Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1901-01-05
Mr.. CLEVELAND ON THE PRESi.
Dewey.

Dewey.
The changes In the Presidential Office
which Grover Cleveland advocates ar.
both desirable AMI both have been DE-
sirable for many years. The electoral
college was the product of n caution
which was reasonable enough In the
early stages of n great experiment in
popular government, but the heart was
taken out of II long ago. Electors now
are men who do not elect. They simply
register a party choice. ana have no
more Independence than a galley slave.
Manifestly the principle founded Oh
distrust of the people was ovcrthrOwn
the moment the change In the electoral
function was made. and since then the
college has become the means of
thwnrting the popular will In way
wholly beyond the contemplation Of the
fathers. The trick of the vote by States
may ~ any time defeat the popular
will. aud there Is no doubt that the
President should be elected directly by
the people.
As for the term Of office, that Is. ~
Mr.. Cleveland says. too short. We
hardly get over one general election de-
bauch before the next one Is on us with
Its grand new parade of lies, distortions
and humbugs. In the business world
every one says that nothing can bO
done until after the election. and
whether there Is any sense In the no
ton or not. 1t Is accepted rs IN indls>
putable truth. and has the effect Of
producing the conditions which 1t I'm.
AGNES to be inevitable.
Then again. In the words of the eX.
President:
There has been continual increase
IN Federal legislation of n percmptory
character. and related to the immediate
ana routine necessities of the country.
and - II has come to pass that of the
four sessions of Congress held during
II Presidential term, two are 50 brief rs
scarcely to permit the passage of nee
essary appropriation bills, while Of the
Others one occurs when the President Is
usually strange In his new office and
burdened with opportunities and labOrs
|
tratlon. and the remaining one cncoun.
tiers during its continuance the inter-
ruptlons, tlmidity and Generalization
of n Presidential and Congressional
canvass. These conditions suggest the
scant opportunity allowed for the inl-
tlation and adoption of new and impor-
tant remedial legislation during Il sin.
gle Presidential term"
The thing Is rs indefensible as the
election of United States Senators by
State Legislatures, another device
whose purpose was outllved long. long
ago. Nor are the reforms proposed III
imical In any sense to our scheme OF
government. They would merely cut
off some ,urvivais of the first stages IN
our experiment which are as useless
now as the muscles for moving the
ears. Like the muscles, they ought tn
go out OF use.
4 great many members of the incOm'
Ing Legislature have called ut The
Eagle office within the last month ana
have promised The Eagle their sup
port, ana said they would undOubted'
ly pass the bill against the deadly
cigarette.
The Illinois Legislature meets In two
weeks, and Il law against cigarettes
will surely be passed.
~
Iowa and Tennessee have passed
laws excluding cigarettes or cigarette
papers from sale in those States. Lei
this State follow the example
There Is not an eX-sleuth, discharged
for Matchmaking. or otherwise, who Ii
not "agltating" against the City Hal
ana promising wonders for grand jury
: investigation.
County Building loan sharks laugh IN
their sleeves at their City Hall brethren
The City Hall sharks have lost thell
Jobs, but the county loan sharks are
reyeling in wealth ana prosperity.
The Grand Jury might save the tax
payers a million or so by investigating
the record of the last Republican Coun
, ty Board.
, The Republican bosses who take the
! coin" fo- keeping the loan sharks OIL
the tax lists are the boys who are doing
: most of the barking" at the City Hall