Evening journal., 1912-10-30
LOW PRAISES TAFT.

g ElH Low, a former Mayor of New York and
- of the most prominent Republicans in the United
States, has written to The Outlook the periodical of
which Colonel Roosevelt is associate editor, an article
entitled An Argument for Mr. Taft In it he says:
have been long a reader of the Outlook and am
IN general so much in sympathy with its point of view
tnat willingly avail myself Of the opportunity you offer
to me of stating why support the Republican party in
this campaign There is in the platform Of the Pro-
gressve party human note 10 which / respond and
am moreover. deeply sensible of the Indebtedness of
the country to Mr.. Roosevelt for awakening its ideal
ism. Perhaps can most briefly indicate my point OF
view by saying that in this campaign Mr.. Roosevelt
seems to to be playing the part of Wendell Phillips
rather than Abraham Lincoln Wendell Phillips de-
nounced the constitution of the United States "a
league with death and coyenant with hell because
II recognized slavery; but Abraham Lincoln realized
that the Constitution of the United States must be
maintained If the Union to be preserved and
slavery itself abolished. Wendell Phillips by his de-
nunciaon of slavery awakened the public conscience
but the cure of the evil which he complained was
brought about by other agencies. So now. Mr. Roose
Neb WIN Tess OCCASION think thunders against the
Constitutional restraints, in the Of social Justice
Greater social Justice will come year by year, doubt
noti Dut IL ls more lkey 10 come by maintaining
fundamental Constitutional restraints than by
throwing them. No wishes a Constitution that
cannot be adapted TO changing conditions and chang
ing public opinion hut when the fundamentals are
changed, ! think they would be changed by the
call Of the judiciary and Of judicial decisions
likely to invite greater evils than those from which
shall escape Mr. Roosevelt is denouncng in unmeasur
ed terms the Republican party which has been for the
Of progressive legislation in the country whole
ands i'm all parts of the Union The convention at
representation I'm the National Convention must be
framed IN order 10 accord with modern conditions II
did not at all demonstrate that the party had ceased
20 be capable of progressive action. On the contrary
believe that it still has capacity for bringing
about desirable legislation in the country and through
out the States than the Progressive party has or
Is likely to have unless the unexpected happens
As to the proposals OF the Progressive party to
establish. wherever II can, the initiative the oompu
sorry referendum and the recall including recall OF
Judges and judicial decisions, am entirely and whole
hearted I'm sympathy with the Republican party In
tagonzing these proposals upon their merits I'm TAX
ing this position. viii not admit for "A moment that
am less believer in the right OF the people TO rule
than the most ardent progressive On the contrary,
maintain that IL rs precisely because believe in popular
rule that am obliged TO anagonize every one Of these
proposals. The most conspicous obiect-losson in
volvng these devices with the exception Of the recall
Of judicial decisions which rs still untred furnished
by Oregon, and reading of the practical results In
Oregon leads me TO believe that they have not worked
well there believe that IN state Ike the state ol
New York. for example, they would work worse.
ln Legislature all parts of state represented,
and no bill can he enacted without the vote OF more
than majority, not Of the representatives voting but
Of all the representatives elected to the legislature
Under the Oregon system groups substantially as
small as onothird of the voters taking part In the
election have enacted legislation. This is neither
popular rule government by maiorities u Is a
rule 10y groups; and when group rules IL is thinking
not Of the general interest but Of its interest
a group Under such a system voting is massed and In
a state like the state OF New York. where the majority
of the population lives I'm cities, 10 would practically
eliminate the dwellers I'm The country from any sub
stantial influence upon legislation. The system OF
direct LEGISLATION destroys party responsibility for
legislation and in this respect also its tendency is un-
single agency divide society perpeudcuary. Tho ef-
feet of direct Legislation is TO divide the population into
groups. with or less common interests within
IN, group and with interests against other groups
antagonistic I believe II to be the part OF statesman
ship to maintain unweakened the force of party re-
sponsibiry, because that always and everywhere
unites our citizenship in a common bond am ready
always to Join with Progressves, any else. IN
irving TO limit and prevent the abuses incident to party
organization; but, despite all such abuses believe
that responsible party organizations afford Of fhe
strongest safeguards that we have for the perpetuty
and happiness o. the Republic do not say that tho
Progressive party may not look forward 10 becoming
party as strong and effective the old parties which
20 seeks to displace hut what do u.s. that its
posals behalf Of direct legislation are entirely in
consistent with any such result
II was said at the Centennial OF the Supreme Court
of the United States by of the speakers q quote
memory that II had been for centuries the boast
OF an Engishman that an Engshmans house is his
castle" The speaker said i'm effect, that in England
this was true as against the executive hut that IL
not true as against the ogslaure for in England the
Parliament is omnpotent and can do with the English
man In Of his castle. what il Will I'm America,
on the other hand the speaker pointed out that the
American might make this boast not only as against
the Executive, hut against the Legislature because
in the United States the right even of the Legislature
TO Interfere with the individual citizen must be passed
upon by impartial court The proposal therefore,
the Recall OF Judges and for the Recall OF judicial
Decisions strikes at that which is most character
isticaly American in the structure of this Republic
do not believe in substituting popular malorities,
much less popular pluralihes, for impartial courts
believe these proposals unwise; believe them un-
necessary: and I believe that they touch that which is
vital to the continued life of the Republic These, in
brief are the reasons why I continue so support the
Republican party both in the Nation and in the State
This paper finished before got the unhappy
news of the attack on Colonel Roosevelts life That 1t
was the deed Of a madman is the only comiof- IN
rejoice in his escape We Americans may differ from
him as we will. but no one justly dispute his
claims 10 undying honor at our hands
have no doubt that much of Mr- Lows letter will
/ commend itself iavorably the American public.
! Frank could who inst has returned from abroad