The Calumet news., 1912-09-13
Democratic Candidate For Gov
ernor Confines Most of Ad-
dress to Bull Mooser
MANY HEAR HIM AT ARM0Ry Y
Comes Out SquareIy in Opposition
to Tonnage Tax

Col. Theodore Roosevelt's ears must
have burned last evening. His poll
cies, his failure to suppress the trusts
in their infancy. during the seven
years he occupied the White House,
his dictatorial sttituGe. ana his pres
ent affliation with George w. Per
kins. were bitterly attacked by Wood
ridge ~ Ferris OF Big Rapids. Demo
cratic candidate for governor. before
q crowd OF about 1000 i'm the Calume,
Light Guard armory This discussion
formed the principal part of Mr.. Fer
ris' address. although he likewise dis
cussed state issues and Democratic
policies. President Taft did not
escape, in Mr.. Ferris arraignment of
the Republican party, but his remarks
concerning the president were rather
of a sympathetic nature.
The Big Rapids schoolmaster is not
greatly changed since his last visit
here. He perhaps is a little grayer,
but his fiery shafts shot out as of old,
and not a few of them hit the mark.
Mr. Ferris somehow reminds one of
Wisconsin's energetic senator, Bob
LaFollette. His words seem TO i'm
press one as his convictions. and per-
sonal admiration for the man was felt
even by those who did not agree with
his political opinions.
When Mr.. Ferris began to speak
there we're many empty chairs in the
hall. bu: during his discourse, most of
these were flled and every auditor
r. NAMED until he had concluded his
remarks.
He recounted his early history and
told of his work as head of the Ferris
Institute at Big Rapids and then
launched boldly into the discussion of
national. politics. the trusts, Roose-
Welt. Taft and Democratic policies.
Roosevelt and the Trusts.
Mr. Ferris stated that one half of
the wealth of the nation Is now con-
trolled by one per cent Of the popula :
ton. He explained that when Roose-
Welt became president, there were
about two hundred trusts or combina
tions, whose wealth aggregated 81,
00O. 900, 900. where as now there are
thousands of trusts. capitalized at sS1,-
OOO, ,OOO. 600. about seventy per cent OF
which is "watered stock"
why didn't Roosevelt throttle the
infant" asked Ferris. "and not wait
until the trusts have become so pow
erful that it is impossible to regulate
them ?"
Mr.. Ferris rallied against the ability
of the trusts TO escape serious PEN
atty when convicted. He said the
punishment for crime should bC
meted cut i'm proportion to the enorm-
ity of the crime. whether the offender
be rich or poor. II the trust head Is
found guilty. he should be sent TO the
penitentiary, just the same as any
other man. "If trust is wrong, dom
try TO control &C. eliminate IT," he said
Roosevelts inheritance tax propose
met with the approval of the speaker
George Perkins also came in for =
sound roasting at the hands of Mr.
Ferris His personal check contribu'
ton for $4,000 10 the Republican
campaign fund four years ago, which
the speaker said was later refunded b,
the New York Life Insurance company
and led 10 his arrest and evasion o
grand larceny charges were comment
ed upon and characterized as "robbin,
the shroud" Mr.. Ferris attacked
Roosevelts combination with Perkins
and charged that Perkins would b
! (Continued on Page rivs)