The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1893-05-02

as to get the benefit of this matter
springs a desire for reformation that
has always been met with violent op
position by the urban aristocracy, un-
der all forms of civil government, and
always sustained by the educated ag-
rarlan democracy. The Swiss historian
McCrackan, in his chapter on the Re
cent Constitutional Changes in the
Swiss CantOns and Confederation,
says, perhaps the most encouraging
feature Of modern Swiss statesmanship
is that steady striving after fuller
recognition and practice Of popular
sovereignty, which has been expressed
in the institutions Of the Initiative and
the Referendum. There is no move
ment IN any other country, at present,
which can be compared to the master
ly and systematic reform on demo
cratic lines. It has already fulfilled
many Of its earlier promises and is
rapidly converting the Swiss people
into nation of growing itself upon an
almost ideal plan directly, logically
and without Intermediates. The key
note to this reform is it's directness
Hereafter Switzerland must become
more than ever the standard bearer in
all reforms which make for the direct
and efficient self government, while
we, of the greater Republic, must &C
knowledge with humiliation that we
have been distanced in the race for
pure politics. It has become somewhat
Of a commonplace assertion that poll
tics in the United States have reached
the lowest stage to which it may safe
ly go.
There seems to be no longer any ne.
cessity to prove this proposition, for
the general conviction has gone abroad,
amply justified by the whole course of
history, that no democracy can hope
to withstand the corrupting influences
now at work in our midst, unless GER
tain radical reforms are carried to a
successful conclusion. Unfortunately
all attempts to prove the fundamental
first cause of our corruption are
checked at the outset by the difficulty
of bringing the popular will to bear
upon public questions. Our whole ad-
ministrative system, and all the meth
ods by which our people are supposed
to make known their desires, are per
verted and diseased, so that the sover-
eign body are prevented by mere trick
sters from exerting their legitimate
control of laws which are to govern
them. We are suffering not only from
deep seated economic and social dis
eOses, of which, perhaps, the most
alarming symptom is the concentra-
ton Of the wealth in the hands of the
few, but from the boss rule, and from
the lamentable fact that the people at
large are divorced from legislation AS
matter of fact nothing stands be-
tween us and the tyranny of munich
pal, State and Federal bosses, as un-
scrupulous as any feudal lordlings in
the thirteenth century, except public
opinion, imperfectly expressed by the
press. In the light Of these facts the
question of the hour resolves itself into
this: How best to bring our represen-
tative system into conformity with the
principle of popular sovereignty. In
point of fact, the com Oination of the
Referendum and the Initiative is fatal
to the lobby. Under its benefcent in
fuence politics ceases to be trade, for
the power of the politicians is curtailed
and there is no money in the business.
No chance is offered of devising deals
and little give-and- take schemes, when
everything has to pass before the scru-
tinizing gaze of the taxpayers. Democ
racies have been justly reproached for
the fact that their political Offices have
not always been filed by men of recog-
nized ability and unstained honor; that
the best talent of the nation, after a
while yield the political field to adven-
turers. This is not the case in Swltzer.
land, under the purifying wor king OF
the Referendum and the Initiative, for
these systems substitute a government
based upon business principles, dis
playing ability and stability, simplicity
and economy."-W. p Brush, IN To-
peEG Kansas POpWItSt.