Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-03-19
TAFT DECLARES IN
FAVOR Of PRIMARY
AND LAUDS people"
Accepts Roosevelt Challenge
for Preferential Primary, Is
sued by Senator Dixon.
Campaign Manager


BOSTON, March 1S.-President Tat To-
day declared himself in favor OF prefer
entail primaries, surrounded by certain
conditions for the compaign campaign.
Wherever full and fair notice Of the
election can be given, wherever ade-
quate election safeguards can be thrown
around to protect a preferential pri-
mary for the presidency, wherever the
constitution Of the state permits its be-
ing made applicable to the present cleo
ton, 1 favor 1t and welcome it,
This was the presidents statement to-
day before the general court OF Nassa-,
chusetts. It was his first personal reply
to the challenge to preferential primaries
issued some time ago by Senator Dixon.
Colonel Roosevelt's manager.
'I am not going to stop and discuss IN
detail the question of direct primary
elections, their uses and abuses" said
the president. IT think every one viii
admit, however, in order that they may
accomplish the good they are intended
to accomplish they should be safeguards
ed by effective provision as to the pri-
mary eligibility of voters who partici-
pate in them and by penal provisions SCI
curing conformity to rules Of such ell
gibility and the honest casting and count
ing OF the ballot.
st do not hesitate to say that IN my
judgment a voluntary primary outside
the law known by its informal Character
as soap box primary, Is worse than
none, for 1t gives full opportunity TO the
ineligible electors of the other party to
cast unfair votes and without the sane
ton and safeguard OF penal provisions
in respect to casting and counting the
ballots, is an open avenue for fraud
and violence.
WILL OF PEOPLE.
at is eminently appropriate that in
every election and In the discussion OF
all issues that affect the republic. We
should discuss and hear much Of the
popular will and OF the right of the peo-
pie. This is government based on pop
ular control.
1--WE all concede that the operation OF
elections and the operations of govern
ment are not perfect. and are Sometimes
subject to corrupt influences and con-
troll. and that it is the part OF patriot
ism to remove. as far as possible. the
obstacles which prevent honest pri-
maries, honest elections and the honest
administration of the government in the
intent of the people. but the Continued
iteration and reiteration of the propo-
sition 'let the people rule" II 1t has
any significance at all, and Is Intended
otherwise than to flatter the people, Is
intended to be a reflection on the gov
eminent thet we have had down to the
present timer -------------
PEOPLE HAVE RULED
Now, in spite of all the corruption.
in spite of all the machine politics, in
spite of every defect in the operation
of our government that can be pointed
out, do not hesitate to say that the
history of the last 135 years show that
the people have ruled. They may have
been defeated at times by corrupt and
corrupting influences, congresses and
legislatures may have been halted by
subterranean methods in carrying out
what the people desire, but in the end,
under our present constitution and our
present laws, we have had a really pop
ular government
'T don't mean to say that we can
not make 1t better, but what do say
is that the cry that the people do not
rule and are not in control, or en- inti-
nation to that effect, does not do JUS
tice to the American people or their his
tory, and holds up to the world at large
in light which does not do Us jus
tice.
1.-The occasion for these remarks is the
attack upon our judiciary and tae pro-
posal by judicial recall or recall of ju-
diciaI decisions, to destroy fits indepen-
dence and thus to take away from the
arch of government the keystone. deny
that there is in the decisions Of the courts
or the character of the judges, or the
result of litigation that which justi1es
such a radical innovation. I am not I'M
mindful of the necessity for judicial re-
form, but that depends not upon Chang
liz the character Of the judges, but up
on the change or procedure, the expedi-
ton Of judgments and the reduction OF
the expense of litigation"