The Detroit times., 1911-03-15
[ c[lPP FOR
RULE BY y !. PEOPLE
Veuld Rather Trust Them in Making
Laws Than . Legislature, He
Tells solons in Lansing.



American citizen, with 45 days
g consider legislative .meaSures,
with the arguments pro and con,
e presented In the Oregon plan
81 initiative and referendum, 10
a competent TO pass upon lesis-
iatlve matters a. 10 . representa-
tive body IN the hysteria OF the
cJoslno hours Of the session.
some public officials opposedto
the recall. have been given to
Boosting that they are IN ONCE
because the sovereIgn people elect
cd them. 10 may be that thsy-are
afraid the people know more
about them than they did when
they sent than.
.The people OF Arizona will
90 Into history az heroes for the
y way they have stood for popular
oovernment In the face Of threats
and ofFefs. The government PRO-
possd 'by the people Of Arizona
may NOT bgyueh 40 you want for
MlchIonr;- but iet Arizona have
Itsif sne-ie -wistSng TO sacrifice for
IL 49, ->lssy will stand tilI the
crass nrows on the streets before
thsy-aSlIts BE- icoerced.
~The proposition for popular
y oovernmenf n called q dream. u
Il not as much Of dream 40 the
proposition for q declaration OF
Independence would have been In
ths time OF Caesar
From Senator Clapp's Address.
Senator Moses Clapp, OF Minnesota,
Z eave- the members OF the Michigan
Z 3oxisIature and large number OF
interested listeners from all over the
state. an illuminating address on the
initiative, referendum. recall and
popuiar government. In the house
chamber last night.
Senator Clapp came hen direct
from Washington by invitation Of the
) 1oGislature. A short informal recep-
ION was held for him in the execu-
tive parlcrs. Afterward, he was es-
corted to Speaker Bakers room. and
accompanied him to the rostrum. The
members Of the senate then joined ths
body. Senator -Ciapp said in~part:
ssWe get the blame az well as the
credit in washington for many
things we should not be blamed or
credited for. -
Change does not imply a. eriti-
clam on those who have gone before
us. Mans. progress has been. due
4 always TO present protest against
existing conditions. The protest has
come in all ages from the common
people. not from those who are
favored. Man never sees farther in
the future than present conditions
wilT-fihhifne hts pathway. For this
reason no governmental scheme car
4 Sc framed to meet therfuture.
"The original constitution reduced
& the power OF the individuals to thu
people; but development is making
the voter mere powerful The ten
dency In state after state Is TOWARD
practical popular election OF thes'
.The same forces have tended to-
y ward restoring to the people the
election OF United States senator's II
g happens that / am the first man
Who advocated on the moor the popu-
lar election Of senators as n matter
q benefit to the senator himself.
found in Massachusetts,, that while
therg We're rfngB and bosses. the
spirit of-the people put Senator Hoar
- a-c1ass BY himself. This was also
true -of Senator Morgan OF Alabama.
where not only the senator, but the
alternate selection was nominated by
popular vote. When you can lift a
SENATOR above bosses and made him
the choice of the people. you give
3 him independence OF action. Sena-
tor Beverage, who could have been
elected easily by popular vote. was
6ofeated because the legislature was
rent By factions. w - 49,
FIRE. government and the social
fabric are menaced by two classes OF
law-breakerR There Is the efdin-
ary criminal, who Is not dangerous
because public sentiment is against
HIM At. the other side Of the social
fabric Is the party who violates the
law Of justice. His ancient proto-
types were such as Alexander,
Caesar and Napoleon. Today Ii il
found In the political boss, the lob
bylst and the legislator who goes to
Z the forum not to represent his peo-
S pie hut to tyrannize them. Today the
sentiment is growing which will
shortly amount to revolt against this
what would you think of Judge
sitting. In case In, which he was In
toreetedf = Yet we have Just seen
Honator framing law to foster a
trust of which he was the beneficiary.
The composite citizen 10 the mean
+ potween the two extremes. How can
~ set his voice In the making of
public policy? This is the problem
E ~ have" F'.. $500 :,
Senator Clapp defined initiative and
xolorendum. %sr. 1-4--s )
I'VE suffer today because the great
f UooB.of -people hold themselves aIoof
fom politics. The citizen talks poll
(lcg 9e4 days q year and then. refrains
90 coucus day.. This IL largely. be.
<o1se his voice IL smothered when he
1ooo try TO raise 1t in the caucus.
Inc Composite Citizen will take
f - oort In politics when the way il
F scented By which he can do It. The
1pleot way Is by Initiative and re,
I1nlt n found with the system be
40 when q bill is submitted there
- o1once for amendments. Amend
~ are the greatest evil OF legis
~, They give the. chance for sci
In<orosts to alp I'm jokers. Un
1f(1ofive and referendum. a com
(nme the proposed bill -four
hof0re the election. II II
md placed In the hands o.
A. - -