Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 June 1912 — WHY ‘PEOPLE’S FIGHT?' [ARTICLE]

WHY ‘PEOPLE’S FIGHT?'

ROOSEVELT BATTLE CRY SEEMS SOMEWHAT ABSURD. 1 '• * To the Ordinary Observer, the Only Reason for Third-Termer’s Nomination Would Be His Wish to Return to the Whit^, House. “It's the people’s fight,” says Mr. Roosevelt. But the people’s fight for what? No essential changes have been been made in the constitution of the United States since its adoption. During the 123 years that the American people have lived under this system of constitutional representative government the population of the country has increased from 4.000,000 to 95,000,000. The wealth of the country has increased from a relatively insignificant sum to $125,000,000,000. This national wealth is more widely and equitably distributed than it was when the constitution was adopted. Without tampering in any way with our constitutional form of government we have grown to be the most powerful and mo* united of modern nations. We have established manhood suffrage. We have destroyed slavery. We have suppressed secession. We are rapidly curbing the plutocracy that grew out of the unparalleled expansion of Industry during the last four decades. Our city governments are cleaner and better than they have been at any period since the civil war. Our state governments are better. Our national government Is better. Probably there has never been another time in the history of the United States when there was so little political corruption, or when Ameiican gov- , eminent of every sort could so well : endure the searchlight of pitiless publicity. AH this progress was made under a '/constitutional system which is adapted to infinite Yet in his reckless ambition for a third term Mr. Roosevelt fells us that our democracy is a sham and the republic is a lie. The old institutions are archaic. V. e must abandon representative government and adopt direct govern- 1 men:. w hich has been a failure since the dawn of civilization We must destroy the checks and balance which have held republican institutions firmly in place. We must obliterate the safeguards by which tjt'e right's of the minority have been pro’acted from the aggressions of the majority.- We must gh indon restraints upon popular passion hnd prejudice. We must substitute. dictatorship for the presidency. We must make the constitution the transitory wil]. of a transitory majority at ;my election,and turn our hacks on 123. years of glorious history. "l;'s t/he people's fight.” Rut what is it that the people are supposed to be flghflng for Under this thfrd-term banner of Roosrtclfi m” Are they fighting for : nything more substantial than Mr. Roosevelt’s determination to mum to. M e white house?- St. Louis Republic:. ■ - ■ .