The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1907-07-18
THE .REFEREND UlF.

Oddly enough while the State Of Con-
necticut has been considering the in
PRODUCTION of the referendum as an aid
to representative government the same
question has been agitating the readers
of the London Spectator. That periodi-
cal has some way absorbed the notion
mere or less prevalent here that the
referendum Is a supplement to repre-
sentative government, and argues that
it would be good thing in case Of
"a deadlock between the two houses
of the legislature" 1t is not usual for
this ably edited journal to get mixed on
its philosophy.
A writer in the Spectator sharply
calls his favorite paper to account and
1t would be good thing if his views
could be studied by every citizen of
Connecticut inclined to experiment with
a government which never falls of it,
sels but frequently fails through the in
efficiency of those In charge Of it. He
says IN part; Il understand the true
theory Of representative government to
imply, first, that d genuine intellectual
task is laid upon the electors; but,
secondly, that this task does not include
the business Of actual legislation. The
Referendum violates the second part Of
this principle. Representative govern
ment exists to put the needs and wishes
of the people into working form, and
this working form must of course be
highly intricate, much more detailed
than the general demand embodied in
the peoples wish, and presenting In
finite prlma-facie grounds for assent
and for objection. The Referendum asks
the electorate to decide upon the bus
mess Of legislation at this, its most ar
duous point, and this task Is an inn
possible one, not because the multitude
Is uneducated, not because 1t takes an
expert to Judge the effect of complex
measure, though these reasons have
some weight, but because a multitude
cannot jointly deliberate-i.e., have no
opportunity of mastering the pros and
cons of measure in intellectual CO.
operation with all of those whose con-
ficting points Of view have to be TAX
en- into account. 1t is because a multi
tude cannot do this work that repre-
sentative government exists to do 1t
for them, and it is done by a definite
process divided into appropriate stages.
The error Of the Referendum is deep
seated, and would not be cured, though
it might be disguised, by restricting its
application to brief and simple meas
ures. 1t lies in appealing from the COM
pleted deliberative work of the national
mind to a collection of Individual
judgments, which, according to the
principle of representative government,
are only fitted to form the very first
stage of such a deliberative work"
There's the whole philosophy of the
referendum in nutshell. 1t obstructs
the free movement of representative
government. We could not add a word
to what is said above if we should at
tempt it, SO complete is its exposure OF
the ignorance OF those who would ex-
pertinent with government because pre-.
vious experimenting on their part has
led only to disappointment Words like
these add, too, to better understand
ing of what government is and should
lead thoughtful people, who in the end
control the thoughtless, to resist popu-
lar schemes for the improvement OF
things simply because they are popular
There has never been sound indict-
ment brought against our principles of
government. Trouble has come when
some official or legislative body has UNI
, dertaken to do things in an original
way and not in the way preferred and
directed by the constitution. 1t wa.
Justice Brewer of the Supreme Courr
of the United States who felt called
upon at the Yale commencement last