The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-24

fofr of their permanent
 iids Ant?
 zsa fu;e aot be as rapid, but
 h9re <manent, and there
 1et aa 1lch danger of en- iii toas1aered or bad legls- ca1ilnlizs se of the Congress, ! t a Hive men, initiate fifir ti Limitations of the ea1a zucfl la nst eXcesses and ss9t iaC 4f $ of the minority,
 ssii1 ~ 1 majority, as well n- elrAs4 fsn aal san friends of a q 9siis1 4s Ger zaat they may &C., eaH lrae4# sl e tempted to reach 70 laae ney iaazs a wake of de- Hz |flh z 4a aIaral matters the aifas ra zoE sn
 9Hee 3t n1zf the system pro- ztasr sssl z Percentage of Vot- tf FsHa slfss nn Ia be obtained. But ft ~ a Sf Aa Alf how often he tas rSdp ponS 70 please or get rid aer tha es1nted the paper, uH wtai lfeAaht and delibera- | fa 8 SEQ q the average man
 fit<ns 2 pelitln.
 tn ' ae Tsio tlis Ithe voting popu- 'a1on el the United States will give the mature and careful deliberation to the technical questions that arise in the en- actments of all laws where the percent age of responsibility is far removed, when it is referred to them for approval, that is given to the passage of the same law by a selected representative who must record his vote and be responsible to his constituency?
 When Issue Is Distinct
 T recognize that in some local matters when a distinct issue. one that is clearly aud easily understood, has been present. ed to the people, the initiative and refer endum has worked out satisfactorily. The temperance laws of our state provide that certain number of voters may petition and the people can then determine wheth- CT the county shall be wet or dry
 Here the people clearly understand the issue, and the result probably expresses their real desires. But should the par tisan proponents of a railroad rate bill or general tariff law present them to the people of the United States for their consideration, how many voters would understand what they were voting for? Who would be responsible for the iniuuf- ties that might be concealed in the lan- guage?
 Should I stop to criticise our gov ernment, I would say that the people suffer far more from the failure to en- force the laws on the statute books than they do from the lack of proper legisla- ton. How many remedial laws are to be found on the statute books that if fairly enforced would remedy the evils we complain against; but it is so much easier to cry out for new legislation than to insist that our neighbor snail go to jail for violating the law we already havei
 Evils Not in Organic Rorm
 If there are evils in our government as it exists today, it is not in it's organic form. It is due to the failure of those in office to honestly. fairly and justly perform the duties imposed upon them The remedy is plain, and the way is clear. The people should drive from the places of power and responsibility the un- faithful servant and elect those who will be faithful and true to the trust imposed upon them.
 You tell me the people can not elect honest and faithful servants. I tell vo,I that the masses of the people are far better judges of men than they are of measures, and are far more likely to select an honest man than an honest measure
 When you say that the voter can not select public official who will reflect the Will Of the people in his office. and he faithful to the constitution of his coun- try, I say you reflect on the very first principle of free government and mis- Judge the honesty and the intellgence of the American people
 Our constitution was born in the bour when the love of liberty and freedom was ripe In the hearts of men. For a cen tury it has withstood the storms of war. avarice. greed and intolerance; through the tempests of discontent danger and disaster it has protected the lives, liberty and property of our people.
 The time has not come when we should abandon the house our fathers builded for us.''