The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-04-06
TEE PEOPLE" A MYTH
The Rev. Dr.. Scudder Wants
Less Buncombe and
More Thinking.
SOVEREIGNS ONLY ON ELECTION DAY
Easter Services al the Churches
Throughout the City
Yesterday.
SOVEREIGHS ONLY ON ELECTION DAY

The Rev. job L. Scudder preached a
prelude last evening in the Tabernacle
Gu "a Modern Myth: the Sovereignty OF
the People In the course Of his ad-
dress he said
Fewer Fourth of July orations and
more hard thinking would do this nation
good. Before election we hear dema-
gogues discoursing e.oauently upon the
sovereignty of the people; after election
we see them frequently ignoring their
sovereigns and following their own sweet
wills. Occasionally reforms desired by a
majority of the people are denied them
by their representatives when once they
are in power. This fact forces the con-
viction thai the people sare sovereign only
on election day. When the polls close
the sovereignty ends. We invest our rep
resentatives with unlimited power ana
take no hand in the government until the
next election day, when we select an
other batch of these temporary Cars.
In other words, we are governed by a
series of irresponsible oligarchies. These
oligarehies are created by the people.
but unfortunately they are not controlled
BY the people after they are once es-
tablished.
..Thls is bad policy and one weak spot
in our representative system. The situa-
ton is similar to nat Of a man in a
carriage who throws away the reins.
gives the horse a cut with the whip and
then sits and swears at the animal for
running AWAY. Instead OF retaining The
power ourselves, to whom it rightfuly
belongs. we, the people, give all the
power 20 our servants and tell them to
act as they please. We place the gov
eminent in the hands OF men who. under
party pressure or temptation, may be un-
true to the people, who make them what
they are. UGH betrayals have occurred
in the past and will continue to happen
as long as the present system enddres.
Candidates for Office are like eggs. You
ann tell before election what kind of
bir6s they are going to be-
An egg labeled Bird of Paradise may
turn our to be nothing but a comIno
black crow. Before election men are un-
tried, and furthermore. the great major
fty OF voters know little or nothing about
the candidates they find upon the tickets
thrust into their hands. They might as
well vote for the man in the moon, so far
as fitness for office is concerned. What
a foolish, un.RtelIigent use of the cleo
tive franchise! Would it not be better
to modify the present system and place
suitable restraints upon our public SER
wants? This can be done effectually by
what IS known as direct legislation. In
stead of giving unhridled license to our
politicians and forever storming against
them for their misdeeds. let US put a
curb-bit in their mouths by means Of
sthe Referendum. That will prevent them
from running away with us and making
havoc Under the modified system, it
matters E.ttle what men are elected, for
if their laws do not suit the people, the
people will quickly unmake them at the
polls.
Under the new system measures are
everything and men are nothing, ana If
the men elected do not provide the meas
ures the people themselves will supply
them through the friSiative. Of course
resolve themselves into vast legislative
bodies n transact the business now
devGlying upon Common Councils, As
semblies n Senates. They must work
for dailv broad and ui11 mot 1,oua Atbo
time for such governmental duties. The
details of legislation they will leave u
vote on a measure themselves unless they
think they have been maltreated or duped
ny their law makers Direct legislation
simply means that the people win pos
power it is certain they will seldom nave
occasion to use it.
IF they should decide at any time to
use this weapon against abuse it would
not be necessary for the people to gather
together and discuss and vote as in town
meeting, for the press would amply in
form the people respecting the measure
to be voted upon, and ballots at the polls
would be as effective IS a show of hands
in a deliberative assembly and a fairer
expression of public Aentiment than vot-
ing viva yoce in the presence of others.
In this age information comes through
the eye as well as -he ear, and questions
submitted to the people in cold print
would receive a calIner consideration
than in q crowded assembly and under
heated debate.
Some say the people cannot be trusted,
but | brand this as treason to democratic
institutions and an insult to our Com
stitution. which declares that we. the
people Of the United states do ordain
and establish Our Declaration of Inde-
pendence states that governments derive
their just powers from the consent of
the governed I believe with Washing
ton, Jefferson and Lincoln that the people
are the source of authority, and I will
put the Testimony of these brainy and
patriotic statesmen against the himsy
yaporings Of sordid politicians. On any
measure and on any day of the week /
would rather trust the people than trust
the politicians, who hate the initiative
and referendum because they diminish
their power and make bribery of no eff
feet. This claim of the incompetence Of
ahe people is mostly put forth by profes
slonal politicians. against tHs~- j place
these grand words Of Governor rr Egs:-
+ have absolute faith in the Judgment
Of the people when deliberately formed.
No heresy of political teaching can ever
permanently impress the minds Of the
American people If thoroughiy under-
stood and fairly weighed and considered
We are too ingrained with the Saving
common sense of Anglo-Saxon ancestors
to be ever led astray.' To which noble
sentiment We all say amen"
9 APP DpnNnar1r