The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1897-07-31
Direct Legislation a Fallacy.

Direct Legislation a Fallacy.
Direct legislation will place the gov.
erning power il the hands OF the whole
people where il properly belongs. VIM.
field Comrade.
DOES the editor Of the Comrade propose
TO overturn, annul and change the con.
stitution OF these United States, and il
he presuming to say that be has son. @
thing better to offer the American people
than the form of government instituted
by Thomas jefferson. Alexander Hamil-
ton, and the other old fogies who assisted
in framing the groundwork of our pres
ent form of government
All we'll informed people know that
the governing power is already in the
hands OF the whole people, who rule
through their representatives. as can
only be done in a Republican form Of
government, and the American people
have no notion Of changing the existing
order Of things. "Direct legislation" is
the rock upon which all governments BY
the people have heretofore gone to pieces,
and Americans are too sensible and con-
sentative to repeat any such hazardous
experiment. THE tyranny Of the major
ity," is one Of the evils our representa-
tire form of government is especially de-
signed to check, and, while the minority
may not and can not rule, the majority
also may not 60 to hasty and oppressive
extremes. "Direct legislation" is but an
other name for the old idea of .Democra-
cy,' the rule of the masses. We do not
live under q Democracy, but under Re-
publican or Representative form Of gov
eminent. A mob in ats "direct legisla-
ton is responsible only 10 itself, and
wrongs committed by it can not be right
ed. On the other hand our Representa-
fives can be held to responsibility. the
sober sense OF the people holds them to
account. and they and the people alike
are checked by constitutional provisions
and statutory limitations.
In order TO post Bro. Bailey we make |
couple Of quotations. of Grecian and |
Roman history. about adirect legislation, !" |
rom the American Peoples Dictionary,
which defines the accepted estimate put |
IN it twenty years ago, viz:
I'm the Athenian democracy, citizens
when eighteen could vote, but their
crowded assemblies, which assumed all |
he powers OF government without ade-
luate chocIIs. were subject to great dis
rider, although the larger part of the
Indlifed uOfers were, from various caus-
9, erctuded from the mass assemblies"
Tho same difficulties beset the voting
masses OF Rome. Historians assert that,
g the people assembled In vast numbers
Tithin the walls OF Rome. not merely to
ote. but TO make laws, the utmost COR
upton and anarchy ensued; and the
anyerous experiment Of such a democ-
acy has been regarded ne precipitating
be fall OF the Commonwealth"
The Articles of Confederation under
'hich the thirteen original States first
tempted government in 1776 proved q
'ilure, and in 1857. the present constitu-
on Of the United States was framed,
doing away with direct leg
lation. Some Of the States opposed re-
ricting the people to setting only
trough their representative. North Car
ina not accepting and approving the I
institution until 1853. and Rhode Island I
IT until 1870. Ia
The much boasted referendum and
cas- Of direct legislatiou," government