The Detroit times., 1911-03-15

the door opposite the speakers desk
n ballot seven feet long. containing
propositions recently submitted In
North Dakota. Senator Clapp called
attention to a. Then he held up a
icopy OF the ballot recently used m
Oregon IL was no longer than nm
ordinary Detroit primary ballot, Jet
Senator Clapp said ~ contained the
/ names OF the state, county and lesis-
llatiye candidates and thirty-two prop
ositions. Senator Clapp said that he
had feared that the people could not
grasp the full number of propositions,
and would vote only on the first few.
On the contrary, while $4,000 voted on
the first proposition. no less than TO-.
| 900 voted on any one. On the nine
teenth proposition 100000 voted, and
on the thirty-second, $4,000. This, he
maintained, was ample proof that the
people qualified to pass upon iesisla-
tive matters.
"The recall system Is criticised,
yet the very persons who are critics
Ing II and viewing IL with alarm would
not think OF hiring a man whom they
could not discharge for incompetency
or misconduct. You say that the SEN
ate or house has the power OF Inn
parchment, but this is only for crimes
or misdemeanors. Outside OF these,
there Is large twilight zone of con-
duct not conducting to the good OF
the public. A senator friend was de-
crying the recall, saying, That would
mean that they could call me back
II they wished I said: You were
boasting q short time ago before the
house that you were here only by the
voice OF your constituents. Do you
think that they do not know as much
as they did then, or do you fear that
they know morer The recall for
Judges has more universal disapprov-
al, but experience has shown that
judges are as likely to be human and
subject TO human Influences as other
oficials.
I'VE are called the New Band OF
Hope. and the New Salvation Army
But the men backing this movement
sre men whose caliber is a recon-
mendation. They are nearly all lead
ers in the high tide Of political sue
cess. and they are men who know that
Is popular government.
zee as we do, but the interests which
stand solidly against the movements.
are the lobbyists. the boodferS and the
representatives OF corrupt interests.
The personnel OF these forces ought
10 have some Significance. have
an example-fn- tho recent action OF
the senate toward Arizona New Mex
leo had 10 trouble In getting APPROX
al for her proposed constitution be-
cause II was-on- the old lines. Ari-
roma stood for direct election OF Uni
ted States senator's and other popular
government features. and she was re-
fused admission
and Arizona voted as she did at
the greatest sacrifice. Railroads
threatened to stop construction IL the
constitution was adopted. On the
other hand, they promised limitless
improvements II the old form OF gov
eminent prevailed. Federal ONCE
holders went up and down the state,
and Phoenix was promised q magnif-
cent federal building IL the popular
constitution was not adopted In the
face OF this, Arizona approved the con-
stitution by n rs per cent. vote. She
should have what she wants"
Senator Clapp closed MS address
with a brilliant eulogy OF popular gov
eminent.
In an interview, ne denied that the
Republican Progressive leagie was
Opposed directly to President Taft.
1T Is more an expression against
the reactionary movement which Is
suppressing the Roosevelt policies,