The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1897-04-24
Some POpulistic Fallacies.

Olrect Legislation Will purlIy our poll
tics. Whoever opposes direct
legislation opposes government by the
people.-La. Populist.
This foolish theory of "direct
legislation" has been exploded Gen.
turtles ago, and history furnishes
numerous instances that it will not
work. The most prominent fail
ures we're the Grecians and Ro-
mans, who, with all their civiliza-
ton and advancement in state craft,
art and philosophy, could not con-
duct their governments by direct
legislation by the masses. In those
days, like in the present, every able
bodied soldier and honest sturdy
farmer thought he knew all about
the science of government, but they
tried it and failed. No, ST; ours
is government where the people
rule through their representatives,
and it is silly to talk about any
other method. If our representa-
tives fail to do their duty, they are
held responsible by the people and
removed. If all the people fall into
error and make a governmental
mistake there is no remedy, and
anarchy ensues. The legislation of
this country is all right. It is
bounded and guarded by constitu-
tlonal limits that have been tested
and tried by the most enlightened
and successful governments in the
world. The very thing you propose
is the very thing the trainers of
our constitution have especially
provided against. The history of
the ages warned them against di-
rect and rapid changes in govern
mental affairs, and they have WISE
ly provided that such changes shall
not be made inside of four, six, or
even eight years, thus giving the
people ample time to discuss and
form correct ideas, instead of al
lowing them to act while under the
influence of heat and passion en-
gendered by thoughtless demagog-
ues and designing politicians. .
When a man borrows money out of
bank he has to give security; why should
not the bank give security when a man
deposits money with it?- La. Populist.
The banks do give absolute Sc
curity to the amount of ITO per
cent of their legal issue, to say
nothing of the collateral property
of the stockholders, which general
ly exceeds their capital many times.
In case of failure of any bank the
government places ii in the hands
of receivers, who always use the
bonds deposited by the bank to
make good its defalcations. If in
spite of quarterly statements and
all the safeguards imposed by the
government, occasionally rascally
bank officials find way to impose
on tie public and defraud confding
depositors, that is no reason to con-
denim our banking system. 1t is
recognized as the safest and best in
the world. Whenever we find a
way to make laws to force men to
be honest and to prevent them
from exercising their proclivities
to steal and to murder, then we
may expect to do away with all
laws, for the millennium will be
here. Deposltors trust banks be-
cause they believe them to be in
the charge of safe and competent
men. No law can be made to reach
such cases, any more than in cases
where neighbors see fit to trust
each other and get fooled. The law
that will fit one will fit the other.
Both of the old party machines are
founded on pie.-La. Populist.
And the new Populist machine
has been invented to give set of
fellows a chance at the pie table
that have been repudiated by the
Did parties. Just watch the chaps