The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1907-07-22
Observation-Disclosures

try are slowly but surely coming 10
realize that a government founded on
experience is more to be relied upon
than one irritated by constant expert
ment. The purposes of the founders
as revealed In the constitution and the
results of its guidance are interesting
people more and more until it can be
said with more confidepce than would
have been the case ten or even Ave
years ago that return to conserva-
tive methods of government is more
likely than the adoption under sud-
den impulse of radical methods. We
are about through with the counsel of
well meaning but poorly informed
politicians The day of the statesman
is dawning
Here in the State of Connecticut the
people have been recently given
needed object lesson in the need there
is for the study Of things from the
founders point of view We refer to
the sudden squall which introduced the
consideration Of the referendum only
to blow it out to sea. We now all
know more about its philosophy than
we did and we know in addition that
the constitution makers Of the country,
guided in their work by the original
pioneers of Connecticut in the art Of
formulating constitutional law, were
as keen in their limitation to which
the use of the referendum might be put
as they were keen in limiting in other
ways the power of the three depart
ments Of government, The Bristol
Press is uneonsciously correct in its
assertion that THE principle of the
referendum is incorporated in the
constitution. All changes in that
document must be submitted to the
people We say that our contempor-
airy is unconsciously correct because a
more careful study Of the work Of the
constitution makers would show It that
having in mind the possible abuse of
the principle of the referendum they
took care to limit it 10 changes in the
constitution, which is the basis Of all
democratic government. They saw to
1t, as far as they could. that changes
In the form Of government should not
he instituted without the consent of
the governed Had they believed in
the general application of the principle
as has been suggested this winter at
Hartford, they would note have taken
the care they did take to limit the
power of the legislative branch of gov
erEment. Had they supposed that the
day would come when 1t was proposed
to submit to the people, according to
the fancy Of q weak or cowardly legis-
lature, the work Of that body they
would not have considered so long and
carefully as they did the pressing ne
cessity of distributing powers of gov
eminent with the principle Of checks
and balances in mind.
Another advance in our educational
Improvement provoked by widespread
agitation viii be found in the present
condition Of the government ownership
principle Says Mr. Bryan in his lat
est pronunciamento, Government
ownership is not an immediate Issue.
A large majority Of the people still
hope for effective regulation. While
they so hope they viii not consider
government ownership" Mr. Bryan
believes 1t will ultimately come but the
confidence of an individual is not yet
the blazing path of the American peo-
pie. The country is still perplexed and
perturbed by the selfish conduct of
public service corporations, and Is at
times ready in its impatlenee to turn
theoretically to government ownership
with control or to government owner
ship with leased control under strict
regulation, but practically IL is in no
mood to leap from the frying pan into
the fire. A cure that may be worse
than the disease has no attractions for
a practical people and will not attract
until the assurance Is given that the
cure is real In the meantime the agl-
tation has suggested of itself to the
people that more intelligent and hon
est supervision of the corporations will
be successful and lead TO the improve.
ments desired. The whole history Of
the country turns upon thoughtful
people supporting policies which rest
on experience and lodging those which
have for their basis the spirit of ex-
pertinent. Those same people to-day,
who are as stoutly opposed TO corpor-
ate abuse as their neighbors are turn
ing upon the principle of government
ownership the search light of expert
ence and are preaching the gospel Of
supervision, which is none the less
doubtful because it has not been ex-
ercised by the government. Mr.. Bry.
an, who has preached vigorously and
eloouently the gospel of government
ownership, now himself confesses that
he has been unable to make his pri-