The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1906-10-26
THE PRO AND CON OF CONSTI-
TUTTONAL GOVERNMENT AND
SOCIALISM.

kJONlEAlLAoln-
The Great Teacher said: He
that is not for me is against me, and
he that gathereth not with me scat
tereth." This is q great truth always
applicable in great moral crises.
The frankness Of the editor Of the
socialist column is certainly to be ad
mired- He says, IN The Republic is
sue OF October 1s:
TT" socialism, demands a new
form Of government out and out The
socialists are the only people who ad-
vocated such a thing, etc"
To put It mildly, this means the do
ing away with a constitutional form
OF government, as now existing in
both state and nation, and the adop-
ton OF a socialist form Of government
in its stead In plain words, It is a
revolution, not however, by the bayO-
net, but BY the ballot, not fOrcible, but
persuasive, but II is a revolution all
the same. The editor Of this paper
fought, throughout the civil war, to
maintain the integrity OF this nation
and its glorious constitution
What does the socialist column edi-
LOA AGDEA against anu Why 4AG WIVES
fuentIy about the Initiative and the
referendum, the imperative mandate
and the recall as though It was an
entirely new thing; whereas, to the
contrary, It IS no new thing at all,
but old, very old, and IN force in this
country today. The several govern
ments OF all the states OF the Ameri-
can union, and the national govern
ment OF the United States are each,
one and all formed and projected pre-
cisely upon this plan. Does any one
enquire how?
The answer fs-'n the manner o.
the framing Of the constitution Of the
United States Of Am area, its adOp-
ton by the stAc :, tn, formation and
adoption Of the constitutions Of the
several states by the people OF those
states. the specific provisions for the
amending OF alteration Of those con-
situations, the adding to, the taking
from, expanding or enlarging Of those
great charters OF human liberty, in
any particular whatsoever, all pro-
coed precisely upon the initiative and
the referendum. Any person at all
familiar with civil government knows
that this is the fact.
Moreover, all these constitutions
provide for the Imperative mandate
and the recall" The pledge to con-
stituents and oath OF ONCE IS the
mandate" and the law OF 'impeach-
ment'' provides for the recall. Ex-
press provisions OF the several con-
st1tutiOns, and express statutes. fed
eral and state, are definite and clear
upon this point, touching all elective
and appointive offices, whether legis-
lative, executive or judicial. From the
president Of the United States to the
mayor OF a city, from a United States
senator to the humblest member Of
any state legislature, from the chief
justice Of the United States court to
q justice OF the peace, and all appoint
I've Of1cers may be impeached, re-
called. removed and others elected or
appointed to I'll their placs This is
the law, and the fact in the case, so
that this new propaganda IS ike
carrying Goals to Newcastle"
Our form OF government is what is
called a representative democracy,
government OF the people, Dy The peO-
pie and for the people. through their
chosen representatives Really what
the socialists urge is q simple demo-
cracy like that OF ancient Greece, i'm
possible OF adoption, in a great nation
Ike ours, and entirely impracticable
OF administration The propositions
they advance are a step backward in
stead OF forward retroEressiOn instead
OF progression
what the nation and the states
need s. q new era OF patriotic and
vigorous enforcement OF laws already
enacted and application OF the pre-
srogatfFes OF constitutions already ad-
opted JeRersonIan democracy or
lincoln republicanism f. ample to
cope with al wrongs and right them.
g undertake al needed reforms and
accomplish both. Both Roosevelt and
Bryan. have taken advanced ground
SO some q she very demands OF So
flaiit fsformzrs The interstate
Jaw s7e arrf-lrust lsW. re-