The Sauk Centre herald., 1912-05-09

ordinate position. nkened to clerks and
workmen. while the judges are con-
ceived to be the masters Of the peo-
pie? A very striking example OF the
tyranny of the minority!
my learned friend apparently for
gets the cardinal principle in the
American government, that the repre-
sentatives of the people and those
holding public positions Of trust and
honor are the servants Of the people
and are chosen or appointed expressly
to carry into effect the will of the
electorate.
In the second paper your writer
states that the moderates stand for
the preservation Of the American sys-
tenn of government and that the rad
icals stand for such changes in method
and principle as would plunge the gov
eminent into chaos. Also, that the
number of cases In which courts have
upheld acts of congress and state Leg
islatures is 20 times greater than
those in which they have declared
such acts to be unconstitutional. and
finally the article closes with this rasn
and unfair statement. which cannot
allow to stand unchallenged:
"'Are you prepared to admit tnat II
is your purpose to overthrow Amerl-
can representative government Mr.
Taft says no. Mr.. Roosevelt says yes.
Which shall 1t be-?
IF 1t is q fact that the courts sus-
tain the representatives OF the people
in the ratio OF 20 cases to one, how
can any intelligent man reason that
the government Is to be thrown into
chaos by the use Of the restricted re-
call in such q limited number Of
cases? For 1t is not reasonable to
suppose that every time a court de-
clares an act of the legislature to be
unconstitutional every such case will
be important and vital enough to war
rant the use Of the recall. The writer
should give the subject little more
grave and intelligent reflection
Let us now examine carefully and
Justly, in the true American spirit, the
so-called attitude that Mr.. Roosevelt
has taken to overthrow American rep
resentative government. Does my
friend know the principles Mr.. Roose-
velt advocates? 1t might be well to
cite the most important and the most
radical: The short ballot. direct NOM
nations, direct election OF United
States senators, the initiative and ref
erendum and the very restricted re-
call. In his speech in New York on
March 20 Mr.. Roosevelt says:
$50 that no man may misunder-
stand me, let me recapitulate: l am
not proposing anything In connection
with the Supreme court of the United
States or with the federal constitu-
ton. l am not proposing anything
having any connection with ordinary
suits. civil or criminal, as between in
dividuals. l am not speaking OF the
recall of judges. am proposing mere
ly that in a certain class OF cases In
volving the police power, when a state
court has set aside as unconstitutional
a law passed by the legislature for the
general welfare, the question OF the
validity of the law be submitted for
final determination to vote OF the
people, taken after due time for con-
sideratiOn.
"If there any principle advocated
here which will plunge the govern
ment into chaos?' The Supreme court
and the federal constitution are pre-
served, so our national government
remains intact. Does the use OF the
short ballot, which but fixes respon-
sibiIity more definitely on the repre-
sentatives, OF the people. destroy. rep
resentative government? Would the
amendment to the federal constitution
necessary for the direct election or
United States senators destroy repre-
sentative government?
when we come to consider direct
nominations and the necessary changes
to the state constitution this much
needed reform would work havoc with
the indirect representative govern
ment we have today. The kind OF
rule we have at present, boss-ruled
legislatures and machine-controlled
primaries, absolutely ignores the right
of the people to choose the best can
didates. If this is the kind of repre-
sentative government, which Is now
being so strenuously upheld by profess
sional politicians, that your writer
fears for, it were better. indeed, that
it should be swept away and a true,
honest system of direct representative
government put in its place"
Mr.. Vessels says in conclusion:
The constitution will be safely
guarded, never fear, by Mr.. Roosevelt
and those who believe in his princi-
pies, and as for his new radicalism.
it is the forceful expression of the be-
lief of the people, those who are the
backbone of the nation, who maintain
the balance of the country. fail to
see where these principles endanger
representative government, for we
must trust the people; they have guild
ed our country in the past and are
capable o: doing so in the future. Mr..
Roosevelt's- influence for good is far
reaching and powerful, for he is bring
ing before the young men Of today
questions which are vital to the well
fare OF the nation tomorrow, and these
young men who will soon take up the
reins of government and business are
giving careful. consideration to this
new radicalism, and when the time il
ripe the dark stains of corruption,
fraud and abuse of money power.
which are a disgrace to our political