New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-09-18

Mr.. Barnes and the ether seII-con9t1-
tuted sayiors IF our political system
from the ersnarinc devices of direct nom
,uarinns and nopular control Of the ma
clinerv Of parties seem 10 THINK mat
The democratic principle cannon irs SAFE
IL aprlied except in mlnlnluh CoSs>
They deplore all orderly progress TOW
ard tho realization Of the American ideal
Of government of the people. by the
people and for the people as IN I'M
NOUS dppart1lre from the traditions OF
century ago. when popular government
WAS i'm the experimental stage and It
was thought advisable {" put reStTal h'S
Jipon the exercise OF popular sovereignty
They nrefer Il government of the middle
man. hv the middlenan and for the
niddleman and denouncc as "fopullSts
those who would limit the powers Cf the
professional politicians rs diclators OF
parfy nominations and Intermediates III
the business of administration and legis-
lsfjon. As Borough President George
Cromwell explained it the other day.
they want some mild form" Of popu-
lar rule. which will not trench too much
or the activities Of the Intermediates
who stand between the voting public
and the accomplishment Of its purposes.
Mr.. Barnes and his associates are be
lated FederalistS. They diStrust the ca
pacity of the people for self-Government
as much as the Federalists OF Jefferson's
time distrusted it. If they have the
courage to follow their convictions to a
onize the direct nominations proposal
with The suggestion of a return 10 the
restrictions on popular rule which the
FederaliSts considered necessary GUaran-
tees of stability in government. Why do
they not carry the war into Africa and
insist on the reinstatement of the va
rious deviceS by which government was
made more indirect in the early days of
the Republic? It would he a magnificent
exhibition Of loyalty to principle IL Mr..
Barnes should ask the Republican State
Convention TO pledge itself to restore the
historic safeguards Of the representative
system. foolishly abandoned from time
10 time under the pressure of "POpu-
listic" sentiments.
If we are to have old-fa shioned repre-
sentative government, why not make it
really old-faShioned: The Constitution
recognized the propTiety Of the states
matntainin" two or more grades OF
voters when if provided that Represent
.atives in Congress should he chosen by
the electors having the qualifications
requisite for electors of the most nu-
"merous branch of the state Legislat-
'ure" It would be check on popular
power TO divide the voters into two
classes. those in the first qualified to
vote for state Senators and Assembly
men. and those in the other qualified 10
vote for Assemblymcn only. Also. in
order to keep the people I'll their place it
might be advisable To take away from
them the right which they have assumed
Of choosing Presidential and Vice-Presi-
dental electors directed to vote for par
ticular candidates for President and
Nice-PreSident Our Presidential cleo
tons are now dangerously direct. Why
not make them sufficiently indirect bv
leaving the choice of untrammeIlpd cleo
tors 10 the state Legislature. as some OF
the states did in the beginning: Con-
WINGED FedeTaiistS like Mr.. Barnes and
his friends who want TO restore the in
direct system ought 10 try to restore if
IN all its integrity If The political mid
dleman is the kingpin in our plan OF GOV
eminent. why not frankly recognize and
expand his saving kin~ly functions?