The Penn's Grove record., 1912-02-23

sary. In his opinion the nation and
states must cooperate, and he re
ferred to the leading part that Wis
consin, under the direction of Sen
ator LaFollette, had taken. Continu
ing he said:
"All business into which the element
OF monopoly in any way or degree en-
tiers, and where it proves in practice
impossible totally to eliminate this ele
ment of monopoly, should be carefully
supervised, regulated and controlled
by governmental authority; and such
control should be exercised by admin
istrative, rather than by judicial, Off
GERS. No effort should be made to de
stroy a big corporation merely be
cause it is big, merely because it has
shown itself a peculiarly efficient
business instrument. But we should
not fear, If necessary, to bring the
regulation Of big corporations to the
point Of controlling conditions so that
the wage-worker shall have a wage
more than sufficient to cover the bare
cost of living, and hour of labor not
so excessive as to wreck his strength
by the strain Of unending toll and
leave him unfit to do his duty as a
good citizen Of the community,
Favors Direct Nominations.
Speaking of direct nominations and
the initiative and referendum, he said
i believe in providing for direct
nominations by the people, including
therein direct preferential primaries
for the election of delegates to the ma
tional nominating conventions.
Il believe In the election Of United
States senators by direct vote. Just
as actual experience convinced our
people that presidents should be
elected Gas they now are in practice,
although not in theory by direct vote
OF the people instead of by direct vote
through an untrammeled electoral col
lege, so actual experience has con
WINGED us that senators should be
elected by direct vote of the people
instead of indirectly through the vari-
GUS legislatures.
1 lie in the initiative and the
referendum, which should be used not
to destroy representative government,
but to correct it whenever it becomes
misrepresentation. If in any state the
people are themselves satisfied with
tnelr present representative system,
then it is Of course their right TO
keep that system unchanged: and it is
nobody's business but theirs. But in
actual practice it has been found in
very many states that legislative
bodies have not been responsive to the
popular will. Therefore | believe that
the state should provide for the possi-
ofllty of direct popular action in order
to make good such Legislative fail
ure."
Referring to the recall, the speaker
said he did not believe that there was
any great necessity for it as regards
short-term elective officers. put be-
lieved 1t should be generally provided.
but with such restrictions rs would
make it available only when there was
a widespread and genuine public feel
inga among a majority of the voters.
One recall, however, Mr.. Roosevelt
declared himself heartily ia favor of,
the recall of decisions on constitution.
al questions which the people thought
were wrong.
People Fit to RuIs.
Mr.. Roosevelt took issue with many
eminent lawyers who do not believe in
our American system of government,
and in this connection said: Il take
absolute issue with all those who hold
such a position. | regard it as a COM
plete negation of our whole system
of government; and If it became the
dominant position in this country, it
would mean the absolute upsetting of
both the rights and the rule of the
people.
Il do not say that the people are in
fallible. But l do say that our whole
history shows that the American peo-
pie are more often sound in their de-
cisions than is the case with any OF
the governmental bodies to whom. for
their convenience, they have dele
gated portions of their power. If this
is not SO, then there is no justification
for the existence of our government;
and if 1t Is SO, then there Is no justi-
fcatfon for refusing to give the peo-
pie the real, not merely the nominal,
ultimate decision on questions of con-
stitutional law"
In conclusion the speaker said:
Keep clearly in view what are the
fundamental ends of government. |
hope that not only you and l but all
Our people may ever remember that
while good laws are necessary, while
it is necessary to have the right kind
Of governmental machinery, yet that
the all-important matter is to have the
right kind Of a behind the law. A
good Constitution, and good laws un-
der the Constitution, ana fearless and
upright officials to administer the laws
all these are necessary; but the
prime requisite in our national life is,
and must always be, the possession
by the average citizen of the right
kind of character. Our aim must be
the moralization of the individual, of
the government, of the people as a
whole. We desire the moralization
not only Of political conditions but of
industrial conditions. SO that every
force in the community, individual and
collective, may be directed toward Sc.
curing for the average man, and aver
age woman, a higher and better and
fuller life, in the things of the body nc
less than those of the mind and the
! soul"