The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-06-24

ConesusiSnS q aA RyppEisAoed Deserve
e ARnlrs.

against tha olly h ths psychological ita1s 81 an
slae,orate Wtish having tull powers 10 cod them
shoosss 70 lst them sxist 70 IN 0wu dslTimen'
and loaa
II h partly In defence Of the people,
partly IN discussion Of their gov0nmenta.
IN city. State and nation. and partly a. q
study Of democracy, which h confessed
on al hands 70 be sweeping over tho whole
world. that the present plea \ put forward.
There are approximately 100000 qualified
voters In New York city. varying In ell
doHrees-0f wealth from ihose who live
By the DAY 10 the multi-millionaire, of edu-
cation from those who can hardly rad and
write 10 graduates Of universities. Of Oocu-
pations - diverse as 10 forbid comparison.
lt Il doubtful whether In the line Of COM
pFehenslon Of politics Fifth avenue or
Wall street differs much from the East
Side. How can all these people possibly
act tOgetherg
II will Of course be answered: By elect
inG GOOD men. How are they 10 know
the good msnp what Ia the standard 70
measure them BY u may b. said briehy
that tho Eovemment IN New York a. well
~ In other cities and States h made up
Of Complexity and confusion. recently
published plan by q committee for . new
charter for New York cOntained over 1000
words, and tho whole machinery Of gov
eminent u q mass 81 ineEtricabls detail.
IL the whole electorate consisted Of college
graduates. al In comfortable circum-
stances and al church members. the result
would probably be nearly the sams.
The only way 10 make multhudes act
together. Of which the whole course OF
history h one Oblect lesson. h through
personality 10 seems 10 be admitted on
al hands that the great majority Of the
people even IN = city like New York con-
siats Of fairly honest and well meaning
people, working hard 70 rear and support
their families, preferring good 70 evil,
leaders whom they can look % 10 and yOu
vii make them better. ALLOW them "a
fall into the hands Of bad leadera and you
viii make them rapidly worse. Tho people
cannot make their leaders. IL n the leaders
The next question Il how 20 ret the lead
ers A. present the great object seems 70 b
how not 70 set them. There Ia nothing more
commission which 3 spreading over Ike
country. The people cannot be trusted.
therefore. put the government out Of their
sight. Set 40 groups Of three OF four men.
elected OF appointed. for heightened terma.
and hand over the government IN fractions
70 them. trusting that the memhera Nill
cheek each other. and az any rate they will
each hold only a part Of the government.
u means failure from the start. Besides
AL other defects. u deprives The. people Of
al educational moral and political guidance
The privatiOn Of leadership brings on de-
liFium Shut up a number Of men for saw
and they will drink w the mud puddles In
the street For more than a generatiOn the
people Of the United state. have been de-
prived Of all the innuence Of personality at
least Of the better kind II IL wilderness
Of legislsiure~. committee- and commls-
-ions with . complete suppression 81 indi-
vidual executive power, which u IN theory
the basis Of our institutions suddenly there
appears man Who bTushes them al aside
Reckless IN finance. ContemptuOu- 81 re-
straint by Law OF Constitution, devoted 10
yond all else 20 military and naval prepara-
tons, he ahrinks from nothing and bends
eyerythinE 70 his viii The people 20 hteT-
ally crazy Ne goes 70 Europe. and courts
and peoples bow 10 him. not IN much for
y hat he says or doc. for covert aneers are
nv no means wanting " l. q mixture o.
sender, ave a16 policy AZ the prospect %
World N IL surrender tself into his hands
Predictions are impossible. and the bubble |
may hurst but u shows the serious side of
democracy
donef How ran demOcracys demand for |
~ satisfied without dangerous |
results' The principle j very simple Put ]
he government IN The hands NJ one man. |
Mayor in the city. Governor in the state |
let the initiative come from him, Az pro ,
posals being sent % him. a. in the Old New I,
England town meeting. and PLACED before 4
the Legislature under hi- Euidnn1e end 1
responsibility In finance especially the 4
whole Initiative should b. PLACED In his /
hands The veto should rest With the Legs |
iatuTe after q Tree and public Discussion, /
instead n With him The who'll ne,NoIs Of |
should - guided BY him. |
heads Of departments appointed snd re- |
moved by him. and through them al sub I
ordinates one man In each place, exactly |
~ % . great department store.
Then have q somewhat numerous hndv. I
I ouncil In the city. LEGISLATURE In the state. .
made up Of single representatives from dh- /
ferent districts. but allowing the voters 70 ,
invite candidates nom any part Of the city /
or state Allow no election by plurality. l
hat " need he require q second electi0n be-
tween the two highest candidates. q measure .
which would insure a majority and would I
of itsell concentrate interest upon individ- I
uals When representatives ana executive d
met IN session. the latter having the guild I
anCe Of business and the former only the /
power Of criticism and veto, drama would 4
hsEin which would Intensity personality I
and arouse the interest 81 he whole COM 1
Lobbying and trading would he
Impossible. and the instrument of sucCess i
v Ouid he an appeal 10 public opinion.
II IL Just this view Of the case which lends
Interest 10 the career 81 Governor HuEhes.
Perhaps no man has ever entered the once /
Of OSvsrnoT With stronger support. and /
his arm refusal 70 play politics and equally /
Arm stand for publicity and open reaponsi j
bility won for him the public opinion /
% tire STATE and larHely OF the nation II /
must he aaid with regret that he did not /
eraap the trle issue and devoted himself 1
to urging details % measures upon the
legislature instead n attacking the or 4
saniEation Of government and tho false 1
relation 81 the executive and Legislative
departments u e here that his direct nom
visible in the legislature 20 guide the choice /
Of men. and as plurality was the basis Of L
ella ton, party conventions and guidance
Of the voters uere = Necessity " set Il
In the IIssislatuTe Uas a direct test OF the
charnrter and ability Of individual men.
With majority electlOn direct nominations i
would aoOn establish themselves. 10 10
only too manifest that the transfer ~ Gov
amor HUGHES 20 the Supreme Court has
MARRIED hia failure and LEFT the people o.
the state more discouraged and hopeless
than before.
But the smbers 81 hopa are not vet sH-
tlnct No, aince the FEDERAL convention
o. I7AT has there been q movement more
9tate fiOveFnOrH whether Il h against
Inc enrr0achnent 81 Federal power on the
me aide OF the anarchy Of cities and States
IN the other. u ~ from the State OOvernors
hat relief n 81 al. must come FROM
mutual conference and support true Lead
erahip NAV ba evolved ~ any ono %
hem decidea % try for the leadership he
an have no better motto than that yOu
have furnished. -The simplicity Of H.
GAMALfEL BRADFORD.
BosToS. June a.