The Washington herald., 1910-07-25
Popular Government.

Mr.. Taft, in one OF his speeches in the
last campaign. indicated. in passing
allusion to a then minor issue. that he
looked with favor upon the election OF
United States Senators by direct vote Of
the people.
tt IS an issue that every State in the
Union must meet and II has such impor-
tant bearing upon popular government as
a whole that i is decidedly national
Many States. notably Democratic States
at the South-there are few Democratic
States observation-disclosures their Senators
and their State officials as well by pri-
mary election. No State that has given
fair test to an honest primary law would
voluntarily return to the convention sys-
TEN. with the dishonest machine practices
which it invites and involves.
one State. ana one State only-the Re-
publican state Of Oregon-has attained
complete form Of popular government
that excludes corruption. has destroyed
machine politics. ard Is Immediately re-
sponsive 70 the pecple's viii. oregon.
leading the way. occupies to-day a unique
and enviable position in the family OF
States The Feform movement, begun
some years ago. was stubbornly resisted.
called socialistic in the extreme, and
3eered at as impractcable and impossible
Of realization this side Of the millennium.
Now an accomplished fact. the State
points TO It with pride, and the country
watches its successful operation with
growing admiration.
Freed from partisan abuses, out OF
the grasp OF selfish interest, Oregon goes
prosperously and self-respectlngly on her
way Given an opportunity to rule. the
people out there are demonstrating that
they can rule wisely and we'll.
What Oregon has done other states
must Go, II the government Of the United
States is 20 be a popular government. as
its patriotic founders intended it should be-
Questions OF the tariff. control Of the
trusts. railroad regulation. conservation.
and the like-each and all OF these are
dwarfed into insignihcance by the i'm
portance Of the paramount problems Of
popular government-State and national.
Once solve these as Oregon has solved
them. by creating an honest electorate
and giving the people the power to rule
parties instead OF allowing parties 70 rule
the people. and other questions VIII
speedily and rlghteously adjust them
selves.
Politicians may not see it-selflsh IN
terests may retard its progress for a time
but statesmen see and realize that
this issue Of popular government is the
biggest issue before the country and
must inevitably win, II the nation would
survive and thrive.
Government Of the people, for the peo-
pie, and by the people is as essential now
as IN our earliest history-as essential
IN our strength as it was essential in our
weakness-and no true patriot is blind
TO the fact.
What are the Democratic leaders OF the
hour doing IN support Of this increasing
demand for popular government? We
hear them talk Of a Eeturn to early prin-
cipies. Is there a principle more firmly
grounded In the American conscience
than this principle Of popular govern
ment? Certainly not
Marshall, Of Indiana, Of all Democrats
In high council. displayed a keen and
patriotic appreciation OF the principle
when he forced his party to nominate
its candidate for United States Senator
and submit his claims TO the people
Harmon, Of ohioasfor temporary expedi-
ency's sake. with a Presidential bee buzz
zing in his ear. proved remiss in similar
emergency 20 the regret Of his far
sighted countrymen who arc wishing him
wen.
It is OF the utmost significance that of
the many speeches incident to the men,
orable session OF Congress Just closed
speeches on Cannonlsm, the tariff. con-
servation, and kindred burning issues. ."
so-cared-the one speech that commanded
countrywide attention was that plain.
matter-of-fact speech Of Jonathan Bourne
on popular government as exemplifed in
the Oregon plan. It was read by mil
lions Of people, and is still studied by
thoughtful men and progressive commun-
tiles everywhere; whereas partisan key