South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-08-12

Addressing himself particularly I
MIR. Roosevelt said:
The day is past when it is
either popular or useful to damn
everybody and everything con-
nected with the opposition.
The republican leaders, how
ever" he said, show no signs OF
having taken to heart the drastic
lesson taught them at that time.
Seven hundred women were
given the places of honor on the
stage.
Mr.. Roosevelts address follows
in part:
Tonight we are firing the open
] ing gun of battle of far reach
I ing Importance, and once again the
shots are going TO be heard around
/ the world-for the action Of the
American nation this year viii be
4 watched with anxious eyes by all
/ civilization.
Simple Duty.
FIRST OF all. Gov. Cox and I be-
/ lieve that IL is the simple duty OF
the candidates to give TO as many
citizens as possible. in as many
states as possible an opportunity TO
| see and hear and form their own
/ Impressions Of the men they are to
vote for In this connection too, IL
/ is ONLY frankness TO say that the
! great majority OF the newspapers
/ throughout the country are owned
! or controlled by men affiliated with
! the republican party. 1t is there
/ fore doubly necessary for US 70 pre-
/ sent our views and our aims IN per-
! son.
This land Of ours is Of such
physical magnitude, has so many
/ kinds Of problems in different kinds
/ OF places, that those who may be
\ called on 10 exercise national pow
ers Of governing owe il TO them
1 selves 10 study, and 10 study IN so
far as possible at first hand the
questions before them. If the prob
/ lens are national. one must be ma
/ tionally- minded TO meet them. one
must make every effort 70 get TO
know the United States.
VIII Meet All.
II hope. on this journey 20 the
/ Pacific and in all my subsequent
travels I shall have opportunity TO
| talk not only 20 democrats but also
10 those who are normally affiliated
with other parties and with men
/ and women without party afillla-
tions-the Independents.
Tonight I want TO address my
self particularly 10 those IN this
hall who are not democrats The
day is past. except in the case Of
Old-time, hard-sheu politicians or
the case Of few narrowly preju-
diced newspapers when il IS either
popular or useful 20 damn every
body and everything connected with
the opposition. I willingly acknowl-
edge and praise the fine citizenship
which goes TO make up the rank
and fill OF the republican party.
Many million voters Of the republi-
can ticket are splendid Americans.
just as sincere in their devotion 20
the basic principles on which the
nation stands as the other millions
who vote a democratic ticket The
republican party IS one OF great
traditions. OF great patriotism, OF
great ccOmplishments. 7 speak Of
the rank and file OF that party even
today with true respect.
Party Split
But for eight. yes for twelve
years. a conflict has been raging
within that party-raging not so
much among the privates in the
ranks as among those in high COM
, mand. In the first eight years Of
this century the republican party
was in large part under true lead
ers. men who marched with the
times men who tried 20 interpret
the thought OF the body of the
party for the better governing OF
the country.
From 1908 20 1912 a group Of
selfish men sought for cheir own
purposes with their eyes on the
ground, 10 gain the control of the
party machinery. You know the
result. u was in this very city tha,
these men succeeded In their pur-
pose Il was in this very city that
was born the movement OF protest
/ that, in the elections OF 1912. re-
p ceived the majority OF the votes Of
the old republican party. That
! vote was given 10 a great American
leader but Il was even more than
support OF Theodore Roosevelt. the
man; IL was the voice OF inslstence
. that the party control be taken out
OF the hands OF selfish men, OF men
, who had not discovered that the
world was moving on Among those
IN that year who supported the an
cient regime, who hurled q bitter