Los Angeles herald., 1910-05-20
HIDE AND SEEK

Il n HIS article punllSned In the Nortn
American Review entitled Hide
= and Seek Politics." Woodrow Will
son, president of Princeton university
gives an analytical review of the gem
eral national political situation and
prospects. leading to the conclusion,
familiar to readers of The Herald that
the time is ripe for a return to first
principles, and that nothing less will
satisfy men who are genuine lovers of
their country and see naught patriotic
or trustworthy in a state of affairs
under which remarkable inequalities
in prosperity have been developed.
DR.. Wilson finds modern political
methods have interfered with popular
or American government and have sub
stituted an elaborate system of ma
chinery for a simple system of choice
Of measures in accordance with the
foundation doctrine of the greatest
good for the greatest number.
He writes: ut is a very interesting
and very vital thing to have come back
to our original problem, to be obliged
thus to become once more thoughtful
partlsans of GENUINE DEMOCRACY.
THE ISSUE is NOTHING LESS.
What we need is a radical reform Of
our electoral system, and the proper
reform will be a return to democracy.
1t is the high duty of every lover of
political liberty 10 Decume partisan
of such a reform If once he becomes
convinced of it, Another great age
of American politics will have dawned
when men seek once more the means
to establish the rights of the people
and forget parties and private inter-
ests to serve a nation"
DIR. Wilson finds publicity INSOFAR
able from good government He char
acterizes as outrageous and detestable
and dangerous the habit which some
city councils and other public bodies
and excluding the public in the persons
of newspaper reporters whenever it
seemeth good in their own eyes.
Secret sessions are the chief causes
of corruption. debauchery and betrayal
of public trust. They give oppor
tunity to the devil-nay, they suggest
opportunity to the go-betweens and
agents of the interests which find it
profitable to influence legislation by an
argument addressed to the pocketbooks
of weaklings.
At secret sessions, says DR.. Wilson
(and he speaks for the American peo
ple) "the public is not present either
in fact or in thought. Committeeman
get into the habit of being reticent
and silent about what occurred in the
committee room, AND SOON FIND !
THEMSELVES UNDER THE I'M
PRESTON THAT IT IS THEIR
OWN PRIVATE AFFAIR, ANYWAY.
The habit spreads to the deliberative
bodies themselves. Boards of alder
men dn Los Angeles the city counciD |
will often refuse to open their de-
bates to reporters or to publish the
names of those who voted aye or no in
the division when the debate was
ended And so wherever we turn,
we find the intimate business of gov
ernment sealed up in condolences of
every d-CONFIDENCES AGAINST
THE PEOPLE WITH REGARD TO |
THEIR OWN AFFAIRS; condolences
with regard to the way in which their
interests are to be served and safe |
guarded. Public discussions are the
mere formal dress parade of politics.
A general awakening to appreciation !
Of the rights and privileges guaran-
teed by Americanism will end the "se-
cret meeting" nonsense. A secret ses-
sion of a public body is a paradoxical |
and preposterous proceeding.