The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-02-22
HERE is THE ~REAL PROGRESSIVE"

HERE Is THE ~REAL PROGRESSIVE"
Colonel Roosevelt's long -heralded speech to
the ohio constitutional convention at Columbus
was the dragnet of political candidacy. IT rang
with the old but effective patitudes. 1t vreds-
covered the ten commandments. II harked
back to those fervent statements. the gesture
for which is clenched fist. to the effect that
II am against the bad man when he is a crook
and for the good man when he Ia honest; anu
! am much for the rich man when he Is good
as am against the little man when he is bad'
The Square Deal' came forth, smelling OF
camphor. but In a fine state OF preservation
Big business got pat. Little business was en-
couraged Everything lovely. Including
the La Toilette progressives-except the
courts
The courts. far can gather from the
ColoneTs remarks are irremediably bad. That
is. they bad, so far law-giv.ng Is con-
cerned. until the time shall come when Tom.
Dick. Bill and Harry. of the bar.room. the
street corner and the hotel lobby. shall be con-
situted their gracious masters As between
private controversies, learn that the courts
may be trusted to do little commercial law
without outside warning as to the tenor or their
decisions. but when "a judge decides con-
stitutonal question, when he declares what the
people as a whole can cannot do. the people
should have a right to recall that decision II
they think 1t wrong"
Naturally when they recall the decision, they
recall the judges who rendered 1t. inferentally
by the tails OF their frockcoats,
1t Is illuminating to thus have explained at
last the extent of Colonel Roosevelts advocacy
of judicial recall In short. it means simply
that constitutions are worthless things which
have played out" Likewise the cumbersome
machinery provided for their amendment Is the
most inexcusable surplusage What, after all,
ia law except what excited populace may at
/ the moment declare 1t to be? What are the
presidents, the centuries Of reasoning which
! have gone to establish a code of human rights
! and relationships. except tho rubbishry which
| the real progressive" must kick aside on his
way to glory? 1t Ia not remarkable that the
/ Colonel should chafe at the thought that the
! Federal judiciary is creature protected by
! that very Ubiquitous principle of constitutional
government against which he rails; or that he
! should cite the OF the recall OF the bred
| Scott decision. saying of Lincoln's denuncia
ton of the Supreme Cotrt
He was successful. the people took his view
and tho decision was practically recalled. II
became a dead letter without tho need of any
constitutional amendment In any contest to-
day where the people stand for justice AND
courts against the people is untrue to the
memory of Lincoln. and shows that he IL the
and supported Lincoln. but OF the Cotton
Wings who supported Chief Justice Tame,
and denounced Lincoln for attacking the courts
and tho constitution.
Yes, Lincoln was successful After four
years of blood. OF lost treasure. OF devastation,
of all the moral degeneracy incident to war.
The bred Scott decision was recalled II
Colonel Roosevelt were not trying lin connec-
ton with n plea for the good trust" operating
under the protecting mantle of centralized
power still hot in his MOUTH, to preach popu-
lar anarchy demagogic offset to corporate
IawIessness. the extreme which he cites might
be taken to represent the policy he advocates.
We prefer not to be alarmed, but rather TO
smile with the rest OF the country at auda-
cious attempt to harness for one driver the fire.
snorting bull Of the progressves with the timid
lamb of feece-lined Wall Street.
After the Columbus speech, it requires no
great ability as a prophet to forecast the tenor
of that official announcement which makes
The outlook the present center Of the country S
political notice.