Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-04-21
COURT RULE BARS
ETHICS OF BOSS|SM

Continued from First PaeeD
operating will never relinquish their fight
against the principle of direct nomina-
tons, but will favor every possible reform
to our primary system so that people will
be encouraged to go to primaries for
fair shake there.
THE so-called sentiment for direct pri
maries does not exist. 1t is purely pro-
Hughes sentiment and has nothing to do
with the merits of the proposal. Gov.
Hughes advocated the plan purely to
make an issue. not believing that We had
the courage or the political strength to
back up our opinions.
Direct nominations are an invitation
to party discord. but their evil could
be minimized by the holding of un-
official primaries and unofficial conven-
tions, which would unquestionabl be
done.
Calls Idea Absurd.
THE idea of getting rid of bosses
is absurd so long as you rave party
government. 1 sincerely hope and
trust that YOU will not become COM
mitted in such way that it will force
an issue a the Saratoga convention on
this question. We should have a pri-
mary plank of the strongest possible
kind to protect voters and give them
every opportunity to express them
selves in conventions.
when nominations are made they
should be final If the people do not
like them they can beat them at the
polls, but the members of party
should have chance prior to the pri-
maries and conventions to exercise
their judgment and express their will"
Tries to Prove Justification.
Col. Roosevelt testified yesterday aft
ernoon in an effSrt to prove his con-
tention that he was justified in caus-
ing the publication of the statement
upon which William Barnes sued him
to recover $4,000 for alleged libel
Under oath, he said that the former
chairman of the republican state COM
mittee had urged him not to antagon-
ize men Of large business interests who
contributed to both the democratic and
republican parties so that they would
be protected
Mr.. Barnes told. Col Roosevelt
s~ore, that 1t was essential to protect
big business interests, because unless
they were protected they would not
make contributions to the party fail
ing to protect them, and that without
such contributions it was impossible
to carry on the organization Without
organization leaders and bosses. the
former President quoted Mr. Barnes as
saying, party government would be i'm
possible.
Barnes Alleged Claim.
Col. Roosevelt also quoted Mr.. Barnes
as telling him that the people are not
fit to govern themselves. They have
got to be governed by the party organ
| lzation, and you cannot run an organi-
cation. you cannot have leaders unless
you have money"
| Col. Roosevelt was called to the stand
as witness for the PLAINTIFF. after a
| technical question of proper identified
tlon OF the plaintiff and defendant had
been brought up by the lawyers. He
was asked just one question. That was
action He replied in the affirmative
and was then made a witness in his
| own behalf.
Sketches His Career.
He sketched his political career, and
with considerable pride discussed the
regiment of Rough Riders he organized
for service in the Spanish war. He
| told where the recruits came from
where they gathered. where they went
and Just what they did. He even de-
scribed the first brush with the Snan-
ish forces. and would have related
orders he had given the men under
| him had not counsel for the plaintifY
| objected.
Then he gave detailed Testimony
about his relations with the late Sena-
tor Thomas c. Plat, with Mr. Barnes
and conversations he had with both
|
At Ease on the Stand,
Col. Roosevelt talked to the counsel
for both sides, offered suggestions and
entered into a discussion of more than
one point with Justice William S. An
drews, presiding. whom he addressed
as Judge" He was entirely at his ease
in the witness chair. He stretched his
arms over the back of his chair crossed
first one leg and then the other and ad-
justed and readjusted his glasses from
time to time.
He cut all his words off shortly except
when he mentioned the name of Mr.
Barnes. He drew out the name of his
opponent and put peculiar pronun-
citation upon the last syllable. Specta
tors said that every time he mentioned
the name of Mr.. Barnes they were re-
minded of the noise made by a pebble
dropping into a pool of still water.
Mr.. Barnes himself appeared to be
very much interested in the first part
of Col. Roosevelts testimony. AS it
progressed. however. the plaintiff in
the action seemed to lose interest and
he first retired from a seat close to
the witness stand to one farther away
and then he left the room.
Saw Barnes Many Times.
| Col. Roosevelt declared he did not
remember just when he first met Mr..
Barnes, but he thought it was during
| his campaign for governor.
Later in Albany l saw him many
times" said the witness. I'm 1888 I