The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-09-06
GISLATIVE LESSONS.

leduolS dS upl1ClIy1 IS Hol ALolh the press adding to it's previous rep utation for keen but sober statement and carrying to those who are in the game of politics for what there Is in it for them increasing reasons for worry The editors have serious pur- pose in mind, are familiar with the legislative practices which have pro- duced such aggressive criticism and are fully capable of improving the governmental conditions of the State | if the people are really in earnest in their desire to have them improved. But even these earnest men will be as clay in the hands of the potter if the people neglect the opportunity given them. The professional politician sneers. What of the people?
 Publicity" is right in declaring the present legislature to be the equal in character and ability with those which have preceded it but does not fall to note that public dissatisfac- tion with 1t proceeds from the up- ward movement which extends throughout the country, the attitude of the press and the leadership of the governor. That awakening has subjected the best legislature in re- cent years to most severe criticism Our youthful and buoyant contem- porary then goes on to express It's sat- isfaction with the general situation in these words: we rejoice at the im- provement of the legislature, we re- joice still more at the criticism to which it has been subjected, we re- joice most of all at the public unrest and dissatisfaction" This is a very happy presentation of the reasons why earnest men should .rstce. As good as it was the present legislature is not good enough for the twentieth century conscience. The way must be found to make individual efficiency more effective in the halls Of legisla- ton and 1t Is to this necessity that the present number of Publicity" ad- dresses itself In an interesting man. ner It says that under prevailing conditions the people are like mu- sician trying to play the piano with boxing gloves on. Until the gloves are removed the performance will be a poor attempt" 1t Is not particularly important or pertinent to inquire who fastened them on the hands of the people, as the answer would be swift l ly forthcoming. More important and pertinent Is the consideration of the ways and means of removing them so that the hands and the fists of the people may have free play.
 Publicity" while realizing the number of things to be done con fines it's attention to a few things which if enforced will in It's judgment simplify the now complicated situation and make general reforms easier, It places first in importance the direct primary act. As it's crusade Is against the bosses of all parties who have tied the boxing gloves to the embarrassed hands of the people it would begin
 the work of freeing them by tying the hands of the bosses. It would reverse the conditions of embarrassment, which can only be done by returning
 to the people their right to do the
 bossing. The convention has become the chief reliance of the bosses in their determination to retain control of the government, therefore 1t must
 be abandoned for the direct primary.
 As wire-pulling among the members
 of the General Assembly for support of candidates for positions of execu-
 tive power and minor judicial dignity, tends to the demoralization of legisla- tive conduct, the right to appoint should
 be given to the governor outright. This it is believed will at once make
 the General Assembly law-making
 body pure and simple, while the dan
 ger of sldllfuE man in the office of governor using his appointing power
 to entrench himself and friends in
 power would be removed by the di- rect primary. The third change rec commended is the election of United States senators by the people, thus re- moving from the halls of legislation a responsibility which does not belong Ithere but which while imposed direct ly interferes with the purpose of that department of government. Men elect ed to support given candidate for
 senator are not elected to legislate;
 men elected to legislate find their
 minds confused and their usefulness
 impaired by personal complications
 growing out of the bitter struggle be-
 tween the candidates. Finally Pub | licity" would separate State and na-
 tional elections in order that each
 election may concern itself with its
 own needs.
 This is a comprehensive program oI
 platform and should be seriously con-