Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 April 1912 — ROOSEVELT'S ITCH FOR POWER [ARTICLE]

ROOSEVELT'S ITCH FOR POWER

Says ‘‘Let the People Rule,” But He Seems to Assume That He Is the People. "In our cities the misgovemment is (iu-e not to misdeeds of the rich, but to tl.e low standard of honesty and morality among our citizens generally:” Theodore Roosevelt is the author of those words. They are to be found in his published volume entitled, “American ideals.” 1 But he wrote them before he was a candidate. In the Columbus speech the colonel announced his belief in “pure democracy. ’ In New York the other night the subject of his address was “The Right of the People to Rule.” But it is apparent that in his heart of hearts he has a considerable number of strings tied to popular rule, for he was already on record, in the same printed volume, as preaching this doctrine:

“Governmental power should be concentrated in the hands of very few men, who would be so conspicuous that no citizen could help knowing all about them, and the election should not come too frequently..”

JThat doesn’t fit in very well With his Portland speech. • Colonel Roosevelt has little use for the Constitution if if stands in the way of his ideas of how things should be run. Even the Supreme court he contemptuously tramples on when its Views do net coincide with his own. The trend of his 'mind is easy to follow: “Let the people rule. But lam the people.” As long as they follow him, well and goo-d. Give him authority. After that, the fewer elections the better. Let him continue to manage. There have been others besides Colonel Roosevelt Who have believed that they ought to be given life power and a commission to regulate the universe, but as a rule they have been found inside the asylums.—Philadelphia Inquirer.