The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13


TO the approval Of that instrument
Accepting the application Of the ref
erendum principle as wise where it ap-
plies 10 such general enactments as a
state constitution, Mr.. Sutherland con
tended that the general public never
would give sufficient time to general
legislation 10 pass intelligently upon
#. What he objected to in the refer.
endum was not it, historical applica-
ton, but its hysterical extension.
Would Mean Clique Rule.
The people as whole" he said.
have neither the inclination. the spe-
cialized training nor the time TO enable
them 10 master The thousand and one
details necessary to qualify them wise
~ 10 discharge the functions OF ordi-
nary legislation
Under the initiative, as provided,
proposed laws will, Of course, frequent.
IS be drafted by clique of interested
persons, perhaps all Of one way OF
thinking. This will not be considered
and debated as legislative enactments
now are; there will be little. if any, op-
portunlty for the consideration of op.
posing views in framing the law.
The power Of compromise, which
Is a necessity in the making of laws,
will be wholly absent. The chances
are altogether in favor of the adoption
Of more unwise laws than ever get
through our legislatures.
So Unfair to Officers.
THE recall puts into the scale. up
on one side or the other, in every
case where strong public feeling ey
lists. the artifcially induced anxiety
OF the officer for the retention of his
place. The recall Institutes a tribu
nal where everybody decides and no
body is responsible; where at least
- rer cent OF the membership have
already as the officers accusers, pref
udiced his case, and from whose arbi
trary and unjust findings there is no
appeal"
Mr. Sutherland poked fun at Sena
tor Bourne's composite citizen" made
reply to Senator Owens contention for
the right to recall even judges of the
supreme court, and generally criticised
the attitude of the progressiyes of all
parties as Utopian.
Like Passage from Proctor Knott.
Some OF Mr.. Sutherlands rhetori-
cal satire follows:
The progressives direct our atten-
ton to the clouds flying above the
far western horizon, upon which the
flaming finger of the Oregon sun has
traced, in radiant and opalescent tlnts,
glowing pathways, shining minarets,
stately temples and castles and pal
aces, pinnacles of gold and caves of
purple, and they tell us that these are
the visible signs that mark the exact
location Of the new and improved po-
litical Jerusalem, where the wicked of
fee holders cease from troubling and
the weary voters do all the work. They
bid MS join them in an airy pilgrimage
10 this scene of pure delight and as
sure MS that here, high above selfish
and mundane things, is the land flow
ing with milk and honey where every
bird is a songster, where the exquisite
flowers Of political purity are in per
petual bloom, where every prospect
pleases, and only the standpatter is
vile. where all the laws are Ierfect
and corruption and wickedness are for
gotten Legends A good many people
are accepting the invitation without
taking the precaution to secure return
tickets"
Regarding Senator Bourne's Com
posite citizen" he said: THE distin-
guishcd senator from Oregon is per
haps the greatest living exponent of
this doctrine. His recipe roughly
stated. 7 understand to be this: Take
the voices of ten foolish men, twenty
ordinary men, five rascals, sixteen
good citizens and three wise men Gf
any such can be induced to john; mix
them all up together. with the result
Won popun. vox Del. 1t was in some
such flash of inspired wisdom that the
learned senator said; The people can
be trusted. The composite citizen
knows more and acts from higher mo-
tives than any single individual, how
ever great. experienced or well deyel-
oped. While selfishness is usually