Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-08
CLEAR. CRISP AND CLEAN
A TWEEDISM

TT IS predicted in many quarters in
Illinois that the direct primary has
Il received its death blow in that state
as the immediate result of the inter-
ference in legislative matters exercised
by Speaker Cannon, who made hur-
ried trip to Springfield, the state capi-
tai, to warn his faithful henchmen that
the enactment of the proposed law
would ruin his chances for reelection
to the house of representatives. Gov
ernor Deneen, although pledged to sup
port the measure, fell down at the
critical moment, and while not partici-
pating vigorously in the Cannon cam
paign against the reform measure,
quietly let it be known that he had
found it inexpedient to oppose the DOM
inant factor in state politics.
Those who are taking pessimistic
view Of the future of the direct primary
in the Prairie state should take cour-
age. Before the late bill went to it's
death at the hands of Mr.. Cannon there
was evidence on all sides that the
people would support their representa-
tives in their efforts to make the bill
law. And where the people are with a
legislator or any other public official
holding office as the result Of popular
vote such official should fear no other
foe, though so powerful a one as the
speaker of the national house of rep
resentatives.
Autocratic Cannon has scored first
blood in the Illinois fight, but that
means little. When any such move
ment has made such progress in the
hearts of the people as the direct pri-
mary law has made among the people Of
Illinois. such a setback as this meas
ure has received can be but temporary.
The maneuvering of political gamesters
may impede, but it cannot prevent the
final consummation of the wishes of
the people. The people can rule in Illi-
nois, if they desire to, just as they can
in California, If they desire to. The
direct primary, the initiative, the refer
endum and the recall, all have been
stigmatized as freak" measures by
the newspapers known to be affiliated
with the enemies of really popular gov
ernment: every possible attempt has
been made to render them unpopular
by heaping upon these political inno-
vations and their promoters opprobrium
and malediction, but the people, en-
lightened by the honest portion of the
press and the arguments made by close
students of these modern measures
looking toward the restoration of pop
ular government, are no longer to be
fooled by the demagogy of selfish polit-
ical leaders, Of crude BOSSES" or of
those newspapers which are always
found ready to lend themselves to
undertakings intended to deprive the
people of the most sacred of all heri-
tages in America, as distinguishing
this country from most others-the right
to say not only who shall be elected to
offices of public trust, but also who
shall be nominated for such offices.
william M. Tweed, until the advent
of the Herrins and the Harrimans Of
today regarded as the most astute and
most corrupt political boss in American
history, once said: 1.-THE people may
elect any candidate they choose. SO
long as they let me select the candi-
dates" Speaker Cannon has made It
plain to the people OF Illinois that he
does not care whom they elect. so long
as he is permitted to control the con-
vention which nominates his successor.
If the Illinois pessimists win watch
events in California during the next
year they will have laid before them
an object lesson which will take the
curse of the Cannon fat.