The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-10-02
GIBBONS VOICES
HIS DISAP ROYAL
In Sermon He Condemns
Proposed Political
Chang es.
URGES PEOPLE
TO OPPOSE THEM
Direct Election of Senator'S He
Calls Dangerous, Recall of
Judges Insult to Judiciary,
and Referendum
Resort to Mob
Law.

Baltimore. October In the course
of his jubilee sermon, delivered at the
Cathedral here to-day. Cardinal Co.
hons expressed unqualified disappro-
val of three important political pro-
positions which have commanded
large share of public attention; name
iy, the election of United States Sem
ators BY direct vote of the people; the
referendum proposal which has come
up in several Western States. provid-
ing for the submission of legislative
enactments to the voters for ratitica
tion. and the recall OF the judiciary.
While IL is the cardinals custom to-
preach on the frst Sunday of the
month. his discourse to-day was In the
nature OF prelude to the religious
celebration of his golden Jubilee as al
priest of the Catholic Church. and tina
silver anniversary OF his cardinalate.
which begins on sunday October Is,
and continues until the 18th.
Duties of Laity.
Defining the duties of his brethren
/, of the laity, he exhorted them to be
| faithful in the practice of their re-
ligion and urged them as citizens of
The United States to take patriotic
part In every measure that contributes
TO the progress of the Commonwealth.
| NO man should be dron in the 80
/ cial beehive" said His Eminence. No
citizen should be an Indifferent spec
taror OF the political, moral and eco
nomic questions that are agitated
around him.
| AT the present moment there are
| three political problems which are, en-
gaging the serious attention OF our
public men,.
| 1T is proposed that United States
80 tnr oh i1a ole
vote. instead of being chosen by the
Legislature, as is prescribed by the
iConstitutlon. Al $500 h $500 .li.
1T lis proposedf that the acts ofroar
Legislature, before they have The force
of law. should be submitted to the
suffrage of the people who would have
the right to vote.
1T is proposed to recall or remove
an unpopular Judge before the expira-
| tion OF his term Of office.
! NO one questions the ability, the
sincerity. and patriotism OF the advo-
Gates of these changes in our orgsaic
laws. But 1 hope 1 may not be pre-
| sumptuous in saying that in my opin-
ion, the wisdom OF the proposed
amendments must be seriously ques-
| toned.
Destroys BuIwnrk.
| The election of Senator's BY the
/ votes OF the people involves the de-
s,.uction of a strong bulwark agafns.
! dangerous popular Entertainments. The
| reason given for the contemplated
| change is that many of our State Leg
| islatures are charged with being venal,
| and that II is easier to corrupt the
Legislature than the whole people. In
| reply / would say: II you cannot
trust the members of the Legislature,
how can you trust their constituents
from whom they spring? If you can
not confide in our Legislatures you cnn
not contide in our Legislatures you can.
in human nature itself. II a few OF
our Legislatures have been found gull
~ of bribery it Is most unjust to In
volve all the others in their condemna
| ton. have sufficient condolences in
the moral integrity OF our Legisla-
lures to be convinced that the great
majority of them have never bent the
knee TO Mammon.
To give to the masses the right of
annulling the acts of the Legislature,
is TO substitute mob law for estab-
lisheI law.
| TO recall a Judge because his de-
cistons do not meet with popular ap-
prevail is an insult to the dignity, the
Independence, and the self-respect OF
our judiciary. Far less menacing to
! the Commonwea is an occasional
| corrupt or incompetent judge, than
one who would be the habitual slave
of capricious multitude, who has al
ways his ear to the ground trying to
find out the verdict of the people.
Its Wisdom Tested.
| The Constitution of the United
States IS the palladium of our liber-
| ties and our landmark in our march OF
progress. That instrument has been
| framed by the anxious cares and en-
lightened zeal Of the fathers of the
republic. Its wisdom has been tested
and successfully proved after a trial
| of a century and a quarter. 1t has
! weathered the storms of the century
| which is passed. and 1t should be trust
| ed for the centuries to come. What
has been good enough for our fathers
| ought to be good enough for us. Every
| change. either in the political or reli-
| RiouB world. is not a reformation.
Better to bear the Ills we know
| than fly to those we know not of
! Every man that runs about waving a.
/ new panaoea for social evils ia not to
i be worshiped as political and moral
] reformer. We all remember the story
i OF Aladdin and the wonderful lamp.
Better to trust TO the old lamp of the
/! fathers, which has guided the steps
] of the American people for four gener-
atoms. than to confide in every ignis
fatuus that may lead uB into danger
Gus pitfalls. Do not disturb the politi-
cal landmarks OF the republic"
/ At the beginning OF his sermon the
cardinal referred in grateful terms to
| the civic demonstration in his honor
! here last June, which was ATTENDED by
President Taft and leading nembers
OF the coordinate branches of tho
! Federal government. Continuing, he
4 said:
4 ut is very natural that ON an oces !.