The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-09-12
OREGON A SAFE GUIDE.

The New York World, which in so many cases is a safe and efficient in dex to public opinion. is sadly on the wrong track with respect to the in- itiative. referendum and recall, and no more so than in an editorial in which it takes to task Woodrow Will son, for favoring these modern inven- tions to facilitate the. expression of the peoples will
 It seems that in a recent statement Governor Wilson remarked that for fifteen years he had taught his classes that the initiative, referendum and recall wouldn't work, but that, in the light of experience, he had discovered they do work. He then suggested: Oregon may be our guide" To which the World replies as fol- lows:
 Will Governor Wilson kindly ex- plain why Oregon should be our guide.
 Conditions in New York are vastly different from conditions in Oregon
 New York has half the area of Oregon, but
 New York has thirteen times the poulation of Oregon. New York has thirty-four times the city population of Oregon.
 New York has seventeen times the property valuation of Oregon.
 New York has thirty-six times the value of manufacturing machinery of Oregon.
 New York's manufactures have forty-four times the value of Oregon's manufactures.
 New York has fifty times as many cities of more than 10000 population as Oregon.
 Oregon is served by railroads. So is New York. The telephone, the trolley, the telegraph, wireless. flying machines, typewriters, mimeographs, antiseptic barber shops, are as effici- ent in Oregon as in New York. The populations of these states are com posed of men, women and children, who have legs, arms. eyes, ears and brains. They eat the same food, and drink the same water. If their brains were removed and laid on table they would be indistinguishable, one from another. The people of Oregon and the people of, New York live un- der the same institutions, vote for the same president, imprison for theft, slay for murder, maintain courts, highways, prisons. hospitals and all the machinery of civilization.
 So the question is this, if it is of advantage to the people of Oregon to have means for expressing the com mon will, why will it not be equally advantageous to the people of New York?
 If the will of 100000 people may be expressed by the initiative and referendum, why may.not the will of s,000,0O0 be similarly expressed?
 Do not the people of New York and the people of Oregon now express the common will upon many matters in precisely the same way, as to whom they desire for governor, for in- stance, or as president of the United States !? Do they not vote upon con stitutional amendments. upon Erie canal questions, upon license and many others? Do not the votes drop, one by one. according to the will of the voters subject to like influences and limitations
 What is the initiative and referen- dunn? Merely an addition to the means which the people already em- ploy for the expression of their will, means for facilitating public ex- pression, making it easier, more cer- tain.
 As for the recall, it is had every two, three, or four years as to most officers. Why should it not be exer- cised in between, if the occasion arises. Are not the people sovereign? Are not public officers the peoples servants and employees? Is it not true that the people pay the best salaries, give the shortest hours and the best