The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-03-14
DEBATED ROOSEVELT POLICY.
Majority Sentiment Seemed to Agree
With the Colonel

/ h1dJOllkJ IL ESlSE
With the Colonel.
A considerable number of the Pill
grim brotherhood of the Congregational
church attended the regular meeting in
the church vestry last evening and par
! tieipated in a general debate on a per
| tntnt topic OF the day. A consider
able degree Of interest was manifested
| in the issue and the opinions given on
tie question in its various phases must
have been the result of lengthy inquiry
and research especially in the case of
those who led in the affirmative and
negative discussions, Resolved, That the
initiative, referendum and recall, as out
lined by Col Roosevelt in his Columbus
speech, would be beneficial to the eoun-
try was the subject chosen for the
forensic contest and it is quite safe
to say that majority of the brother
hood came away from the melting with
wealth of new ideas, if nothing more.
GUY II. Varnum presided and William
Jack opened the discussion for the af
firmative. He contended that the meas
ures advocated by the Colonel were not
entirely new and that lack of such re-
strictive measures was responsible for
the existence of political machines which
rob the people Of the real power. Mr..
Jack spoke for seven minutes and Henry
H. Jackson, who opened the argument
for the negative supportes, was ailot-
ted the same space Mr.. jackson made
the point that Col Roosevelt himself
admitted the fallibility OF any one OF
thc three measures and that each in
turn might be wantonly and too fire.
qutntly used. Unassailable as it may
be in theory, Rooseyelt's advocacy OF
the initiative, referendum and recall is
not at all tenablc in practice. He held
that such drastic power vested in the
people would III the end defeat justice.
w. II. Messer and John Booth, who
followed, were allowed three minutes
each. Speaking for the affirmative, Mr..
Booth believed that under the present
system members OF the judiciay usurped
the real power OF the people and that
something of check should be placed |
ia the hands OF the rank and file He
looked upon Theodore Roosevelt as the |
champion of democracy and submitted /
that through the three measures advo- |
Gated at Columbus the ex-president was |
simply trying to restore certain rights /
to the people that had been lost through |
tie so called system OF representative |
government. Speaking for the negative,
Mir Messer recited a portion of the dec /
laration of Roosevelt made some years |
ago apropos the third term and mem |
toned the fact that the Colonel had |
swerved more or less in his opinion since |
then. Mr. Messer believed that if hon /
est men were sent by the people into |
the legislative halls as we'll as vested |
with the judicial and administrative
power, the seeming necessity for such /
measures as were Incorporated in the
premise would vanish.
Later in the debate the speakers were
given a second chance to enlarge their
views and among others who gave their
opinions on the question were Rev. DIR.
Barnett Public Service Commissioner s.
Iiollister Jackson, John Mcdonald, and
Chairman Narnnm Mr. jackson seemed
to concur with the ex-president IN his
Columbus declaration and spoke espe
cially with reference to the recall OF
judicial decisions appertaining to con
stitutional questions. He felt that the
people of Vermont would be trusted
not to abuse the privilege Of the refer
endum, the initiative and recall. Dr.
Barnett read excerpts from Col Roose
yelt's speech and John Mcdonald. who
only recently returned from a business
trip through western states, said that
Roosevelt sentiment seemed TO be in the
ascendency in the West The latter
SPEAKER deplored the dependence placed
on presidents in the courts and also
condemned the practice of taking APP
peals. Mr.. Narnum favored a revision
of the constitution in preference to in
Producing such radical measures as enun-
ciated by Roosevelt.
Several moments each were allowed
the participants for rebuttals and lat
terly the judges withdrew TO agree upon
a decision, In the interim, vote of
the meeting at large taken, revealed
twelve supporters for the affirmative
with three for the negative. The out
come of the vote seemed to forecast
the decision of the judges for a few
later they reappeared and an
nounced a verdict in favor of Messrs.
Jack and Booth. who led the arguments
for the affirmative
After the debate the members of the
brotherhood Were served a delicious
lunch in the dining room.
KNOX LEAVES SALVADOR