The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-02-08
TO GOVERN
OURSELVES.
We Do Not DO 1t Now Says the
Commonwealth Club
And Its Notable Speakers At
Its Institute.
WE ONLY ELECT MEN
To Govern Us Every 9, A, or 6
Years.
Direct Self Government the
Thing Desirable.

The initiative and referendum split
the Commonwealth Institute this morn
ing. Mr.. James P. Easterly, editor of
the Eureka Union, read paper On ''Di-
rect Legislation in which he advoca-
ted the recognition of a protest against
measures sought to be initiated, and
Mrs. Annie L. Diggs sided with him.
Carl Vrooman, regent of the state ag
ricultural college, took the opposite side,
and the Institute divided, part of the
members sustaining Mrs. Diggs and
part siding with Mr.. Vrooman.
Mrs. Diggs said she thought legisla-
ton would be more direct if counter pc
titionS were recognized, as if the pro-
test was greater than the initiating pc
ton, the question would be thereby de-
cided without further action. Mr.. Vroo-
man said that the recognition of pro-
testing petitions would have the effect
of defeating desired measures, as mon
ey was able to play very important
part in petition work. After a discus
sion, pro and con, for some time, Mr..
Easterly advanced the happy idea of
making 1T penalty for a person to
sign name to petition through the
influence of money and also to place fic-
titiOuS names on a petition. Mr.. Vroo-
man acknowledged that this would be
an admirable plan on general princi-
pies, and the discussion ended.
In his paper Mr.. Easterly said:
THE tendency under our present sys-
tenn of government is toward an ariS-
tocracy, that is as Indifferent to the
will of the people a. it dares to be- and
it dareS much without fear of defeat.
Corrupt influence need, in most instan-
ces, to control merely the ajority of
legislative committee in order to defeat
legislation that is desired by the peo-
pie. 1t has been we'll said that the peo-
pie are sovereign only at the moment
of election-the men they elect become
their masters for one, two, four or six
years, as the case may be. The Ameri-
can people need to comprehend the diff
ference between self government and
the choosing of the men who are to
govern them. As matters now stand
and as they must forever stand under d
representative government, the condi-
ton is like that of the child who chooses
a guardian, or the slave who chooses a
master. for term of years. From the
beginning of our government we have
recognized the need of direct legislation
and self government in the matter of
adopting and altering constitutions and
in many instances issuing bonds and
expanding large sums of money The
wisdom of the provision is so manifest
that no considerable number of people
are in favor of abolishing it. The time
is at hand for a movement to correct
the fundamental defects in our govern
mental machinery, and direct legisla-
ton is the necessary device. Give the
people power to initiate any measure
they desire to become law and power
to veto any measure that they do not
wish to become a law, and the problem
is solved"
The paper read by Prof Bemis on
Trusts yesterday afternoon,proved to
be particularly interesting to the mem
berS of the institute. Professor Bemis
divided trusts into two classes, natural
monopolies, such as sugar and oil, and
monopoIies of situation, as railways,
electric lights. gas. telephones, etc.
trusts" said he, the subordinate cor
porations have given up their separate
existence and one great company is
formed. The trust had an advantage
over the company 1t could water stock
without extra taxation. 1t has now
largely resorted to New Jersey, where
taxation is lenient.
To-day the business man no longer
believes in competition. Manufacturers