The Detroit times., 1908-03-11


Gore, the blind senator from Okla
homa. George W. Moore, OF Detroit.
who acted as POSTMASTER in place OF
Daniel J. Campau, who was detained;
Edwin Henderson, of Detroit, who
spoke on Democracy: c. p. Black
OF Lansing, who responded to the
toast. Jefferson, the Reformer;" Rev.
w. Dudley Powers, of Flint. whose
topic was The Nations Need of the
Democratic Party" and Frederick F,
Ingram, OF Detroit, who spoke on the
new constitution, as follows:
THE new constitution contains ev'
cry desirable feature found in the
old
at omits some undesirable features
that are in the old.
'It las many new features and ev'
cry one is step forward, some not
as far as could be wished, but all in
the right direction.
New restrictions on the legislature
compels printing and publicity for al
bills before they can be considered by
the legislature. Laws, except emer
gency, cannot take effect until three
months after adjournment.
mo local or special act can be
passed when a general law applies
Ripper legislation Is abolished.
1.-The governor can now veto items
in appropriation billy. Approve the
good, veto the bad.
Townships and cities can't grant
franchises except by 60 per cent vote
OF the electors. Oficials can no long
er give away or sell franchises to pri
vate corporations.
The new constitution gives us home
rule and municipal ownership and 10
cal control of streets and highways.
There are other gains, both by ad
ditions and omissions and since The
only alternative is to accept the new
constitution or continue the old, tie
state will be best served by adopting
the new
at vas owing largely 10 the
strength developed by the direct leg
islation measure, the initiative, thai
We secured these reforms.
THAT the supremacy of the corpora
tons as the ruling power In politics
depends upon keeping the doors closed
SO that the electors can not directly
initiate laws or directly vote on laws
is clearly established by this fight
over direct legislation In the consti
tutiopal convention.
That it would restore the sovereign
| ty to the people, give us government
by the people. was admitted. At the
same time 1t wes commended because
they claim the power of the legisla
ture should be absolute. It's decisions
final These 132 men who compose
| IL must have an exclusively monopoly
For the people to retain the right To
initiate laws would destroy the mon
opoly and force the legislature into
position of subserviency to their con
stituents so they would merely reflect
the will or the whims OF the voters
etc. A situation that opponents pro
fess to believe detrimental to the
special interests corpora
tons and such like.
Where Voters Must Divide.
1T is on these lines the voters
must divide. Government by the peo-
pie or government by class. equal
rights on one side, special privileges
on the other.
Many men believe In privilege, they
are honest in their desire for SUI
perior ruling class and a Legislature
with absolute power is necessary 10
such class supremacy.
But let us Democrats force the is.
sue, see that II is clearly drawn SO
that the voter who prefers guardian
and many do, will be against us and
he who believes In majority rule will
be with us.
I'm the words OF Jefferson, as writ
ten in his first inaugural address:
Sometimes II Is said that man
cannot be trusted with the govern
Ement of himself Can he then be
trusted with the government. OF others
Or have we found angels in the forms
OF kings TO govern usT
we must convince the voters thai
we stand for the Democracy or JET
ferson--a Democracy he embedded 81
deep in the hearts OF his countrymer
thar IL denominated in politics for !
generation after his death,
1T is the common people agasnsl
the privileged class. human beings
against tainted money.
we have established privileges N
sfhia country under the forms OF !
democratic rovernnent. The result \
that government itself has become 4
special privilege.
Three Kinds Of Politicians.
In the political arena there are hll
three kinds of men plutOcrats. SO