The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1916-10-26
COL. R0OSEvEIT'S
SPEECH At
LOUISVILLE
Speech Of Theodore Roosevelt al
Louisville, n.y., Wednesday
Evening, October 18th
Splendid Audience Hear Remarkable
Address Following Parade and Re-
publican Demonstration for Charles
e. Hughes.

At the outset of my speech wish to
point out, as have elsewhere pointed
out, that the doctrine now is often ad-
vanced as to the improperly of criti-
cising the President. without any re-
gard as to whether the criticism is or
is not just, has no warrant either In
history or on grounds of public moral
ity. Andrew Jackson in a message to
the Senate on April 18th, 1884, put the
case exactly as it should be put. He
said:
The President Is accountable at
the bar of public opinion for every
act of his administration. Subject
only to the restraints of truth and
justice. the free people of the United
States have the undoubted right, as
individuals or collectively, orally or
in writing, at such times and in
such language and form as they
may think proper, to discuss his Of
fetal conduct and express and pro-
mulgate their opinions concerning
it,"
This lays down the law that should
be followed. There must be truth and
justice in all that is said of the Presi-
dent, cor of any one else; but less than
any one other man in the nation has
he the right to claim immunity from
any criticism that is both just and
truthful. | criticise President Wilson
because his deeds have belied his
words. and his words have belied one
another.
Now, | do not regard such action on
the part of Mr.. Wilson and his follow
ers, and the cynical frankness with
which they avow 1t, as a matter for
Jest. / doubt II II is possible more
effectively to undermine public moral
ity in this country than by accustom-
ing the people to regard promises
made In politics with cynical amuse-
ment as intended only for purposes OF
deception. A high-minded man regards
a promise made on the stump by
candidate for office. promise intend
ed to secure the support Of those to
whom II is made. as pledge which
II is as imperatively necessary to re-
deem as II II were made in private life
to a private individual; and its subse-
quent reputation In one case can
only be justified by conditions sub
stantially like those which would JUS
tify Il In the other case. An honorable
man will scorn an untruth on the
stump Just as much as OFF the stump.
An honorable man will break a prom
ise made publicly in a political cam
paign Just as reluctantly as he will
break a promise made to another man
In private life. An honorable man
keeps faith in public life no less thar
in private life.
President Wilson's speeches are
models OF adroit indirect suggestion
and avoidance OF downright statement
But the other day at Omaha he seems
to have committed himself to the
statement that he was willing to
fight" but was waiting for something
worth lighting for" for something
which would put all the corpuscles
OF his blood into shouting shape" IL
would be interesting to know exactly
what outrage on American citizens, or
on the rights OF humanity anywhere,
which would make him cross the Line
between being willing to fight" and
"too proud to fight" He certainly did
not regard the treacherous murder OF
Boyd and Adair, and this United
States. as something worth fighting
for" He did not even write note
about IT, The murder OF 1894 men,
women and children on the Lusitania
did not put all the corpuscles of his
blood into shouting shape" His cor
puscles did not shout; they did not
even whisper; apparently all they did
was to suggest TO him that II was a
happy occasion for his classic remark
about being too proud to fight" am
tempted TO think that Mr.. Wilson did
himself an injustice when he said that
he was willing 20 tight" either for