Evening journal., 1905-05-02
TUESDAY, MAY 1905.
MA. pUPoNr's VIEWS.

w communication from Francis l.
DUPONT relative TO a recent editorial
in The Evening Journal commenting
on statement In one Of his recent let
ters TO the Sunday star. We take
pleasure ia printing Mr.. DuPonts
communication below. as we are as
sured that he Is striving to accomplish
the same object for which this paper
long has striven the publication of
our politics and the securing of gov
ernment truly representative. Reform
along these lines can come only
through the sitting and the threshng
Of ideas. There are several excep-
tions we might take to Mr. DuPouts
argument but this is his inning. The
letter is appended:
The Editor Of The Evening journal:
II gave me great pleasure TO read
your criticism of my letter to the Sun
day Star. Nothing could be more well
come than this, for II I am wrong then
the sooner my error is clearly pointed
out. the better for all concerned. but
il / ann right, then the opportunity
you have given me to answer you is
all that could be asked.
You say that Il has always seemed
to you that men are more important
than platforms. You surely cannot
have considered what this means. a
platform is "a proposed plan of legisn-
tlon. and what could be more import
ant than this? DO you realize that
the whole commercial relationship of
mankind is dependent on the Frame
work Of laws which have their origin
in these Platforms
Men live but one generation. but
laws may last for centuries You
surely win agree with me that the po-
liiical conditions are worse In Russia
than here. Would you say that this
IS because the Russian aristocracy are
far inferior as men to the members OF
our legislatures?
our state may be compared 60
great corporation. and the people TO
the stockholders. From your familiar
ity with the government OF corpora
tions. do you not think that the plan OF
leaving the supreme power IN the
hands of the stockholders Is good? You
surely would not want to dispense
with the custom OF bonding the treas
urers and other important officials and
rely on the officers being men whom
the stockholders know they can
trust" stop a minute and think how
this would work. Let your mind run
back over the worlds history and think
whether the best men have always
come into places Of power.
Men on the average are the same
as ever, or al any rate, there is n
difference Of opinion as 10 how much
improvement we can recognize. II IS
system that makes a success Of the
government Of great corporation and
IL Is system that makes our political
affairs better than those Of Russia or
Spain.
when we declared our Independence
from England, was Il the men over
there whose characters we did not like
or was IL the lass on the subject Of
taxation for the revenue Of Great Brit
ain? You remember the tea incident
in Boston harbor Was Il men or
laws which were being resisted at that
ume2
Further along in your article you
make a splendid argument for the Re
ferendum. where you say that the man
who wants an office the worst IS the
most prodigal IN his promises but that
once elected, he may snap his fingers
al his constituents ] am glad you
brought this out. as It Is an indica-
tion that you are with us. What could
be more natural IN a case like this
than to use Referendum by which the
people could correct the improper leg
islation resulting.
! think it wen to note In this con
nection, that the members Of the last
legislature were certainly not OF this
character. A proof Of this is that
they voted almost unanimously for the
referendum BILL
7 can see no reason for changing my
opinion that the voters should ash,
what Is 10 be expected from those who
are elected; for this IS really the
whole question. for upon legislation
depends the distribution Of opportuni-
ties for making a living and you cam
not but agree with me that this Is
more directly Important than the per-
sonnel Of the administration. This
however. has nothing 70 do with
Referendum idea Is directly op-
posed 10 pledges. for the Refer
endum. as you know, is to cor
rect legislation after the Assembly has
passed on q. and the Initiative to pro-
pose It In case the Assembly fails to
do what Is wanted. Pledges would be
unnecessary with this system.
You are right in saying that in bus
inrss. church and state. we want men:
but IN addition to this we should have
system Of government in which the
welfare Of the citizens II az we'll cared
FOR, even in case Of poor selection OF