The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1912-03-01

W. ~ W NNeA ~
Let me az the outset urge upon you to
remember that, while machinery is
iinportsnt II H. easy TO ovsTestimats
he Importance and, moreover, that
each community has the absolute right
to determine TO- itself what that ma
chinery shall be, subject only 10 the
fundamental law OF the nation ~ ex.
pressed In the Constitution Of the Uni
tod States In the fret place, 1
believe IN the short ballot You oau-
not get good service from the public
servant II you cannot see him, and
there " no more effective way OF hid
ing him than by mixing him up with =
multitude ~ others So that they are
none OF them important enough To
catch the eye 81 the average, worka-
day citizen. The professional poiit-
clan and the professional lobbyist
thrive most rankly under a system
which provides u multitude OF cleo.
tive officers, Of such divided responsi'
bility and Of such obscurity that the
public knows. and can know, but little
~ to their duties and the way they
perform them. The people have moth
ing whatever TO fear from giving any
public servant power 40 long as they
retain their own power TO hold him
accountable FOR his use OF the power
they nave delegated Ia him.
| believe in providing for direct uom.
nations by the people, including there
In direct preferential primaries for the
election Of delegates 10 the national
nominating conventions.
| believe In the election uf United
states senators by direct vote. Just
as actual experience conytnc'd our
PEOPLE that presidents should be
elected las they now are In practice.
although not IN theory by direct vote
OF the people instead OF by direct vote
through an untrsmmeled electoral col.
l.gc, SO actual experiences has con-
yiuced us hat senator's should be
elected by direct vote ~ tie people
Instead Of indirectly through the vari-
Gus legislatures.
believe In the Initiative and the
referendum, which should bs used not
90 destroy representative government.
bat 10 correct II whenever II becomes
misrepresentation. Here again ! Am
concerned not with theories but with
actual facts. II in any state the peo-
lie are themselves satisfied with their
present representative system. then
f. Is Of course thsir right TO keep that
system unchanged; and II Is %nobody's
business but theirs. But in actual
practice II hAs been found In very
many states that Legislative bodies
have not boon responsive TO The popu-
lar viii Therefore I believe that the
state should provide for the possibility
Of direct popular action In order to
make good such legislative failure.
Wisconsin Method Praised
In = recent speech Governor AcG0v-
sm Of Wisconsin has described the
Plan which has been there adopted.
Under this plan the effort TO obtain
the Law 10 trst to be made through
the legislature. the bill being pushed
Bs far r. II will 20; so that the details
OF the proposed measure may be
threshed over in Actusl Legislative dc.
bate. This gives opportunity To per
feet IL In form and invites public
scrutiny. Then. II the Legislature fails
10 enact Il. II can be enacted by the
people on their own initiative, taken
Gt least four months before election.
Moreover, where possible, the question
actually 20 be- voted on by the people
should be made as ample as possible.
In short, ! believe that the initiative
and referendum should be uBed not as
substitutes 70. representative govern.
msnt, but as methods OF making such
government really representative.
Give the legislature an entirely free
hand. and then provide by the initis-
tive and referendum that the people
shall hay" power 10 reverse or SUP.
pieuent the work Of the Legislature
should II ever become necessary.
AZ TO tho recall. I do not believe
that there Is any great necessity for
10 as regards short.term elective OF.
hcers. On abstract grounds was
originally inclined TO be hostile To #.
know OF one case whens IL was &c
tuhlly used with miscellaneous results.
On the other hand, In three cases Ia
municipalities on the Pacific
which have come 10 my knowledge II
was used with excellent results. /
believe II shOuld be generally pro
yided, but with such restrictions Az
will make II available only when there
Is a widespread and genuine public
feeling among a majority " the
ote
There remains the question Of the
recall OF judges. One OF the ablest
~Jurtsts IN The United States, "A veteran
In service 10 tho people, recently wrote
me AZ follows on this subject:
There are TWO causes N the agi.
ation for the recall as applied To
judges, First, the administration OF
justice has Withdrawn from life and
become artificial and tschutcal. The
recall II not 80 much a recall OF judges
from Office AZ II is a recall Of the ad,
miniBtration Of Justice back TO life, so
that It shall become. as Il ought TO