Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-03-26
ROOSEVELT ATTACKS
TAFT As DEFENDER
OF RULE BY BOSSES
He Says Taft'S Theory Is
Government of the People,
for the People, by the
Bosses


President Taft by his predecessor in
office was contained in a speech deliv-
cred here tonight by Colonel Roose-
Welt The colonel spent u hours in
Portland and received a cordial well
come. He was the guest at a luncheon
and a dinner, shook hands stolidly for
two hours in the afternoon. attended
conference OF Maine politicians, and to-
night spoke for an hour before a crowd
which filled the armory auditorium.
Colonel Roosevelt repeated the state
ment he made in his New York speech
Wednesday night that President Taft
had declared in favor of a government
by a representative part of the peo-
Pile"
Its actual workings he said. "the
presidents scheme of governing the
people for the people by the bosses.
Roosevelt named Senator Penrose, OF
Pennsylvania: Senator Gallinger, of
New Hampshire; William Barnes, ,Jr.,
of New York: Congressman Mckinley,
the presidents campaign manager, and
Congressman Tawney. fof Minnesota, as
representing "the chief present adher-
ents of the president" and said that
they were precisely the men, who un-
der the presidents theory. would be, as
they TO a certain degree already are,
the Representative part of the people
which governs the rest of the people
and do not really represent the people
at all, but n1isrepresent them
The speaker explained the difference
between the present Taft theory of gov
eminent and Lincoln's theory, lex
plains why in so many matters the pro-
gressives do not fell that the presi-
dent, however good his intentions, can
properly represent them or pay to
progressive ideas the kind of loyalty
which results in the translation of
words into actions"
A collapse Of the speakers platform
in the auditorium created some excite
ment The platform, which was ele-
waited about three feet from the floor,
was occupied by about 80 persons. AS
Colonel Roosevelt assembled it on en-
tering the hall, it gave way with a
crash. The middle portion sank to the
floor. Colonel Roosevelt stepped quick
ly 10 the front of the structure, which
did not give way. and waved his hand
at the crowd to show that he was I'M
injured A chair was placed on the
edges of the platform and during the
remainder of the evening Colonel
Roosevelt remained placidly at the
very front Of the weakened stage.
When Walter Fl. Brown. president Of
the hOQSENEAN u AdAAAGf III
troduced the colonel. there was an out
burst OF hahd-clapping.
Frequently during his speech he was
also applauded-
The former presidents opening re-
marks, in which he referred to the col
lapse OF the platform, brought a laugh
from his hearers. 'The platform broke
down." he said, "but it wasn't our
platform. out platform won't break
down. In the end the servants of the
people will have to stand on that plat
form or the American Democracy Will
be a confessed failure"
This was Colonel Roosevelt's first
visit to Maine since August of 1902.
When he arrived here shortly after
noon he was welcomed by a large
crowd. while at the reception in his
honor he stood in the parlor of a hotel
for two hours and shook hands with
a stream of persons which moved by
him as rapidly as IT could be urged
forward Leaders of the Roosevelt
movement in Maine brought to Colonel
Roosevelt reports of the progress of
the fight I'm all parts of the state
The president of the United States
has in a number of recent speeches
ably and correctly stated the issue be-
tween him and US" said Colonel Roose-
Welt. I'VE stand for the right Of TIE
people to rule and we stand for this
as a real and living fact and not as a
juggling formula ingenIously devised
so as not to find expression in fact. In
a recent speech the president para
phrased Lincoln's great statement that
This is government of the people,
for the people and by the people, pro-
posing as a substitute that we should
hereafter act on the theory that this
is a government of the people, for the
people, by a representative part Cor
class) OF the people. 1t is dangerous
work for any man to try to improve
on Lincoln's doctrines of popular SOW
ereignty and popular right.
'Of course, everybody, whether a be-
lever in despotism or in Democracy,
agrees that there must be government
OF the people In the next place even
the ruling classes in a despotism always
publicly state that their government
is for The people. The point of differ
ence between the believers is genuine
Democracy ard genuine popular rule
and those = no openly or secretly disbe-
lieve in such genuine popular rule and
believe in government by minorities
comes in connection with Lincoln's
third proposition that the government
should be by the people. Those who
believe in government or rule by
a part of the people. by a minority
OF the people, by a privileged class or
caste. over the rest of the people have
always insisted under every form of
minority government from aristocracy
TO plutocracy, that they were really
representing the people, but that they
knew how to represent the people and
how TO govern them a great deal bet
ter than the people did themselves. 1t
is on this point that we follow Abraham
Lincoln and take direct issue with the
president. In actual practice the presi-
dents theory. Of government of the peO-
pie not by the people. but by a repre-
sentative part of the people, means SIM
ply government of the people 5y he
bosses.
Thanks to the very bosses in ques-
ton. thanks to the representatives of
political and financial privilege and
even. / am sorry to say. a proportion
OF judicial officers. we have had this
kind of government which the president
upholds in many parts of our country
and IL has not been satisfactory
ex pertinent. In actual practice such
so-called representative part of the
people represents and will always rep
resent nothing whatever but privilege.