The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-11-23

this pIaz Thich an inclined 70 think
the students Of this college Wh1 have
acc Iired knowledge and have been
caUgE- 70 rLL1k straight VIII scCutin-
-Zs with 4 good deal 1t care and posi-
bly, Wiz some suspicion
You vii note in the first place that
3 very few Of the people can PUT al
the people "a the trouble ard Expense
q & vote u1o1 any measure and you
may wonder = the minority ought 70
nave = Y is power thus 20 1araSs and
annoy the majority Incidentally you
may wonder how many times the pro-
hi1tC0ry amendment OF some che OF
the statutes enacted for It's enforce
--e1r. would 1zve oee1 res717-1rrred 20
the people Of Kansas i the initiative
lad been II force IN this state these
pasr % years
yen vii note n the second place
that still fewer Of the people have II II
their power u hold ID 4 law which
legislature nay have passed n plain
obedience 70 the U2L1zrz o. 4 MAORI
~ Of the people. or which nay &c eS
ssEElGL to Eas pEoIIE- -GrEeE-E x con-.
drrcC q public affairs. ard you nay
wonder Z the referendum might not
make II possible for 4 small. 1aI4vOIent
and C-Isc1Lsv0uS minority % 0osLrucE
the machinery q government and for
time III least 20 nuuIfy tie VIII OF the
majority
Measure Can Not Be Amended
You vii note in uha third place that
d measure submitted either BY the
Initiative OF the referendum cannot be
amended 15-- must he ACCEPTED or re-
JecC@1 aS whole and you nay Won
der If this might not afford (r1e in
-eresLs1 quite As good Al 0pp0rLuIilE
a. they would have II 4 legislature, %
initiate some measure which II is
general purpose vas wholesome ard
1eusiczlt but within which vas con-
= --~-E >
either U1-lIty the good features Of the
-aW 1r make It actively VICIOUS
You viii note IN the fourth place
that under rEis system 10 matter how
few votes ara east upon q given meas
IRE II there are more for II ELzd
against t. T becomes 4 law. and you
nay wonder Z II might Tot ofta1 hap
zen that laws would &c enacted WHICH
really represent the Judgment Or the
interests f the minority rather than {
r-e majority Of the people
And finally and Chiefly. without in
the least iE1peachi1z the Intelligence IF
the people. v0I viii note the small at
re1rtoE Tie average citizen gives 20 t17
details Of public questions and you
may wonder f the average vote cast
-po1 these proposed measures q Legs
---1- T- really represent Al informed
ard weE- considered judgment
How Many Can Cast TnteIH9ent BaHOt2
TAKE leaf 0t-t Of your own recent
experimental for the purpose OF this
Illustration We viii ask the members
ot the faculty 70 let themselves be in
Guided How many Of you ara entirely
satisfied that VCu cast Al informed and
Intelligent Ballot a the primary cleo
rI0u whic1 was Raid IN this state last
August
We wU admit a. once that you
know exactly What you were doing
when Won registered your choice among
me cz1atIe-a-es for governor and nan
Ger Of congress. and perhaps for the
county Offices
But how about the rest-tEa caud7-
dates -1r Lieutenant governor and audi
tor and railroad commissioners and IN
Sz-t1cs -C1--1 issICCzr and 50 Ct down
The me- DID y0E taxa TIE pains -
lock ID ne private and public records
. IT ali C1ese men 50 as u make sure
that TCu vors5 for the very aest men
IN sight I VII not a-CrCEY T0u BY
Insisting upon an answer 70 that ques-
-ior rlShr TOW. hut Z believe can find
u II ~ own experience
nv zcaIaI 1tzuce among TIE public
-e1 Il Kansas l. fairly large and :
an 2 dLEEz1t reader o. the EswSUz-
pe-s- 6Ec I confess that oEI- a C1ircy-
nine EzC-es upoG IRE ballot q the party
VIII which 7 affiliate there were thfr-
-ee7- oze S1H third Ct tleE1- that rad
-sv=r heard 81
iii not 50 much as know IN Q
1rcaI way whether tnav we're ir-sJIr-
gents 1r reguIar-and 4 you ara "a
I 7-1l-4r Win recent political history you
. VII realize n Just how Izue1tabtz q
prst-l-a1-su 7 found myself And there
must have been good -auy others Is
--UcG ~ sea a. vas