Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1906-03-29
SHOULD DELEGATES &c ~
SvRuCreof

u the city convention, we nave
| some rather decided views on this
question. Under any aud all clrcun,'
stances We believe Ia instructed del
egati0ns.
Why? For the same reason thai
WI believe Ia government ny the peo'
| pie. Five OF six men given carte
| blanche To do as they choose In mat
ters OF goyernment-wthat's oligarchy,
| whether II be IN the primary or Ia
the highest governmental body, And
| this government OF ours II showing
| stronger symptoms OF becoming an oil
garchy these days,
Il is beginning 10 be altogether TOO
common Tor a Congressman, elected
upon some platform TO carry out IL,
| VIII Of the people. entirely 10 disre
gard the wishes OF the people who
| elect him, because. forsooth, he has
lmbibea the idea that he knows more
| about what the people want than they
know themselves.
Our highest government officials,
making up the administration. are moi
responsible to the people Ia any meas
ne but reform In this respect viii
never I've secured until the people In
| sist Gu democratic government begin
| ring with the primaries.
J Onr theory still Is that COMPRESSION
al committees have only power 0I
making recommen '%atiOns. but in 81
feet. committees are beginning 10 have
az much power as many of our PEG
pie wish TO give the delegations In
the primaries,
Hut the whole trouble begins dow'
IN the primaries. You find IL ever.
ward people who are unreasonable
enough and undem0cratic enough t
| say, 'The people be ." ] wOnf
be an automatum OF the people. II
can't 20 to q convention without
instructions, II the people don't think
know what Is for their interest II
the convention, | won't go at all"
And so We find the dangerous and
| un.American sentiment increasing
that the se~venty-fye or hundred vot
ers In a ward are not to select thei'
own candidates for Office. are not u
suggest IN their delegates. are not Y
dare to instruct these able gentlemen
regarding their own wishes, but
are TO leave to this little ~0ligarch,
the right Of determining and guard
inr interests.
That IL i sort OF feeling that has
or rather should have. no place I'M
der our form OF government. In ever
| primary the fullest and freest voice
should be expressed as to the wants
and wishes Of the people. II there
are men so wise and autocratic tina
they must decide the matter OF rul
e7s Of the people themselves, or re
fuse to serve on delegations. Why b.
all means. leave such men where
they belong. In the cool, quiet shade.
We find the Objectionable spir'
In all walks OF government today. w
find 1t In our presidents, In our speak
ers, In our congressman. and In gu
convention leaders. II Is up to tn
people to point 1t out.
Probably no man has ever HANDLED
this question more sensibly and abl'
than did William J. Bryan. As loni
ago as 1898 he was widely quoted II
the Associated Press on this yer!
point. He pointed to the growin'
tendency towards oligarchy. and trace
back the causes to the election pr
maries Of the nation. From the Nev
England town meeting Of nifty year
ago when every man had his voice
to ordinary primary Of today whel
some Of the people have grown to-
wise to take Instructions from the vc
tiers. In 4 far cry. Mr.. Bryan pointe'
out that Il was this tendency to trus
the nomination Of delegates, the %
lection az candidates. practically al
matters Of government to COMMITTEES
undnstructed by the people themselves
was the seat OF the trouble. AS "a
AZ possible" said Mr.. Bryan. and hi
Mtterances was freely endorsed b,
great men OF al parties. BY william
Mckinley among them, "every prims
~ should expfcss it, untrammele'
win IA to the men for whom suhel
ance at the polls ID to be asked. from
the ward Officers 70 the president 0
the United States"
And yet We ind men who call them
selves Americans. saying, III mus
he a puppet to dance as the peopl'
direct. I won't have anything to d
with the people," In theory ever.
political official, from the presiden
Of the United States down to tn
ward delegate II the servant Of N,
people. In practice q large proper
ton OF these officials wait % con
stitute themselves the masters Of tn
people. s \
II this Is the only kind Of govern
ment that can exist successfully II
this country, let us at least have th'
decency 10 drop our pirate about tn,
freest government In. the world an'
admit that our forefathers were mis-
taken when they believed they coul,
II .