Omaha daily bee., 1914-09-08
IMPROVE RIVER, SAYS 7. R.
Declares Democrats Should Use
Money, Not Pay Big Blackmsil.
DEMOCRATS FAIL ON PROMISES
with Trusts they Have Policy of
Firing So NJ 20 Hit ~ ~ ~ a.
hear and to Miss ~
~ a. a. n Calf

NEW ORLEANS, Sept 7.-Coionel
Theodore Roosevelt delivered a public
address In the opera house here tonight.
In which he urged that this government.
instead OF paying the S25 900, 900 blackmail
to allen wrong-doers and their heirs"
az proposed in the dispute with Colom-
bla over the Panama canal property.
should use that t25.oOOOOO and the plant
Of the Panama canal. and as many scores
Of millions extra as are necessary. to
take control OF the Mississippi and to
develop all It's possibilities OF usefulness
from the resdwaters, TO the delta"
Colonel Roosevelt made a particular
point OF the Mississippi flood problem,
which he said must be met not only by
levees. but great storage reservoirs up
stream, which would not only stop the
floods but serve we'll for irrigation pur-
poses. lie riminded his hearers that he
had been an advocate OF federal control
OF the river for long time. 90 | insisted
upon II when I was president" he said.
But neither OF the old parties adopted
II. II Is only the progressive party that
has seen the need Of such a far-reaching
constructive. policy"
AAo HIShNp HhlANig VI AhS BlbhiN III
Louisiana. There were no other mem
bers OF the party? he said. who more
emphatically deserved well OF the party
than the progressives OF Louisiana. He
spoke OF the old republican party as hav-
ing deliberate purpose to become the
bulwark of bourbon antagonism 70 ad-
vance throughout the nation" and said
the democrats. were welded 20 uutworn
principles Of government, and dead and
buried economic theories"
The day was Labor day, which led
him to discuss the industrial and economic
lsituat1on. Both the old parties are
welded to their idols. The republican
party by every action II has taken during
the last two years has made It evident
that II intends to see that the rank and
file are shackled and are put under the
control OF the great bosses Of the stamp
OF Mr.. Barnes and Mr. Penrose. On the
other hand, the democratic party which
has possessed absolute power in Washing
ton for the last two years has shown not
the faintest symptom of a real under
standing of the needs Of the people 1t
has done nothing whatever for labor.
and its action on the trusts and the tariff
have shown that IT Is not fit TO run the
government. with the trusts they have
adopted the policy Of firing so as to hit
It II It is bear and to miss 1t II II is a
calf
He told his audience that the people Of
Louisiana were among those hardest hit
by ''the backward and reactionary policy
the government had adopted as regards
the tariff. lie asserted that the promise
to break up the trusts and reduce tho
cost of living had not been realized. He
took up in detail the matter OF sugar with
which Louisiana is closeiyi identified.
The removal OF duty on this commodity,
no said, had been big. contributing
cause to the present high prices for sugar.
not only seriously affecting the sugar
industry but causing damage upon the
whole public.
'Germany's great economic developing
during the forty-three years preceding
this lamentabie war he said had been
due largely to the intelligent use Of a
tariff commission.
! lie pointed TO the disturbed business
conditions In this country today, which
emphasized the need OF government
commission with power TO tell business
men from tho beginning what was right
/ for them to do, and what was wrong.