Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-03-21
PEOPLE ARE II.
SAYS ROOSEVELT
CAPABLE or RULING IN GOVERN
mEnr AND TO CORRECT OWN
MISTAKES.
COLONEL ANSWERS TAFT
AND OTHER CRITICS


Are Untrustworthy-Stand by Co.
Iumbus Speech and Answers Arsu.
msnts Against Il.
New York, March 21-Col. Theo-
dore. Roosevelt delivered an address
on the subject Of 1.-THE Right Of the
People to Rule" in Carnegie hall in
this city last evening. before an en-
thusiastic audience that tested the
capacity Of the auditorium. Colonel
Roosevelt said:
The great fundamental issue now
before the Republican party and be-
fore our people can be stated briefly.
Il 10, Are the American people At to
govern themselves, to rule them
selves, to control themselves? I be-
lieve they are. My opponents do not.
I believe in the right Of the people to
rule. I believe that the majority OF
the plain people Of tho United States
will, day In and day out, make fewer
mistakes in governing themselves
than any smaller class or body Of
men, no matter what their training.
will mako In trying to govern them.
I believe, again, that the American
people are, as q whole, capable OF
self-control and Of learning by their
mistakes. Our opponents pay lip-loy-
atty to this doctrine: but they show
their real beliefs BY the way In which
they champion every device to make
the nominal rule Of the people a
sham.
1 have scant patience with this talk
Of the tyranny Of the majority.
Whenever there 10 tyranny OF the
majority, shall protest against 1t
with all my heart and soul. But we
are today suffering from the tyranny
Of minoritieG. It 10 small minority
that IL grabbing our coal deposits. our
water powers. and our harbor fronts.
A small minority 10 fattening on tho
sale Of adulterated foods and drugs
Il 10 q small minority that lies behind
monopolies and trusts. It 10 . small
minority that stands behind the pres
ent law a master and servant, the
sweat-shops, ana the whole calendar
Of social and Industrial injustice. It
is q small minority that is today US
Ing our convention system to defeat
the will Of . majority Of the people in
the choice Of delegates to the Chi
cago convention. Tho only tyrannies
from which men, women and children
are suffering In real life are the tyran-
nies of minof1tioe.
II tho majority Of the American
people were in fact tyrannous over
the minority. II democracy had no
greater self-control than empire, then
indeed no written words which our
forefa&hers put into the constitution
could stay that tyranny.
No sane man who has been famil.
lar with the government Of this coun'
try for the last twenty years will COM
plain that We have had too much Of
the rule Of the majority. The trouble
has been . far different one-that, at
many times and In many localities,
there have held public once in the
states and In tho nation men who
have, in fact, served not the whole
people. but some special class or
special interest. am not thinking
only Of those special interests which
by grosssr methods. by bribery and
crime, have stolen from the people.
1 am thinking - much Of their re-
spectables allies and figureheads. who
have ruled and legislated and decided
as II in pome way the vested rights
Of privilege had Q Arst mortgage on
the Whole United States, while the
rights of all tho people were merely
an unsecured debt. Am overstating
the case! Have our political leaders
always, or generally. recognized their
duty 70 the psopae % anything more
than q duty to disperse the mob. sec
that tho ashes arc taken away, and
distribute patronage? Have our lead
ers always, or generally. worked for
the benellt Of human beings. to in
crease the prosperity Of ell the peo-
Die. to g1ve to each some opportunity
OF living de-ently and bringing up his
children wsllf The questions need NO
answer.
Now thsre has sprung up q feeling
deep In the hearts Of tho people-not
Of the bosses and professional politi-
clans, not Of the bensficiaTies Of spe-
cial privilege-a pervading belief Of
thinking men that when the majority
Of the people do In fact 40 we'll 40
theory. rule, then the servants Of tho
people will come moro quickly to an
ewer and obey. not the commands OF
the special interests, but those Of the
whole people. To reach toward that
end the progressives Of tho Repub-
lican party IN certain states have
Formulated certain proposals. for
change In the form Of the state gov
ernment-certain new checks and
balancss' which may check and bal
ance the special interests and their
allies. That IL their purpose.
First, there are the initiative and
referendum" which are 30 framed
that II the legislatures obey the COM
msnd Of some special interest, and
obstinately refuse the will Of the ma
3ority. the majority may step in and
lexislate directly. No man would say
that II was best to conduct all lesis-
lation by direct vote Of the people-it
would mean the loss Of deliberation.
Of patient considerstion-but. On the