The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-04-10
7. R. IS BITTER
Colonel Roosevelt Holds PreSi-
dent Taft Responsible
For What He Calls EsScanGaIOus
Abuse of Patronage"

Pittsburg, Pa, april 10.-"NO more
scandalous abuse of federal patronage
has ever been seen than we have seer
here in the last two MONTHS Colone
Roosevelt said in referring to the gov
ernment service.
Colonel Roosevelt charged that the
national Taft bureau was making an eff
fort to debauch the forest service, and
said that it was impossible that the
bureau could be acting without the
cordial support and pproval Cf the ad-
minfstration." He also asserted that
in Kentucky, poStmasters, according to
advices, which had reached him from
Edward O'Rear, former chief justice OF
that state, had been engaged in the
lowest kind of election frauds"
Failure Immediately to suspend the
officials in question" he declared, to
disavow their actions, and to re1use 70
profit by them must inevitably make
the administration accessory to the
outrageous infamy set forth by the
former chief justice of Kentucky.
'sOf course this case is merely illus
trative of what has been attempted IN
every branch of the government ser
vice"
Colonel Roosevelt referred to the
tariff. saying that it's prime justification
must be protection which it affords for
workingmen
SAf1On
which he has proposed, affecting the
courts.
The speech was delivered in Exposition
hall before a large crowd which gave
the colonel a demonstrative welcome
1t was one of two speeches which ne
made in Pittsburg the first oe1ng talk
on the welfare of women and children
at theATree of Life synagogue. The for
ner president spent most of the day in
resting and debating speeches at his
hotel.
In his speech here tonight, Colonel
Roosevelt said in part:
I'VE intend to have workmen's s
coupensation law for the union, and
for every state in the union. If the leg
isIafures won't give US the laws, we in
tend to change the mind of the leg1sla-
tors or else change the legislators
themselves. If the courts won't allow
MS To get needed laws, then either we
will have a referendum of this deci~so1
and will change the decisions and if our
opponents are so foolish as to try to
prevent our changing the decisions, we
will change the courts In orderly ana
fashion by vote of the
people.
continued. 'are fond of speaking as
though I were the only man who COM
plained of injustice by the courts. In a
ciation a few years ago, President
Taft was reported as saying The prac-
ticaI administration of justice in the
United States is reproach to our civ
ilization.' But he proposed no remedy.
I have never made any ar-aignment Of
the courts quite so severe as the ar
raj ignment contained in this speech by
Mr. Taft. The difference is, that where
as Mr.. Taft not only proposes no rem
edy whatever, and he is against every
practical remedy that has been pro-
posed, and I propose a moderate and
remedy by which the
people themselves after due deliberation
will be able to obtain Justice
After defending his plan for the refer
endum upon certain classes of judicial
decisions, Colonel Roosevelt continued:
Remember we can have no good
legislation unless you have honesty
both in business and in politics. At
this moment the most fragrant dis
honesty. the the most flagrant dis
graces are being perpetrated by the