Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-07-06
WANTS To DEBATE
WITH MINISTER
On LEGISLATION
H. B. Walker Takes the Rev.
DR.. Baldwin to Task for
Remarks in Sermon.

Herman B. Walker. of Orange. who
will be a Progressive Republican nom
inee for the Assembly ~ the coming
primaries. and whose admiration for
the initiative, referendum, recall, ETC.
is well known, has sent the following
open letter to the Rev. DIR. Fred Clare
Baldwin, pastor of the Calvary Meth
odiss Episcopal Church, East orange
as a reply to the popular ~elergyman.s
naying of frills in legislation, which
was reported in Mondays Evening
STAR:
Dear Sir. In newspaper reports OF
a cermon preached by you on Sunday
night at the Calvary Methodist Epis-
copal Church, East Orange. you are
quoted as having said:
the initiative. referendum and re-
call are dangerous.
II take it for granted that a man
of y.,ur profession and staining, fe-
..lizing the weight thai attaches - bis
r~cterances. would not make such a
statement as this respecting any po
litical issue of such magnitude WITH
nut having given the question SERIOUS
study and thought.
at is always assumed TINT clergy
n.cl ore to be found on the slie OF
right, and are Tor such things us viii
make for the betterment Of p,lticai,
moral. social and industrial conditions
'If YOU have. after mature delihera-
tior, reached the conclusion ascribea
to YOU concerning these propositions
1t is reasonable To suppose that your
opinion is based on facts anu logic
and that you will welcome an oppot-
tunity TO serve the pubic interest py
presenting, in the most pu1lic manner
possible. the reason for your oehe,
that the initiative, referendum anu
recall are dangerous.
Legislation Not Dangerous
"As a progressive, l bsiisvA the mi
~tiative. referendum and recall are Loe
dangerous. but that they are nenen-
rial wherever they have been adopted,
and that they embody democratic prin-
ciples essential to The establishment
of the true conception OF representa-
tive government. Without these re-
forms. believe representative govern
n1ept to be mainly a form ratner IMAM
a thing of substance and nleaning l
believe tina the initiative reterehouln
ana recall are inimi,al only TO sucn
selfish interests as Sock 70 hlaAe poi
it,cs and government suoservient 10
their own ends rather thar 10 Inc "ei.
fare of all the people.
"As a candidate of the Progressive
Republican Leagu of Essex county for
Republican nomination for member OF
Assembly. I am committed to these
nrincinles. If nominated and elected
az hope to be, l shall use every posi-
BILE effort within my power to secure
their enactment into law.
1T have made a rather careful study
of politics and government for a num-
her OF years. AS a CORE
snondent | have rather careruily op-
served the spread OF these reforms you
declare to be dangerous. AS a writer
and public speaker, l have for years
advocated the initiative. referendum
and recall as reform that would make
our government more democratic
would bring 1t nearer to he people
which | conceive to be the highest
desideratum in government.
Cites switzerland as Example.
.In the history of the use OF the
initiative, referendum and recall In
Switzerland for seventy years or
more. 1 nave found nothing to indicate
their dangerous nature. In the twenty
or more States and more than 100 cities
IN this country that have had these
laws for longer or shorter PERIODS,
there has been nothing, so far as l
have been able to ascertain, to JUSTIFY
your conclusion. Everywhere that l
have observed their operation the ef-
feet has been for good, n the only
sufferers have been those who by their
use have been prevented from corrupt
ing politics and abusing power.
I'm my experience I have found no
man in public life more sincerely de-
voted to the public welfare and more
anxious to better conditions by wise
craftsmanship than such men as Will
lam Jennings Bryan, Theodore Roose-
Welt. Robert H. LaFollette, Woodrow
Wilson, Clifford Pinchot, Joseph Folk,
Joseph L. Bristow. Jonathan Bourne.
Lyman Abbott. George L. Record,
Frank H. Sommer. william Fellowes
Morgan and others conspicuous as lead-
ers in the Progressive movement. who
are all advocates of those reforms you
denounce as dangerous
Important Public Issue.
II believe there is no greater or more
important public issue in New Jersey
than the adoption of these reforms,
that they will be adopted. n that
their adoption and operation will do
more toward purifying politics and
making government better and more
beneficial to the masses of the people
than any legislative reform yet brought
about in the State
II have no doubt that you are pre-
pared to defend INK vindicate your po-
sition on these questions. in the same
manner in which l would welcome any
opportunity to testify to my faith In
the efficacy of h reforms at issue.
and present my reasons for this faith.
ITO the end of giving us both an OPP
portunity to present the reasons which
lead us to such different conclusions
on these issues. l invite YOU to debate
with me. in a public meeting. at such
time and place as may suit your con-
~venience. the merits Of the initiative.
referendum and recall. and I sincerely
hope tina you will accept this invita-
ton and appoint an early day for the
meeting. Yours very truly,
"HERMAN B. WALKER"
Division No. 10. A. o. H.. of Orange,