The Greenville morning herald. [volume] (Greenville, Tex.) 1890-1956, 1910-08-24
REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT
is CHALLENGED.

ne city OF Dallas has the recall
feature IN Its cnarter-as We have in
Waco ana a test Of this feature has
recently been made in Dallas, for the
people nave utilized their prerogatiye
and recalled two memoirs of the
Dallas school board to ate life
The next step will be 10 elect two
men TO take the places of those re.
CARED, unless, indeed, the same two
men shall be yindicated by reelection
Tor they can offer for reelection
II they see lit to do SO. Thepoint of
interest is that under the system the
people can retire from place and DOW
er public officials whose course does
not accord with the views of a ma
jority OF the voters of community
That is an idictment OF the prip.
eipIe Of representative government.
undoubtedly and it is departure of
such grave import that ii may well
arouse thought, but it will hardly be
viewed that 1t is in line with the spir-
II OF the time. There is evidence owe.
The land Of distrust of the value of
what we call representative" govern.
ment The fact is manifest In many
sections OF the country and it NAV be
expected to gather force and volume
1t is this disuust on the part of the
people. their growing desire to safe
guard their own interests by limita-
nons on the power of representatives
,hat has brought the initiative, the
referendum and the recall. Hon. Yam.
cy Lewis Of Dallas, alluded to IL with
force and eIoquenoe in his recent nd.
dress 10 the state democratic copysn.
uon' and be was the only member OF
mat body Who saw fit to call the an.
tention Of the delegates and the dem
0eraey to this significant sign of the
pMes lie spoke in spirit OF warning
ana appeal perhaps to unheedng liz
ieners IN the main-but IL may no
DrbeFed that his words did impress
many Who heard him, 1t is certain
lAal lhey We're timely words and II Ia
Only reckless or thoughtless men who
VIII lguore The fact the representa-.
1--WE government is being CHALLENGED.
III "A way representatives whether
III municipal life or national bodies
VINO ignore the manifest win Of their
constituents, who shut their eyes u
me evident trend OF popular SEMI.
me nj help foster the spirit of dis.
trust and protest, and that and po
olher cause need be sought for the
COMING OF The referendum and the re.
can The recent episode at Dallas ia
Dui an earnest OF what is coming ON
broader scale over the iand. for it
may be put down as certain that tbe
american peopl viii hardly be con.
tent until they have gone beyond the
local zone in the utilization and applj.
caIlon Of this new means OF epforcna
me popular wdl or safeguarding nan.
hiar interests. II the principle is
nseiui IN municipal matters it is but
step to broader plane. where II
Will nave application and the IRE.
can Tor legislative representatiyas
may be anticipated as a culmJnotion
OF logical nature, And lf.ln state WIN.
nol IN national emergeneiesy Par.
maps this latter is d more remote con.
lingency, but the leayen. VIII vol,
and It's effects may be iarreaehing.
mat The people are disposed to ac.
eepl such remedies must be attrIbu.
ted, as Judge LAWS remarked. 10 tho
disregard BY those charged with rem
fesenlatiTe functions, OF the desire
ana sentiments OF the voters who give
me representative his place. and IN
AL this there Is warning and appeal
10 Tor all VINO are entrusted with legis.
huFe duties Too often representa-.
ives have been careless OF duty and
commands and sometimes they have
misFepresented the will OF the people
who elected them That is what has
Drought The new methods aud 1t shows
tAu' me people are coming 10 believe
they can il emergencies protect their
interests by direct rather than dele
gated legislation. ihe innovation has
come 10 stay. Faithlessness and ar
rogance on the part oil representa-.
Ives brought the reform. How broad
sll be rs application viii hinge on
he fidelity Of those charged WITH pub.
ic trusts. When public servants
neer az party commands Is IL sur
rising that ths people cast about for
'eaps 70 bring the servants 70 ac
ountabilityY The initiative, referen
UNI and recall were evolved out Of
ie needs OF The electorate. Waco Z
rlbune i.