Evening star., 1924-04-13

I ceptions.. he said, were 'harrassed
| by the threats and Establishments Of
organized minorities until their Will
| and their sense of right and fall help
! less to the ground"
IF l had my way. there is one
! constitutional amendment which
| should be adopted, and none other
should be considered until that be-
came part of our. organic law. 1t
is an amendment which would pro-
vide that 10 further amendments to
the Constitution should be made un-
! less each state is given the right to
a referendum to the people upon the
action of it's Legislature in ratifying
any proposed amendment"
The federal government, he main
tanned. had usurped powers right
fully belonging to the states and
susceptible to better. more efficient
and more economical administration
by them, and had invaded the pocket
! books OF the taxpayers.
Gov. Ritchie deplored the CEN
tralization of vast millions in Wash
ington and the handling of these
sums and the rendering by govern
ment clerks and subordinate en-
ployes of momentous decisions affect
He deplored, too, the control and Su-
pervision thus given the federal gov
ernmert over matters which he said
concerned the states alone.
Il deplore." he said, the everlast-
ing annoyance of federal inspectors
and Investigators, often irresponsible
and incompetent prying into business
which ought to be personal and eXer-
ctsing supervision and demanding re-
ports and audits of almost every con-
ceivable kind"
The issue before the American peo-
pie in the November election, regard
less of how many separate questions
may be involved, is the question of
confidence or no confidence in those
who are now seeking to administer
the government, and the vote of the
people will be content or not content,
former Ambassador Davis declared.
DO not the signs multiply, he
asked, that the country. wearied and
disguSted with the existing order. is
ready to turn again to the party of
jefferson and put upon its shoulders
the burden of public responsibility?
During the eight years of President
wilson's administration, he declared,
the party revised, rewrote and ad-
ministered the laws in the interest of
no person, class or section; 1t sue
cessfully conducted the great war and
no hint of scandal. bribery or corrup-
ton attached to any of those who
held official place.
During the four years of republican
control, Mr.. Davis said the boasts
of party discipline and efficiency have
disappeared in a leaderlesS. d1sorderly
and discordant chaos unsurpassed in
the history Of the American Con-
gress."
This responsibility" he said. none
of those concerned must be permitted
to escape. nor can their misdeeds be
wiped from the party record on winch
the country is to pass its judgment
What is the whole sordid story, after
all, but the fruit of the tree of special
privilege?"
A message of regret was received
from Franklin d. Roosevlt, demo-
cratic candidate for the vice presi-
dency at the last election.
Telegrap phing from Long Key, Fla,
/ he assured the club Il have not seen
nor associa ted with MeSsers Daugherty,
Slemp or Ned Mclean, but have con-
fined my social visits to William Jen-
nings Bryan, and William H. Kelly
and Norman Mack.
Since the civil war, said Mr.. Roose-
velts message, the democratic admins
ernmental scandal while the republi-
can ones of johnson, Grant, Hayes,
Arthur, Mckinley and Taft had been
SO marred.
Silxer Hits at Disciosures.
In an address bristling with refer
ences to the the recent disclosures at
called the G. o. p, the party of Graft,
I Oil and Politics"
He said the thinking citizens of the
naCOn naO Ine1r mln0S liked on two
things-tax reduction and house
cleaning-and that they were ready to
discard government by best minds"
for a government by honest minds"
Democracy, he asserted, must dedi-
cate itself, to "the task of restoring
government to the hands of the honest
people of this country, for it is clear
that those who are profiting at the
expense of others. who are enjoying
special privileges, who are being over
protected, who are grating upon the
country, are perfectly content with the
present administration"
mo one objects to big business
and lots of it," said Gov. Silzer. I'VE
do, however. object to crooked business
which reaches it's crooked hands into
almost every department of the
national government.
'It could not be otherwise when
crooked business makes it's large CAM
paign contributions to the party in
power and seeks reimbursement in this
way. 1t would not be different so long
as crooked business and crooked poll
tics are in partnership. 1t could not
be different so long as those who seek
special privileges are able to place
party in a privileged position.
1T is not a grand old party made