The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-21
A CHARTER
OF DEMOCRACY
econtinred rom Page one.l

believe in adopting the recall save ds
a last resort when it has become clear
ly evident that no other course will
achieve the desired result
Senator LaFOilette was mentioned
but once. as follows:
FOLLOWING Senator LaFollette q
number of practical workers and
thinkers in Wisconsin have turned
that state into an experim entail labora-
tory of wise governmental action in
aid of social and Industrial justice
They have initiated that kind of pro-
gressive governn ent which means not
only the preservation of true democ-
racy but the extension of the princi-
pie of true democracy into Industrial
ism as well as into politics.
His Speech ln Fun.
Mr.. President, and Members Of the
Ohio Constitutional Convention:
am profoundly sensible Of the
honor you have done me in asking
me to address you. You are engaged
in the fundamental work Of self-gov-
eminent; you are engaged in framing
q constitution under and in accord
ance with which the people are to get
and to do justice and absolutely to
rule themselves. No representative
body can have a higher task. To
carry it through successfully there is
need to combine practical common
sense of most hard-headed kind with
a spirit of lofty idealism. Without
idealism your work will be bit eor-
did nakeshift: and without the hard
headed common sense the idealism
will be either wasted or worse than
wasted
I shall not try to speak to you OF
matters Of detail. I cannot touch
upon them all; the subject Is too vast
and the time too limited; II any one
of you cares to know my views o.
these matters which I do not today
discuss, I will gladly send him
copy Of the speeches I made in 1s1o4
which I think cover most Of the
ground.
I believe in pure democracy. With
Lincoln, hold that this country,
with its institutions, belongs to the
people who inhabit It Whenever they
shall grow weary Of the existing
government, they can exercise their
constitutional right of amending It."
We progressives believe that the peo-
pie have the right, the power, and the
duty TO protect themselves and their
own welfare; that human rights are
supreme over all other rights; that
wealth should be the servant. not the
master, of the people. We believe
that unless representative govern
ment does absolutely represent the
people it is not representative govern
ment at all. We test the worth OF
all men and all measures By asking
how they contribute to the welfare
of the men, women and children Of
whom this nation is composed. We
are engaged in one Of the great bat
ties of the age-Iong contest waged
against privilege on behalf Of the
common welfare. We hold it a prime
duty of the people to free our gov
ernn sent from the control Of money
IN politics. For this purpose We adj
vocate. not as ends IN themselves, but
as weapons in the hands of the peo-
pie, all governmental devices which
will make the representatives Of the
people more easily and certainly re-
sDonsible TO the peoples will. :.
Constitution and the People.
I am emphatically a believer IN
constitutionalism. and because Of this
fact I no less emphaticaIly protest
against any theory that would make
Of the Constitution a means Of thwart-
ing instead of securing the absolute
right Of the people to rule themselves
and to provide for their own social
and industrial well-being. All consti-
tUtions. those of the states no less
than that Of the nation. are designed.
and must be interpreted and admin
astered. so as to fit human rights.
Lincoln SO interpreted and admtnis.
ohanan attempted to reverse. attempt
ed to 1T human rights to. and limit
them by. the Constitution. II wae
buchanan who treated the courts as a
fetish, who protested against and con-
nemned all criticism Of the Judges
Tor unjust and unrighteous decisions.
and upheld the Constitution as an in
strument for the protection Of priv
nege and Of vested wrong. It was
Lincoln who appealed to the people
against the Judges when the Judges
went wrong, who advocated and se-
cured what was practically the recall
of the bred Scott decision, and who
treated the Constitution as a living
force for righteousness. We stand
for applying the Constitution to the
Issues OF today as Lincoln applied It
TO the issues Of his day
II hold It to be the duty Of every
public servant, and of every man who
IN public or in private life holds a
position Of leadership In thought or
action, to endeavor honestly and fear
lessly to guide his fellow-countrv-
men to right decisio1s; but I emphat-
icaliy dissent from the view that II IN
either wise or necessary TO try to de-