
Germs engaged in interstate commerce.
through congressional action. He
would attempt to put on the statute
books, he said, as much legislator n
along these lines as could be applied
to the railroads and the usual concerns
doing an interstate business.
He Would Help Washington.
In the District of Columbia, Colonel
Roosevelt said, he proposed TO put into
effect laws which would make The city
of Washington a model, not only for
the United States, but for the nations
of the world.
great deal of money had been spent. |
he said in building boulevards and pubnc
adOrnments in the city and he thought
that some of this money should go to tre
Improvement of the condition of the poor
He said he would urge laws to clear o 1t
the alley tenements and to build small |
parks for the workmen ad would advH-
cate the adoption of the complete pro
gram of the Progressive party Human |
welfare plank in the district.
Colonel Roosevelt said he would also |
urge Immediate enforcement of the plank |
in the program relating to Alaska. urg- |
ing its recommendations concerning gov |
ernment ownership of railroads, and the |
policy in regard to water power sites and |
coal lands.