The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1893-01-20
Friday, Jan. 20, 1898.
Put q Bit in Their Mouth.

1t is time the veto was taken out of the
hands of the President and placed in the
hands of the people. /; is time the reiereD'
dunn was introduced in this country; when
the important laws passed by congress shall
be referred 10 the people for approval or
disapproval by public vote, and MT TO the
partisan prejudice or judgment of one man.
The whole people have grown to dis'rusl
congress and to feel unsafe when public
affairs frlught with mighty import are en-
trusted 10 its hands. 1t is the public belief
that large number of the members Of both
houses are open TO corruption, that other
members are the sharp attorneys for cor
porations and have been put into the places
they occupy by the power ofbribery at some
stage OF the movement which landed them
in their seats and the people trembe for
the probable mischief they may do.
The Senate has been given the popular
sobriouet of the American House of LORDS
and is regarded as the millionaire branch of
government. For long period the people
looked upon the President as safety valve
by which dangerous legislation would be
arrested ill the popular voice had been
appealed to, but recent Presidents have lost
this estimate in the popular Judgment and
they are now regarded by the public as
more party tool than independent, con-
scientious executive officers. When the
people behold the shameful spectacle Of
a President OF the United States or his
Secretary of the Treasury hurrying off to
New York on all occasions when financial
matters are TO be considered or acted upon,
to consult bankers and brokers who in turn
receive their cue from the Rothschilds of the
Bank of England-we say, when the people
behold these things they begin to distrust
their Congress and place but little faith in
their President. When deaf ear is turned
to their cries and listening ear TO the
faintest whisper from the Jew gold bankers
of Wall street and London, by the admin
istratlon, it is not matter of surprise they
should feel uneasy and uncertain of the
future, and hence they are seriously con-
sidering the matter of taking the vets out OF
Presidential hands and holding it in their
own, by having all important acts passed by
Congress, referred 10 them for approval or
rejectection, and by the use Of the referen-
dun placing Bit in the mouth of legisla-
tive bodies they have grown to regard with
very grave misgivings. The revolution
which is in the throes of its birth fore
shadows vital changes in orr representative
form of government which has fallen far
short of public expectation and of the hopes
of its trainers, if it has not proven melon
choly failure If tried before impartial
Judges, its bitter fruits as witnesses, there
are many indications that the verdict would
condemn representative government without
referring its work to the people for final
action.
The impression is steadily pressing its
way into the public mind that the U. S
Senate is too far removed from the people
and that il should be chosen by direct vote,
but this is only step in the path that will
lead up 10 its total adjustment as a costly
superAuity and the crocodile egg from
which future Plutocratic monied aristoc-
racy may be Matched. This movement
against the Senate which is forming in the
public mind is more likely to be projected
much further than the masses who are con-
siderng the step at present suspect, and the
finale will be the total abolition of that
body, and the balancing, conservative
power, it and the Presidential veto were
instituted for, will be placed directly in the
hands Of the people, the only place such
power can oe safely lodged,
A single representative body would be all
sufficient TO execute the will of the people
by giving legal form 10 their demands, and
that work be referred back to them for their
approval or rejection, as constitutions
amendments and local option laws are re-
ferred, and the duties of the President be
strictly confined to the functions of an exec
utve officer. This would be true democ
racy, this would constitute pure republican
government. Our present system is Il half
way clumsy contrlvauce between monarchy
or oligarchy and democratic or popular
government, and approving an expensive
failure.
In place of fig tree in the garden our
continental ancestors prepared for Liberty
and watered with their blood, they planted
a upas whose poison fruits are now ripen-
ing and spreading a deadly blight among
the PEOPLE. To check this advancing danger
the people must recall and resume these
delegated powers that have been placed III
the hands of Congress which has grown
corrupt, and of President who has become
the creature of money oligarchy. A Bit
must be placed in the mouth of the law
making power and the reins held in the
strong hands of the people. There is ne
other safeguard to popular government and
no other road for advance to higher civ
ilization. The referendum has worked well
in Swtzerland; it has destroyed that idol
airy to party which is the bane of our
politics it has uprooted the lobby and
killed off the practice of putting jobs
through the legislature as riders on the
eve Of adjournment. 1t has in word puri-
fed politics in that country and is needed,
Il