New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-19
CONSTITUTION
VITAL TO STATE,
IS ROOTS PLEA
Honest Government De
pendS on It's Success. He
Tells Republicans.
POSTMASTER GIVES
HINT AT PRESIDENCY
you Cannot Disregard the
Voice of the People When II
Calls YOU" He Says.


Calls YOU He Says.
Senator Elihu Root. chairman OF the
Constitutional Convention. in a strong
address that was more Of plea than
defence Of the work OF the conyen-
ton. urged 500 members OF the Repub-
lean Club and their guest, AZ the Hotel
Aston last night to vote for the meas
ure.
lie said there might be some things
in the conventions recommendations
that might not have appealed 10 those
who are now opposing II, but he dehed
them 20 produce a better document and
attacked Samuel Gompers for his oppo-
sition 20 the constitution, crediting him
with a desire and belief that ne him
self would write it later on.
when the applause subsidized follow
ing this remark Mr.. Root paused mo-
ment and in low and impressive tone
said: But ! say there will be no other
convention
The SPIRIT oi ms assurance was
caught by those before him, and amid
q great demonstration the diners shout
ed: There is only one. There can be
only one."
There was no direct reference made
TO the possibility Of Mr.. Roots nomina-
ton for President in 1916. but in his
Introduction James R. Sheffield. presi-
dent of the Republican Club and toast
master turning to the guest Of honor.
said:
Senator Root. there is a plain old
house on the hills of Oneida, overlook
ing The beautiful valley of the Mohawk,
where truth and honor dwelt in your
youth. When you go back, as you will
some day. to spend your declining years,
you mean 70 20 with feeling that you
can say: L have not failed to act and
20 speak in accordance with the lessons
that ! learned there from the God of
my fathers
Those were the words you addressed
20 the little circle of your associates in
the convention Of 1918. but their truth
and nobility stirred the hearts Of a
nation and your fellow countrymen here
and elsewhere, and you may as well
understand that they understand that
IN a Republic you have done so much to
honor and in n representative govern
ment you have done so much to pre-
serve you can no more disregard the
voice Of the people when il calls than
YOU could disregard the will OF the God
you have 50 nobly served"
Root Lauds Constitution.
Senator Root did not mince his words
when he said the work of the conven-
4 ton. If brought to fruition. would put
an end 20 graft in public Office; would
make the legislators do in Albany ex-
actly what they were sent there 10 do;
would give the honest young man a
chance 10 prove his worth and advance
himself; would give the just man a
square deal in the courts; would un-
bind the executive of the state from
obligations 10 the Legislature, and re-
move from that body the temptation to
trade in Office.
/ In introducing his subject, the ex-
Senator referred 70 the constitution as
cold. dry and uninteresting question
a constitution of the state, compll-
Gated with matters of dull govern
mental machinery, with little or moth
inc 20 cause excitement or 10 direct
nublic interest. yet" he continued,
"tho cold. dry, uninteresting issue that
10 before us now transcends the IN
forest or the Importance of any sue
cess Of any man in any election for
which we have strlven.'
MIR. Root dwelt upon the erect OF
the constitution upon judicial pro
ccdrre. which he described as slow
and complicated and full OF suotIetie3.
az is full of a multitude OF statutory
provisions" he said. relating to pro-
cedure. which made it difficult for
Main and honest man TO come INTO court
and get his rights. The procedure mao
been built up by year after year o.
separate and specific code provisions
and code amendments. which. taken all
together. created multitude OF s'alu
tory rights in the way OF procedure tntt
made II almost Impossible ior Hti
cation 10 be brought to prompt a"u
Inexpensive conclusion. =.
I'VE found the executive oranch OF
our government was ill-compac'ed' CON
fused. eXtravagant, subject 70 no eHce-
tive control; over lou agencies greaI
and small, all over the state we're car
zinc on business, and responsible prdc-
tcally 70 no one.
Constitution Remedies Ills.
1--WE found the Legislature had de-
clined in public esteem; that the mem
bers of the Legislature, very large
proportion Of them. were going TO Al
banv with local and private bills. ana
soecial interests which they wished 20
subserve, and that every man who had
"a special bill and special interest was
made coward and prevented from do
ING mis- duty toward the general IN
terests of the state.
By the provisions OF the Constitu-
tional Convention, the speaker said, the
Legislature had a chance 70 redeem
itself and win back its good name.
I'm his reference 10 the Dement'S 10
be derived in the executive department
Mr.. Root said:
I'm the executive department we
sought 10 apply the rule OF response
bility. and 20 give men who are elected
by the people the power which would
make IL possible 10 hold them respon-
sible. We undertook 20 condense all
those 1872 agencies into seventeen de-
partments; 70 require that the over
lapping and the interference and the
useless expenditure of money be done
away with, by putting all those agen-
cies into limited number Of depart
ments. into one head. that could be
responsible, and that could be held re-
sponsble By the Governor Of the state.
who himself can be held responsible
L l. 9 81 f..a ha.v