The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-21
Former President Takes Stand in Suit Brought Against Him for Alleged Libel
SAYS BARNES HELD PEOPLE NOT FIT TO
 RULE THEMSELVES"
The Colonel Discusses at
 Length His Relations With
 Barnes and Gives His Political Career in Detail


 Syracuse, April 20.--Thccaorc Boosc-
 welt. former President of the United States. went on tho witness stand m
 the supreme court here today and tcs-
 titled in causing the publication Of n statement on which William Barnes
 sued him to recover sao.o0o for alleged libel.
 Under oath. Colonel Roosevelt said that the former chairman of the republican state committee had urged him not to antagonize men of large business inter- ests who contributed to both the demo- l cratic and republican parties so that they would be protected. x Mir. Barnes told him, Colenel Roo,As- welt swore, that 1t was essential to pssi- tect big business interests because Rll-
 less they were protected they would ie5t
 make contributions to the party fss,l- ing to protect them. and without such contributions it was impossible to carry on the organization Without organiza- ticn leaders and bosses, the former Pres | government would be impossible.
 Colonel Roosevelt also quoted Mr.
 Barnes as telling him that the people are not iit to govern themselves They
 have got to be governed by the party organization, and you cannot run an or
 ganization, you cannot have leaders. un- less you have money"
 Called tO Stand Colonel Roosevelt was called to the stand as a witness for the plaintiff, after technical question of proper identih- cation of the plaintiff and defendant had been brought up by the lawyers. II was
 asked just one question:. That was
 whether he was defendant in the action. 1 He replied in the affirmative and was
 then made witness in his own behalf. The colonel 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 described the first brush with the Spanish forces and
 would have related orders he had given the men under him mad not counsel for the plaintiff objected. Then he gave de- taiIed testimony about his relations with the late Senator Thomas C. Platt. with MT. Barnes. and conversations he had with both those men on various occasions. He will continue his testimony tomorrow. Colonel 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. He cut all his words off shortly, except when he mentioned the name of MT. RarnaH He drew tho m a pf bia opponent and put peculiar pronunciation upon the last syllable
 Mr. Barnes himself appeared much in- terested in the first part of Colonel Roose- velts testimony. As it progressed, how ever 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. MT. Barnes attorneys had rested before Colonel Roosevelt was called to the stand. They completed presentation of their case in 20 minutes and called as their single
 witness the defendants own private sec retary.
 MT. Twins began his address by ex- plainng to the jury the laws governing libel.
 We must consider the occa sion out of which the alleged lbellous matter arose. he said "The occasion was ante cedent to the primary elections in this Stdtt ldSl idli. W iio Wt1t tHt Dflli'lfdlS The defendant, while a member of the assembly in the early S0s, established a reputation as author. He at that time had bgun to make himself factor In public affairs. He, had more influence than any single newspaper"
 Mir. Wins then outlined Colonel Roose- velts political career and added;
 During all this time he continued to be fluent with his pen and gradually he became the greatest factor in American politics
 When did the interests of the prln- cipals in this action begin to diverge?
 'Ill tell you. It was during the gub- ernatorial campaign of 1910, It is enough
 to say that a controversy arose over who would control the convention. The result was that Colonel Roosevelt was the victor and he obtained control of the republican party at that time
 Tn 1912 the defendant left the party and, to show you how many people had confidence in Colonel Roosevelt, more than 100000 voters left the party with him.
 Styling Colonel Roosevelt "one of the countrys greatest historians and au- thors," Mr.-1vins continued:
 He used d combination of his mag nificent command of the English language and his experience in politics to make this attack. shall show you that with his control of publications, at least, 400o, GOO 
 to the newspapers of this country in which the statement was printed. Because he was the most powerful political and intellectual factor in the United States he was able to secure wider publication of his remarks than any other citizen could. 'Yesterday in the motion to dismiss counsel for Colonel Roosevelt said noth- ing personal was meant. I want yon gentlemen to pay particular attention to the evidence offered by the defendant
 and determne for yourselves whether anything personal was meant" MT. Wins concluded as follows: We come into court under the great principle of liberty, the quality upon which this action rests. We come in. not only for ourselves, but for the bcnc- fit of all mankinu.' William 1T. Van Bensehoten of Colonel
 Roosevelts counsel opened the defcnd- ants case
 1 'Mr Twins referred to the fact that (COntiuued on Page Seyenl