The Washington times., 1915-08-31
ROOT IN TEARS
PIE A DS FOR
PEOPLES RULE
Delivers Masterfu| Appeal Be-
fore the New York -Consti-
tutional Convention.

NEW YORK, Aug. 3t.-CnmaskinR
sinyisjble government" As patron
elutted system Of political boss,sm'
.an irresponsible autocracv. robbinS
democracy of its viriiity." F,lihu Root
president Of the Constitutional Con-
vention, in an hours speech laot
night whipped into line with tho
power Of his oratory a majority OF
the delegates for the short ballot ana
the REORGANIZATION of State depart
ments.
His voice auiverinc with emotion.
Mr.. Root presented so touchine a n!c-
ture or the home Of hts youth. the
Where whh truth ard honor dwe,t." and 70
which. hc added. he is about to go to
encrd his declining wears. th"t such
etaid delsontes as former Attorrny
General Wicksrsham end Ia'rcs w
stn.Hs senator. drew their handltcr-
chiefs and slyly brushed their eyes.
s1stnsa fs9@ the 'tts" the Gs
at the conclusion Of the speech. ap-
many Jumping from their seats and
{ It was not until after nc had but
trcssed his arrulnent for the short
ballot with references to the plat
form pledges Of all the great politi-
m appeal. calculated to win the sup
port Of the followers OF both William
Parnes and xGovernor Hughes. that
the ex-Secretary Of state trained his
oratory On the delegates emotions.
Who Is Governing7
Mr.. Root said:
I'VE talk about the4 government Of
the constitution. What Is the govern
ment Of this State? What has 1t been
during the forty years Of my ac-
quaintance with It? The government
. Of the constitution? Oh. no: not half
the time. or half way.
"When ] asked what did the people
hnd wrong in our State government,
my mind goes hack to those periodic
fts of public rage in which the people
rorsed up and tore down the political
leader. first Of one party and then Of
the other party. 1t goes on to the
pSnblio ISa dc,fee feeling Of resentment against
both parties and Of oil parties
Now, ! treat this subject in my
own mind not as personal question
system. From the days of Fenton.
and Conkling and Arthur and Cor.
nell and Platt. from the days OF
paid t}Nd p: p; Hin, down to the present
has presented two different lines Of
activity. one of the constitutional
and statutory Officers OF the State
ana and the other Of the party leaders
are called the system. don't like
the phrase. I adopt 1t because it
carries its own meaninR.-'the sys-
tom they call invisible govern
For. don't remember how many
years, ConklinE was the supreme ruler
IN this State The governor did not
count. legislatures did not count, COMP
trollers and secretaries of state and
what not did not count. 1t was what
Mr.. ConklinK said that did count, and
IN great outburst of public rage he
was pulled down.
Platt's Rule Absolute.
Then Mr.. Platt ruled the State. for
nigh upon twenty years he ruled 1t. 1t
was not the governor. 1t was not the
legislature. 1t was not any elected Off
GER 1t was Mr.. Platt. The capital was
not mere. 1t was at 49 Broadway-Mr
Platt and his lieutenants
II makes no difference what name
you give, whether you call 1t Fenton
or Conkling or Cornell or Arthur or
rlatt. or by the names of men now
nvlng. The ruler Of the State during
.ne greater part of the forty years Of
NV NV acaualntance with the State gov
tinorlzed by the constitution or by the
Jaw. and. sir. there Is throughout the
length and breadth of this State a
r aeep ana sulien and long-continued
men not OF the peoples choosing. ac-
BILE to no one. bound by no oath
or office. removable by no one.
An my friends here have talked
apout thls bllIs creating an autocrscv
Inc word points with admIrab bic facilitv
the very opposite reason for the hiII
~ is TO destroy autocracy and restore
power SO far as may be to the men
The neo pS tne people accountable to
'he people. removable by the people.
His Friends Among Them.
don't criticise the men of the in
Visible government How can - T
nave known them all. and among them
nave oeen some of my dearest friends
can never forget the deep sense ~
IMAGINATION that / felt in the abuse
tnat was heaped upon Chester A. Ar
ehur' whom / honored and loved. when
ne was attacked because he held the
position Of political leader. 1t is all
wrong. 1t is all wrong that a govern
'neht not authorized by the people
should be continued superior to tho
Government that is authorized by the
people" @'e
Root then said that bosses ruled by
patronage. while elective officials sought
10 appoint men to office who would
make good records. SwarIus Of men
ne said. who never or seldom work
are on the State payroll during legisla.
: i've sessions. due to the system which
permits division Of powers
Both parties are alike" he said. "Al
parues are alike. The system extends
through all
Here" he concluded. I'VE face the
duty' we cannot escape 1t. We are
bound to do our work face to face, In
clear recognition of the truth, unpala.
table, deplorable as it may be. and the
truth Is tsat what the unerring in.
stinct OF the democracy Of our Stat,
has seen in this Government is that a
different standard Of morality is ap
piled to the conduct Of affairs of stat,
than that which is applied in private
affairs.
Not Impossible. He Insists.
II have been told forty times sine,
this convention met that you canno
change 1t. We can try, can't We?
deny that We cannot change 1t. l repe
that cynical assumption which is Dor,
Of the lethargy that comes from poi
RopeI air 6nrpp all fhasa yaars