The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-09-01
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1908.
WANT PROTECTION AGAINST
THEMSELVES

The officials of the state of North
Dakota are in a quandary. The last
legislature provided for the issue of
bonds to defray the necessary expenses
of the state institutions. The supreme
court has declared this unconstitu-
tional, and the institutions are in
financial straits. The natural course
would be to call an extra session, and
this is being considered. But the con-
Stitution of the state contains no pro-
vision restricting the work of an extra
session to the particular object for
which it is called, and the people are
afraid to let the legislature come to-
gether lest it refuse to go home again
until it has done or attempted a lot of
harm. In a word, the people are
afraid of the probable action of their
own representatives.
This is not condition peculiar to
North Dakota. 1t exists in more or
= less pronounced degree in every state
of the Union. 1t is true of the nation
10000 AA4NhC 10 MT q olcllS III WHICH,
proposal to convene the legislature
in extra session would not meet with
a strenuous protest from business men.
An extra session of congress is almost as
unpalatable to the country at large
and is always resisted till the last by
the wisest party leaders.
Strange as it may seem, this posi-
ton is we'll taken. The people and
the party leaders are right 1t is all
most always a public misfortune to
have legislature called together out
side of the customary and constitu-
tional meetings. The fact has been
! recognized in the very general adop-
ton by the different states of the hi
! ennial system; whose chief recon-
mendation is that it gives one year in
: TWO of freedom from legislative as
semblage. 1t is further confirmed by
the provisions of state constitutions
limiting the sessions of a legislature to
a fixed number of days. On all sides
we find this recognition in public
opinion and in the fundamental laws.
that legislative body in session is a
necessary evil to be reduced TO IFS
smallest terms by regulations for the
public safety.
Whom have the people to blame but
themselves for this anomalous condi-
ton; this denial of the efficacy of self
government.
save them from themselves? These
men whom they fear to permit to GET
together. these members Of a legisIa-
ture, are their own creations. They
can make and unmake them at
breath. Every one of them holds his
title straight from the people. who
can revoke it at pleasure. The COM
mon talk, that the politicians want
one thing and the people another. and
that the latter are helpless against the
former, is the veriest rot The dog
does not obey his masters whistle with
more alacrity than the politician runs
to do the bidding of the people when
the people choose to speak.
Especially where the direct primary
system prevails, the people are wholly
responsible. They know the candi-
dates for office. Their records are
open. They can tell in advance wheth-
er given candidate is honest. omen
and above-board in all his relations in
the community where he has lived.
They know whether or not he will set
his party above the public interest;
whether he will be delicately sensitive
to moral approaches. or is likely to Join
the first gang that puts in "holdup"
bill and goes out for the Doodle. If
these latter prevail, if there is a single