The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-02-28
SENATOR RAYNOR
DENOUNCES TEDDY
Says His Ideas as Advanced in His Co.
iueabas Address Are Those of the
Ordinary Agitator or Anarchist.
By Associated Press.


lIyashington, FEB. 27.--Reversal Of
judicial decisions by popular vote, as
proposed by Theodore Roosevelt in his
Columbus address last week, was de-
nounced in the senate today by Mr..
RaSner of Maryland as "the most, dan
ferrous doctrine ever brought forward
D. any one who has the slightest re-
gard for the stability OF our institu-
lions and whose opinion is entitled to
any weight or respect.
senator Raynor declared that in
discussing Roosevelt he did net speak
a. a partisan, because he believed the
Republicans could nominate no man
who would be easier to defeat.
What / desire to call attention. to
today Is a unique and original concep-
ton which Roosevelt advanced at Co
Iumbus and which quote literally as
follows;
sThe decisions OF a state court on
p constitution question should be sub
ject to revision by the people of the
state
sTf any considerable number of peo-
pie feel that the decision is In defiance
of justice, they should be given the
right by petition to bring before the
voters at some subsequent election.
and after the fullest opportunity for
elaboration and debate. the question
whether or not the judges interpre-
tation of the constitution Is to be sus-
tanned. If it is sustained, well and
good If not, then the popular verdict
is to be accepted as final. the decision
is to be treated as reversed and the
construction OF the constitution de1-
nitely decided-subject only to action
by the supreme court of the United
AIN ORDINARY ANARCHIST.
Mr. Presidenk. if a proposition OF
this sort had been advanced by an Or
binary agitator or by an anarchist.
no attention would be paid It, the
Ieople would understand that 1t was
utterly meaningless, and 1t would in
volye no actual danger to the republic.
We must realize, however. that this .
the uterance of a political leader who
occupies today as prominent a place
before the public as any one in the
country, who is gifted with uemen-
dous power, who commanded great
popularity and who for seven years
occupied the position of president OF
the United States and who Is now q
candidate again for that ofiice.
people who regard this merely as
a flippant and ilnpulsive utterance of a
candidate for public office who is try
ing to attract public favor, are making
a great mistake.
The ex-president has been reflect
ing over this proposition for years, He
has always been hostile to the decis-
ions OF the courts whenever they con-
hicted wit hhis own views.
Now, there is a motive for all this
and there is a cause for this attack
upon the institutions of the land. l
think can tell you what 1t is. II
arises from the fact that when Mr..
Roosevelt was president he was not al
lowed to influence and control the de-
cisions of the courts and they declined
TO pass under the domination OF his
arbitrary and imperous WILL
During tho whole Of his admins
tration he had an idea lingering in his
mind that ii was the duty of the court 8
to carry out the policy OF the execu-
tive branch of the government, and
this belief was connected with an
other idea, and that was that. so far
as executive functions were concerned,
he was absolutely supreme, unlimited
by the specifications Of the instrument
that created them.
Now, what is the present situation
Mr. Roosevelt is a candidate for presi-
dent of the United States. There ives
no need of any persuasion whatever to
induce him TO enter the field. He was
willing to. come with his own crown
and frame q constitution of his own,
in accordance with the charming and
alluring platform that he has promul-
gated
this were over when Mr.. Roosevelt
abdieated his place a few years ago.
Here he is, however, and he has come
TO stay. I do not know what we viii
DO with our friend. Woul it be pos
sible. If he consents, to tender him to
the republic of China, in the event of
Iii aefeat-and I am satisfied that,
nominated. he viii be easily
defeated. I would almost be willing
! rev treaty for Chinese i'm
migration if they would accept him IN
exchange.
You know what believe. Mr.. Pres
ident," continued the speaker. II be-
neve that there are large number Cf
Mr.. Roosevelt's followers in this eoun-
try who would today have favor in
vesting in him autocratic powers. Our
institutions underwent a radical change
under his administration. He inau-
Eurated new era of constitutional
thought. He announced over and over
again, in defiance Of the unbroken de-
cisions OF the courts. that under the
general welfare clause of the constitu-
ton. congress had the power to enact
any legislation that tended to the gent
eraI welfare OF the nation.
Il am not exaggerating the situation.
He is. perfectly sincere, and his mo-
tive is not a corrupt one, and he viii
do this because he is possessed with a
mad fancy that this is and ought Il
be an executive government, that
powers Of the executive ought to over