The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1911-10-04
CARDINAL GIBBONS SPEAKS.

Cardinal Gibbons, in. his sermon il
Baltimore on Sunday. which was in
the nature of prelude to the religious
celebration of his golden jubilee as d
priest in the Catholic church, and the
silver anniversary OF his cardinalate,
which begins on Sunday, the 18th inst
and, continues until the 10Th inst,
took occasion to express his unquali-
fled disapproval of three important
political propositions, which have, OF
late, commanded public attention, as
follows: 1st., the election of United
States senators by the direct vote of
the people; I'd. the referendum pro-
posa which has come up in several
of the western states, providing for
the submission of legislative enact
ments to the voters for ratification,
and Sd. the recall of the judiciary, by
which judges. whose decisions invoke
displeasure, are compelled to face a
second election.
Defining the duties of the members
Of his church. he urged them as citi-
zens Of the United States to take a
patriotic part in every measure that
contributes to the progress of the
commonwealth He said:
''No man should be drone in the
social beehive. No man should be
an Indifferent spectator of the politi-
cal. moral and economic questions that
are agitated around him. At the pres
ent moment there are three political
problems which are engaging the seri-
Gus attention of our public men. 1t
is proposed that United States SEN
atOrs should be elected by popular
vote, instead of being chosen by the
Legislature, as is prescribed by the
constitution. 1t is proposed that the
acts OF our legislature, before they
have the force of law, should be sub
mitted 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 expiration
of his term of office. No one questions
the ability, the sincerity and patriot
ismaof the advocates of these changes
in our organic laws but hope | may
not be, presumptuous in saying that,
in my opinion, the wisdom of the pro-
posed amendments must be seriously
questioned. The election OF senators
by the votes of the people involves
the destruction of strong bulwark
against dangerous popular encroach-
1nents. The reason given for the con:
Iemplated change is that many of our
state legislatures are charged with be-
ing. veaal and that it is easier to cor
rupt the Legislature than the whole
people. In reply l would say. if you
cannot trust the members of the leg
.islature. how can you trust their con-
stituents. from which they spring? If
you cannot confide in our legislatures,
you cannot confide in human govern
ment, nor in human nature itself. If
"a few of our legislatures have been
found guilty of bribery, it is most un-
JUST to involve all the others in their
condemnation. I have sufficient con
fidence in the moral integrity OF our
legislatures to be convinced that the
great majority of them have never
bent the knee to mammon.
"To give the masses the right of an
nulline the acts of the legislature is
to substitute mob law for established
law.
TO recall Judge because his de.
cision did not meet with popular APP.
prevail is an insult to the dignity, the
independence and the self-respect OF
our judiciary. Far less menacing to
the commonwealth is an occasional
corrupt. 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
"The constitution OF the United
States is the palladium Of liberties
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 re-
public. Its wisdom has been tested
and successfully proved. after a tria!