River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1912-08-08
ROOSEVELT GIVES
PLAN OF BATTLE
Address of the Colonel Before the
Progressive Convention.
PRINCIPLES OF NEW PARTY
Leader Discusses Courts and the Peo-
pie, Control Of Trusts, Cost OF
Living, Tariff and Other
Great Issues

Great Issues
Chicago. Aug. 6.-Theodore Roose-
Eelt today addressed the convention
Of the National Progressive party,
sounding the keynote for his followers
and laying down the plan Of battle to
be waged by the new party. He dis
cussed the principles of that party
under these twelve subdivisions: The
Helplessness of the Old Parties; The
Right OF the People to Rule; The
Courts and the People; Construc tive
Control of the Trusts; Rights Of the
Wage Worker; The Farmer; The Tar
IN; The High Cost of Living; Cur
rency; Conservation; Alaska an III
ternational Affairs.
THE two old parties" he said, ARE
husks, with no real soul within either
divided on artificial lines, boss-ridden
and privilege controlled, each 1um-
BILE of incongruous elements, and ne1tn-
er daring to speak out wisely and fear
tessly what should be said on the vital
Issues of the day" AS opposed TO
this incongruity and insincerity OF
action he asserted that the National
Progressive platform will be "a con-
tract with the people, with definite
and concrete provision to be carried
out If the people ratify the contract
on election day as exactly and honest
iy "as If it were actually enforceable
under the law"
OLD Parties Inadequate.
e, IF fbo pOlQ-
nel's speech:
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
. great economic evolution" This ir-
resistible movement for economic
change and improvement must be
guided by both common sense and
the highest ethical standards" in or
der to prevent reasonable evolution
from becoming dangerous revolution.
The Democratic party, as is indicated
by fits present record in congress,
lacks the common sense, and the Re-
publican party, by its record of stolen
delegates at the Chicago convention.
lacks the ethical standards.
Right of the People to Rule.
"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
presidential primaries, popular cleo
ton of senator's, the short ballot, eff
cient corrupt practices act, qualified
use of the initiative, referendum, and
recall. The recall should be applied
TO administrative officers. Mr. Roose-
welt asserted that the adoption OF
these new methods of political admin
istration is not antagonistic to repre-
sentative government Cali I desire
TO do by securing more direct control
Of the governmental agents and rep
resentatives of the people is to give
the people the chance to make their
representatives really represent them
whenever the government becomes
misrepresentation instead of represen-
tative. have not come to this way
Of thinking from closet study or as a
mere matter of theory. I have been
forced to it by long experience with
the actual conditions of our political
life"
The Courts and the People.
Under this head Mr.. Roosevelt
strongly emphasized the necessity of
the sovereign people preserving q
check on every branch of public serv-
Ice. He reiterates his now well-known
views regarding the courts. "The
American people, and not the courts,
are to determine their own fundamen-
tai policies" This does not mean that
the people are to interfere in cases
which involve merely questions of JUS
tice between individuals except that
means should be devised for making
1t easier than at present to get rid of
an incompetent Judge" But when q
judicial decision involves an interpre-
tation of what the people mean by the
constitutions which they have framed
and laws passed by the people are
nullified because the courts say those
laws are contrary to the peoples win
rs expressed in their constitution.
there must be a reference to the peo-
pie Of the public effect of such decis-
ions under forms securing full DELHI
Grafton" to the end that the people
may rectify this alleged defect in their
constitution by a popular vote having
all the force OF constitutional amend
ment. sour purpose is not to impugn
the courts, but to emancipate them
from position whenever they stand
finally In the way of social justice.