The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-03-01
ROOSEVELT TALKS TO
BAY STATE SoLoNS
Outlines Some Of the Reforms
He Advocates.

sembly chamber of the Massachusetts
capitol Theodore Roosevelt explained
and emphasized his new. project for
the limited recall Of judicial decisions.
Colonel Roosevelt struck out boldly
| at those VINO have criticised his plan.
Our system Of government is a con.
fsssed failure" he said. unless the
people are to: be trusted to govern
themselves" "
Colonel Roosevelt's visit to the stats
house. was unexpected. After appear
ing in the; house he went. to the senate
chamber and spoke briefly. In both
instances he was received cordially,
although there was no prolonged ap-
plause during his speech. Colonel
Roosevelt declared:
II favor direct. nominations, direct
primaries, including direct preferential
presidential primaries, not only. for
local but for state delegates. be-
| iieve in the adoption of wisely chosen
devices under; which the initiative and
referendum can be used not as sub.
stitute foc a representative govern
ment, but to make Representative gov.
eminent genuinely representative, to
see it corrected if it becomes misrep-
| resentative. - ,'..@
| And | wish to say a few words to
you specifically on the proposition Of
/ giving to the people in the. last re-
sort the Interpretation of the .Consti-
| tuition. ~. -.
MY position is simple. It is that If
the people know enough to make the
Constitution they know enough in the
, last resort to say what it was that
they meant when they made It.
81 am not advocating the recall of
Judges, | am advocating a. measure
which. II adopted, will. prevent the
necessity of the recall of judges !
/ am not advocating the recall OF the
Judge. / am advocating the recall o.
iegalism, to Justice" .s:;z. J, -
Boston, Feb. 27.--ColonelS Roosevelt
plunged into the thick ofsthefaght for
the presidential nomination. He said
.unequisocally that he was IN: the, fight
to the end and was glad of it, He re.
Piled TO the charge that he would be
breaking his third term pledge II he
accepted another nomination and as,
serted that whether or not he should
be the choice of his party at the Chi,
eago convention he would abide by
fits decision. -: a,
| q am perfectly happy now said
he, because l am making a straight.
out fight for q; principle., The issue is
| in no way, a personal one -
] : DO you intend TO support the Re-
| publican nominee, whoever he mag
be?" was. asked. s.
LOT course l VILE" he replied, with
emphasis. -. y
:, In response to inquiries as to the
principle for which he is fighting Colo
mel Roosevelt referred euestioners to
his speeches in Columbus, O.. last
! week and before the Massachusetts
house Monday. In his address he de-.
Tended, his proposal for limited recall
! Of judicial decisions and championed
the right OF popular opinion to control
the machinery Of government.
Colonel Roosevelt's position in re-
gard. to the third term" ;, was ex-
pie med to number OF his callers.
/. sMy position is perfectly simple" he
ssfd. 81 stated it as clearly as, | could
in 1894 and reiterated it in 1907. /. said
that I would not accept a nomination
| for a third term under any circum
/ stances, meaning, of course, third
consecutive term. g.
t., Rests Entirely With People.
|: ye'I could not have said less at the
time, nor could / have said more. OF
course, could not then know whether
or not. there would be. a demand for
! me to- accept q nomination at some flu
ture time. And, believing, AS do,
that the selection OF candidates for the
presidency rests entirely with the PEG.
pie, i could not say that ,at. no time
In mr. life would Il accept another
nomination.
Is ~"It must be clear to any reasonable
maj, that the precedent which forbids
Luz IulEu tSl III hNSf JClttCutS OulS W
o third consecutive term. 1 It grew out
Of the fact that a. president of the
United States. under the present con-
vention system of electing delegates,
can, IL he knows how TO use the ma
chinery at his disposal renominate
himself, even though the majority Of
his party is against him. But after
he has been out of ONCE for q term
ne has lost control of that machinery.
He is in the position absolutely Of any
private citizen. The machinery jsstben
In the hands Of the man occupying the
ONCE Of president"
Colonel Roosevelt devoted large
part of the day to comforting with
men who are forming the Roosevelt
organization in Massachusetts,. He
told them he would not identify him.
self actively, for the present at least,
with the organization. *.
Colonel Roosevelt promised to send
d letter to be read at. a Roosevelt
rally which will be held here Saturday
night, by the Progressive Republican
league. Governor Stubs OF Kansas.
former Governor Fort Of New Jersey
and Senator Clapp of Minnesota are
expected to speak.