The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1912-04-11

the party management to experts,
Is taking an active part in the pre-
convention activities. After the bat
lepf arguments has been fought and
all the sharp sayings exhausted, most
OF this class will doubtless accept
the result Of the Chicago Convention,
June 18th, rather than Fly to evils
they know not Of"
have styled both the Republican
contestants Progressives. I believe no
one can seriously charge Pres. Taft
with being less earnest and sincere
than his predecessor in favoring an
equitable revision of the tariff, the
conservation OF our resources, the
wholesome regulation OF corporations,
or the promotion Of the cause OF ar
bitration as a substitute for the hor-
rors OF war. Thinking people find 1t
difficult to understand why Colonel
Roosevelt has plunged into the fight
Of his life to unhorse the man for
whom, four years ago, he held the
stirrup with his left hand, and with
his strong right arm gave the mighty
boost needed to mount him fairly in
the saddle. II is not remembered that
he ever made the remark that his
intimate friend and trusted advisor,
the War Secretary. was recommended
for only single term, now mark
you, and not fit for the Endorsement
Of denomination regularly accorded
to faithful and able Executive. The
fact is that q new issue had to be
invented in order to give semblance
OF reason for Mr.. Roosevelt throw
ing his hat into the ring" That is
sue was the proposition to tear up
the very foundations of our govern
ment. Nothing in the constitution
framed by our forefathers has bet
ter deserved the title of prophetic
craftsmanship than the provision for
stable. independent Judiciary, which
need only consult the law and the
Constitution, and not the changing
whims of the populace. Our system
has worked admirably. Tho world
never has seen so able and incorrup-
tible a body as our Supreme Court
has been from the outset. Our State
courts have compared favorably with
IL. And now, as the opening broad
side of artillery. in the spectacular
fight of Theodore Roosevelt to Sc
cure a longer tenure of the Presi-
dency than had Washington. Jeffer-
son, Jackson, Grant, or any other of
the popular favorites in our history,
VIC have tho startling proposition to
subject legal constitutional decisions
to the approval Of a popular vote. To
bolster up this monstrous proposal
we have the oft-repeated question.
now becoming pretty thread-bare,
Are the people capable Of self
government? II all this defamation,
in appeals to the masses throughout
the country, came from one whom
In many respects we admired and
esteemed less than We do Col. Roose-
welt, we should incline to call 1t rank
demagogism.
II is easy to sec that If the final
appeal upon qustions of constitutional
Interpretation is to be made to q
popular vote, depending upon the
various arts and appliances known to
the machine politicians there would
be many conflicting decisions and q
confusing lack of harmony in our
statutes as finally interpreted. II the
average legal acumen Of the dear
people" is really superior to that Of
our highest existing court, how will
II do, the next time a vacancy occurs
on tho Supreme Bench to fill 1t by
casting lots, among all the voters Of
the United States. without regard to
race, color, previous condition OF SER
vitude," or present condition of ig-
noranec?
One naturally becomes somewhat
tlItu, nOt " ody iiltlc iilcus ~
the persistent efforts Of Mr.. Roose-
welt to strengthen his weak position
by reference to the great Lincoln.
as II that far-seeing patriot ever
countenanced any such wild PROPOSE
ton. He believed In the government
OF the fathers. with it's checks and
balances. In behalf OF that govern
ment he died a martyr. Perhaps his
most eloquent utterance was made
on the but recently CORY field of
Gettysburg. when he appealed to the
vast crowd OF spellbound listeners
to highly resolve that government OF
the people by the people, for the
people shall not perish from the
earth"
The spectacular entry into the
ring. on the part of the Ex-President.
would have had greater promise q
success IL his platform had been simp-
ly his exploits in hunting buffaloes'