The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1912-03-26

VINO DOWN AT the BOTTOM ulstfust pOpu'
lar government and when they must
accept IL. accept II with reluctance
snd hedge around 1t with every species
OF restriction and check and balance
So as to make the power of the peo9le
as limited and as ineffective as posi-.
BILE Mr.. Taft fairly defines the issue
when he says that our government Is
and should he, government Of all the
people by part OF the people. This
Is an excellent and moderate descr p
ton OF an oligarchy. Il defines our
government as a government Of all or
the people by few Of the people.
am not speaking jokingly nor do
mean to be unkind, for I repeat that
many honorable and well meaning men
| OF high character take this view. aud
have taken II from the time OF the
formation of the nation. Essentially
this view Is that the constitution Is a
straight Jacket to be used for the con
| troll OF an unruly patient--the people.
| Now, | hold that this view is not only
false, but mischievous, that our consti
tntions arc instruments designed to Sc
cure Justice by securing the deliberate
1
but effective expression OF the popular
will, that the checks and balances are
valuable as far and only so far as
they accomplish that elaboration and
| that IL is o warped and unworthy and
| improper construction OF our form of
government to see in II only a means
of thwarting the popular will and OF
preventing Justice. Mr. Taft says that
every class" should have voice" In
the government. That seems to me
very serious misconception OF the
American political situation. The real
trouble with us is that some classes
nave had too much voice. One OF the
most important of all the lessons to
he taught and to be learned is that a
man should vote not as a representa-
| tive OF class, but merely as good
citizen, wi ose prime interests are the
same as those Of all other good citizens.
Taft's "pisbeiief In the People"
Mr.. Taft again and again, In quota
tons I have given and elsewhere
through his speech. expresses his dis
belief in the people when they vote at
the polls.
In one sentence he says that the
proposition gives powerful effect to
the momentary impulse of majority
of an electorate and prepares the way
for the positive exercise of the gross.
est tyranny" Elsewhere he speaks OF
the 'feverish uncertainty" and "un.
stable determination" OF laws, "by
temporary and changing majorities,"
and again he says that the system !
propose would result In suspension or
application of constitutional guaran.
tees according to popular within.
which would destroy "all possible con
sistency" In constitutional interpreta
, ton. sholld much like to know the
exact distinction that is to be made
between what Mr. Taft calls 1.-The fitful
! impulse Of temporary majority.
, when applied to a question such as
? that | raise and any other question
Remember. that under my proposal t.
l review rule or decision by popular
I vote. amending or constituting to that
, extent the constitution, would certainl,
, take at least two years from the tim,
. OF the election of the legislature which
| passed the act. Now, only four months
r elapse between the nomination ant
4 the election of man as president I,
/. fill for four years the most importan
7 office in the land. In one of Mr.. Taft''
speeches he speaks of "the voice o
}. the people as coming next to the voice
s of God" Apparently, then, the de
y cision of the people about the presi
! | of ~ Aa1ihn,.o
e ton, is to be treated as next to tn,
s voice Of God" but II after two year.
Y of sober thought they decide that won
:. en- and children shall be protected II
industry, or men protected from eX
d cessive hours of labor under unhy
e sienic conditions, or wageworker
/. compensated when they lose life o
limb In the service of others, thei
:, their decision forthwith becomes
{ "whim' and "feverish" and unstable
/, and an exercise of the grossest tyrar
i ny" and the laying OF the axe at tn
g foot of the tree OF freedom"
4 That Is the old, old doctrine whicl
has been acted upon for thousands o
4 wears abroad and which here in Amer
Il lea has been acted upon sometime
openly, sometimes secretly, for fort,
s years by many men in public and II
} private life, and ! am sorry to say b.
s many JUDGES; doctrine which has Il
Q fact tended to create a bulwark TO
l. privileges p bulwark unjustly protect
2 ing suecial interests against the right
= # the peoTle as whole. This dor
! .rine is 10 me a dreadful doctrine, 70
!. It's effect is, and can only be, to max
IS lie courts the shield of privileg
: against popular rights. Naturally, eN
r cry urholder and beneficiary of crool
4" I'd privilege loudly applauds the doc
2 lrinc. II is behind the shield of tina
! doctrine that crooked clauses creep IN
, TO laws, that men of wealth contro
, legislation.
Remember, | am not discussing ~