The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1910-08-04

Senators Of the United States are
now elected by legislatures. They
ought 20 be elected by direct vote,
and earnestly hope that it will not
be long before Iowa viii have q
chance to ratify an amendment to the
constitution requiring senators to be
so elected.
believe that our primary law
should be amended. not for the pur-
pose OF weakening it, but for the pur-
pose of strengthening it and giving
still more authority to the voters of
the state in their primal capacity,
While we are waiting for the amend
ment to the constitution to allow the
people to choose their senators, we
can closely approach the desired OBJ.
ject by proper changes in the primary
law.
Better safeguards should be found
in our corrupt practices act, and the
improper use of money especially
should be prevented by every prohi-
bition that the general assembly can
devise. More and more are the
thoughtful and unselfish students Of
government reaching the conclusion
that in order to make our govern
ments better expressions of the pop
ular will, the voters must have, upon
vital subjects, the power of the ini-
tiative and referendum. The govern
ment is for the people, not the people
for the government, and there are
times when, to secure reforms essen.
tial to their welfare they should have
the right to initiate, approve or dis
approve legislation which touches
fundamentally their welfare.
When all is said, we come to this:
that justice is the object toward
which we are striving. 1t is the
sum of public virtues" 1t Is 'the
keynote of the world" 1t is the
greatest interest of man on earth
the ligament which holds civilized
beings and civilized nations together.
and whenever and wherever it is duly
honored there is foundation for So
cial security" 1t is "the end of gov.
eminent. 1t is the end of civilized
society. 1t ever has been and ever
will be pursued until obtained, or un.
til liberty be lost in the pursuit" 1t
is 80 to act that thy duty will not
contradict itself if it is made the
universal act of intelligent beings"
Carlyle said: 1T is not what a man
outwardly has or wants that consti-
tutes the happiness or misery of him.
Nakedness, hunger, distress of all
kinds, death itself have been cheer
fully suffered when the heart was
right. 1t is the feeling of injustice
that is insupportable to all men. No
man can bear it, or ought to bear it.
A deeper law than any parchment
law whatsoever, a law written direct
by the hand of God in the Utmost be-
ing of man necessarily protests
against IT,"
Our hundred millions of men and
women want iustice--no more, no
less. They want laws so made that
each member of society shall have
LID O"hB anu hOI q LdA Iulll6 IIdI uC-
longs to his neighbor. Those mil
lions, must feel that justice is done,
in SO far as frail human nature can
render justice, or they will overturn
our institutions. There is no one
thing that will do more toward fill
ing the land with peace and content
than to enlarge the authority and in
crease the responsibility of the indi-
vidual man.
Iowa holds high place in the un-
ion and in the world. Her history
is one of honor and of progress. Dow.
cred with the priceless gifts of ma
.ture she EFFORTS the admiration of her
sister states throughout 81. the union.
The intelligence and virtue of her
men and women confer upon her g
distinction enviable as it is deserving
Let her future. be as true as her pas
lis secure. .,.......