The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1912-02-29

prise as it has been anticipated for
some time. We believe neverthe-
less, that he has made mistake,
and one that he will hereafter re-
gret. President Taft has under
adverse conditions, done all that
he could to carry out the platform
on which he was elected, and we
firmly believe he has accomplished
more than Mr.. Roosevelt could
have done. He is in condition to
do more in the next four years
than he has in the past, and is
justly entitled to an endorsement
by his party in the shape of re-
nomination. Judging By Mr.
Roosevelt's remarks at Columbus,
Ohio, last week and also in his
speech in Boston Monday, his
chief issue is to be greater a.
mount of self government by the
people. He would make the voters
at the polls the interpreters Of our
constitutions rather than the
courts. He would permit the peo-
pie to ride rough shod over the
constitution and trample it in the
dust as a passing fancy might
dictate. In his Boston speech he
say:
"My proposal applies only to
the legislative acts which the courts
declare unconstitutional. | refer
specifically to laws passed in the
collective interests of the whole
community, passed by the legisla-
tive body, your body here in the
exercise of the power to promote
the general welfare, in the exercise
of the police power which is in
herent in the legislature. If such
a law duly dealing with the col
Iective interests of the community
as whole, passed by the legisla-
ture and signed by the governor,
| is declared unconstitutional by the
courts, I ask that the people be
given the right, if they choose, to
exercise that right themselves to
pass final judgment on the pro-
position"
AS an illustration of how this
practice would work suppose we
make an application in South Da-
kota. Our constitution prohibits
the state from engaging in any
work of internal improvement.
Just now there is some sentiment
in favor of instituting system of
state roads to be built and main
tanned by the state. Suppose the
legislature should make an appro-
priation for such purpose. The
courts would of course declare the
law unconstitutional, and the ap,
preparation void. Then under Mr..
Roosevelt's plan the people could
submit the decision of the court to
a vote of the people and if the de-
cision of the court was reversed
then the appropriation would
stand, regardless of constitution,
law or precedent. This would be
a dangerous proceeding and under
such system the con stitution
would be no more than a piece of
waste paper. Under our present
system the people are not power
less to get what they want. If
they want the state to engage in
internal improvements they can
amend the constitution by striking
out the prohibitive clause, which
would be no more difficult than to
submit court decision, then such
a law could be passed, the people
would get what they want and the
constitution would not be assailed.
If Mr.. Roosevelt is planning, as his
speeches seem to indicate, to
march to the White House over a
highway carpeted by the national
and state constitutions we doubt If
he travels very far. Mr.. Roose-
velt's previous administration was
success but his efforts we're
largely devoted to agitation of the
"square deal' principle. We have
now passed the stage of agitation
and need constructive legislation.
Along this line he has never shown
any superior skill. Mr.. Taft has
been doing excellent work along