Norwich bulletin., 1912-02-27

of the community 2s a whole, passed l by the legislature and signed by the governor, is declared unconstitutional | by the court, 1 ask that the people be given the right, if they choose to ex- ercise that right themselves, to pass l final judgment upon the proposition.
 People Shall Say Who Is Right. ! My proposal is that if the court has decided that the legislature plus the executive has exceeded the power granted by the people to them under the constitution, that tile people them selves shall have the right to say whether their representatives in the 1 legislature and the executive office were right, or whether their repres- entatives in the court were right. Pro- vision should be made that no vote could be had, save at a regular elec- tion not less than six months distant after the appeal to the people is made.
 Two Years of Discussion.
 In that case, you see, that the min imUm time would be two years of dis cussion by the people two years of discussion which would include the first election, which would include the discussion before the committee, which would include the discussion before the house, which would include the discussion before the governor, which would include the discussion before the court, which would include the decision of the court, and which then would include the six months discus sion before the people finally and def initely acted.
 Time for Full Deliberation and Con- sideration.
 There would have been two years discussion, two years time for the fullest deliberation and consideration, and, that being the case, it is an ob vious absurdity to say that l am pro- posing to submit such action to popu- lar whim, to the frenzy of moment. A moment that lasts two years is a long moment. If in two years the people are not able to make up their minds about a question. then I am sorry for the commonwealth of which they are citizens.
 Not Welded to Any Method.
 New, understand, I have no pride of opinion in this matter; l am not welded to any method. I advocate the method I am advocating because it seems to me to offer a better chance of reaching a right solution than any other, but l am welded to the purpose that I uphold. I wish to put stop to the courts nullifying laws which the people deem unneCes- sary to their general welfare. l stand at opposite poles from those worthy gentlemen whose conception of the relations between the constitution and the people is that the constitution is a straitjacket to control an unruly patient. I regard the constitution as hn a11a for srfNy ffr1I sion 10 the deliberate and well thought out judgment of the American people.
 Abide by Popular Decision. hold that no man, whether in ex- 1 ecutive or legislative or judicial office, | or in private life, has a right to call ! himself the servant of the people un- i less he serves first his own conscience, unless his prime loyalty is to the im- mutable laws of righteousness, but 1 | hold that it his duty to endeavor to ! get the people to act wisely by a | frank and honest appeal to them and readiness to abide by their decision, l and not by trying to invent ingenious i devices which shall seem to give ex- pression to the popular will, while really denying it.
 Government a Failure Unless People
 Are to Be Trusted.
 l Our system of government is a con- 1 fessed failure unless the people are to | be trusted to govern themselves. Let the judge fearlessly do his duty and record his decision. let the executive do his and the legislator do his, and when their several duties have been done, when the several opinions have | been expressed, then, if you are true | to the principles upon which this re- | public was founded, you are bound to I put the issue before the people, to appeal to their common sense, their ' spirit of decency and fair dealing and | applied honesty in public and private 1 affairs, and abide the result like men.