The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-12-05

source of all governmental power
those rights which have been usurped
BY privilege 1t seeks to render all gov
ernmental functions less complex and
complicated And in this line let me
say that believe we should fight with
technicality and speedier justice in
courts; for the strict and impartial en-
forcement of the laws of the state with
out fear or favor, for rich and poor
alike
EVERY one, from the judge on the
supreme bench down to the transitory
hobo run in for vagrancy, viii admit,
I think that our statute books are
numbered by too many useless and fool
ish Iaws-sO many in fact that lawyers
and judges themselves often seem at a
loss to determine what the law really
i We have too many laws. tinkered
and patched by journeymen JoDoers
who 90 to our legislative halls with a
direct commission to tack on joker
or carve a Ioophole or draw the 1angs
from the laws the people demand
We no longer respect the law as our
fathers did But how can we expect
the masses to retain a respect for the
law when it is so lightly swept aside
when known law-breakers VINO are ao4e
To paw q smart lawyer a tat Zee are
allowed to escape punishment IIlrO t.sl
some such technicaIity as the omission
of the word the in an Indictment
When malefactors of wealth are able 10
drag their defense through court after
court and through year after year no"
dare We look for reverence OF Ia" OF
respect of courts?
1T seems TO me. therefore, that there
needs to be a complete reformation or
the courts of this country, both state
and federal. I believe in the reign OF
law. but 1 believe still more in the ca
pacity Of the people to make and inter-
lou
is the spawn of anarchy. If we are 10
escape that. as God grant We may, we
must have. and have soon, legislative
system that responds faithfully ana
true TO the will of the people, and
I11tiicial system that cannot thwart that
will.
I do not believe that the system
whereby federal judges are appointed TO
a life tenure of Office, is sound or IS IN
keeping with the spirit of our American
institutions Federal judges CIlted
States senators and all other servants
Of the people should be elected by direct
vote of the people
This is the first political gathering
I have attended since the women OF
Kansas have been given the Fotins
power, and I mention with satisfaction
and pride that it was the ProgresSlFes
If kansas who openly and frankly
and earnestly made the fight for equa1
suffrage. who insisted that because
women as much as men, are part OF
our economic and social life, women,
as much as men should have the vot-
ing mower to solve all economic and
social problems; that votes for women
should be theirs as a matter OF ma
t11raI right, and that votes for women
should be theirs also as q matter or
political wisdom
Nearly six million women now are
breadwinners in factories, stores and
other. places of tell. In hours of labor
and all the physical conditions Of in
dustriaI effort they must compete with
men And they must do it at lower
ages than men receive-wages which
in most cases are not enough for these
struggling women workers to live on
This is unnuman and indecent 1t is
to be identified with the great pro-
see that the rights of womanhood are
enjoyed by factory girls. and laundry
workers. and sweatshop workers and
the struggling women of scores of
other occupations
His Pledges to the New Party.
Through my newspapers, and per-
sonaIIy, / have with all the force at
my command advocated the esta blish-
ing of the reign of justice and social
Righteousness and a larger democracy
in this country. the solving Of all po-
liticaI questions and all economic
problems in the public interest, rather
than in private interest I am here
tonight TO pledge you by all that I