The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1911-07-20
sen. SUTHERLAND'S
GREAT SPEECH

The restoratio nof representative gov.
eminent in that particular. But am
al opsed to the initiative, the modern
seferti dun, and the recall, because
believe that II these Innovations
shall be generally put into practice the
inevitable result will be the gradual
la eaking down Of the strength and the
climate destruction of our republi.
can institutions, under which for a
hundred and twenty-four years we
have steadily advanced in population,
wealth and civilization, until we are
today not only the greatest nation in
she world but the greatest that the
sun has ever looked upon In all his
shining course. In saying this am
not opposing any honest effort to
eradicate the evils which exist under
this form of government. There is a
vital distinction, however, between a
bad plan of government and the i'm.
perfect operation of a good plan. II
Legislation by representative bodies is
sometimes unsatisfactory, inadequate,
or corrupt, 1t is not because the plan
of representative government is at
fault, but because, although inherent
ly good, 1t is badly administered.
Mr.. President, am no standpatter.
am not in favor of standing still. No
one who takes the slightest thought
desires that we shall do that. OF
course, we must advance, but we
must at our peril distinguish between
real progress and what amounts to a
mere manifestation of the speed man
la. Among the games of the ancient
Greeks there was a running match in
which each participant carried a
lighted torch. The prize was awarded
not to that one who crossed the line
first, but to him who crossed the line
first with his torch still burning. 1t is
Important that we should advance. but
the vital thing is not that we should
simply get omewhere-anywher =
quickly. but that we should arrive at
definite goal with the torch OF san.
ity and safety still ablaze.
Our present form of representative
government, under which laws are
made by specially chosen legislators,
construed by specially chosen and
trained judges, and enforced by spec.
tally chosen executive officers, I am
firmly convinced it is the only practic.
able form of government for a coun.
Try Cd immense area and great popu-
Vation such as ours. Whenever IL
iS'ti'e VI WOTkS Dauly the !
rant is not with the machinery, but
WIN those who are operating it. The
remedy is moi for the people en- masse |
'to attempt to manipulate the commit. |
coated and delieately adjusted mechan. |
isms which must inevitably lead to
CONFUSION and disaster, but to exer.
else more care in the selection of
aher specially chosen operating
agents.
Everyone win agree that the aver.
age man is not as intelligent, as able.
or as honest as the ablest, or the
'nos1 Intelligent, or the most honest
The Individual fallibility of the NV.
craze man will at once be conceded
NIt there are some people who seem
70 imagine that there is some myster.
sous virtue IN mere numbers; that 10
wen are necessarily more moral and
more honest than / man; that by add.
ing together thousand individuals,
none of whom has ever gone beyond
me multiplication table, some strange
ana weird transmutation results by
&fr..1 the combined mass is enabled
to woIii out the most difficult prob.
lem in Euclid with the utmost accur.
acy Thus, following out this highly
Intelligent theory, whenever one is
auXios to have a message carried
WIG the greatest haste from one part
OF the city to another, obviously the