The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-03-14
sen. CtAPP FOR
RULE BY PEOPLE
Would Rather Trust Them in Making
Laws Than a Legislature, He
Tells Solons in Lansing,
aFro- a stan corr..poaa<nt.)


American citizen, with IS days
TO consider legislative measures,
with the arguments pro and con,
a. presented In the Oregon plan
eS Of Initiative and referendum, Is
as competent TO pass upon lesis-
istIse matters as 10 representa-
tive BODY In the hysterla OF the
CLOSING hours Of. the session.
"some public officials opposed TO
the recall, have been given TO
boasting that they are In office
because the sovereign people elect
ed them. u may be that they are
afraid the people know more
about them than they did when =
they sent them.
~ 1.-THE people OF Arizona will
90 into history as heroes for the
II way they have stood for popular
government in the face Of threats
and offers. The government pro-
posed by the people Of Arizona
may not be such az you want for
Michigan, but let Arizona have
u " sne 10 willing 20 sacrifice for
ID, and they will stand Till the
grass grows on the streets before
they will be coerced.
government 10 called a dream. II
10 not as much OF dream as the
proposition for q declaration Of
Independence would have been In
the time Of Caesar"
From Senator Clapp's Address.
Senator Moses Clapp, or Minnesota.
gave the members OF the Michigan
49, rl.N. nj 10 m IA n
interested listeners from all over the
state, an Illuminating address on the
initiative, referendum, recall and
chamber last night
Senator Clapp came here direct
from washington by invitation OF the
legislature. A short informal recep
ton was held for him In the execu-
tive paricrs. Afterward. he was es-
corted to Speaker Bakers room, and
accompanied him to the rostrum. The
members Of the senate then Joined the
body. Senator Clapp said In part:
eve get the blame as well as the
credit in Washington for many
things we should not be blamed or
credited for.
"Change does not imply criti-
r cism on those who have gone before
us. Mans progress has been due
always to a 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
\ will illumine his pathway. For this
reason no governmental scheme can
\ be framed to meet the future.
"The original constitution reduced
z the power of the individuals to the
people; but development is making
the voter more powerful. The ten
dency I'm state after state is toward
practical popular election of these
senators.
"The same forces have tended to-
ward restoring to the people the
election Of United States senators. IL
10 happens that i am the first man
who advocated on the floor the popu-
lar election OF senator's as a matter
OF benefit to the senator himself. ]
found In Massachusetts,, that while
there were rings and bosses. the
spirit of the people put Senator Hoar
in q class 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
him Independence OF action. Sena-
tor Beyeridge. who could have been
elected easily by popular vote, was
defeated because the legislature was
rent by factions.
Free government and the social
r fabric are menaced by two classes OF
law-breakers. There is the ordin-
airy 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 We're such as Alexander,
Caesar and Napoleon. Today II is
found in the political boss, the lob
byfst and the legislator who goes to
the forum not to represent his peo-
pie but TO tyrannize them. Today the
Y sentiment Is growing which will
shortly amount to revolt against this
system =
What would you think OF Judge
4 sitting In case in which he was in
arrested? Yet We have Just seen a
senator framing law to foster a
trust OF which he was the beneficiary.
The composite citizen Is the mean
between the two extremes. How can
he get his voice in the making OF
public policy This Is the problem
We have" =
Senator Clapp defined initiative and
refsrendum.
We suffer today because the great
mass OF people hold themselves aloof
f rom politics. The citizen talks poll.
(1co 564 days year and then refrains
~ caucus day. This is largely be.
GouDe his voice Ia smothered when he
# 1ooo try TO raise Il In the caucus.
The Composite Citizen will take
4 y part In politics when the way is
f Drooented by which he can do IL. The
1Implest way is. by initiative and re-
Fault IL found with the system be.
no6o when a bill is submitted there
10 chance for amendments. Amend
1nto are the greatest evil OF legis
Hon. They give the chance for sci
y 1n(erests 10 slip in jokers. TN
r fnil1atiye and referendum. com
f<oo frame the proposed bill -four
nths before the election. II Is
Nd and placed In the hands oi
voters. with the arguments pro
IN. - days before election.