Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1912-04-18

A good friend of mine who has been
asked many questions about the polit-
ical philosophy which l endeavored to
interpret and formulate in my Column
bus speech has put those questions in
the form Of short catechism; and in
answering them have endeavored to
outline the philosophy.
What Is the aim for which political
,Progreesives are striving7
The promotion of genuine popular
government in America, the defense of
human rights, and the establishment
of social and Industrial Justice, so that
every force in the community may be
directed towards securing for the aver
age man and average woman higher
and better and fuller life in the things
Of the body no less than those of the
mind and soul
Do you believe that the pursuit Of
this aim requires the adoption Of new
and radical prIncipIes7
No. l believe it requires new and
radical application of the old princi-
pies of Justice and common honesty,
which are as eternal as life itself.
New methods and new machinery are
needed for carrying these principles
into our national existence; and also
broader sympathy. so that our JUS
tice may be generous and human. and
not merely legalistic.
Do you believe In a short ballot?
do. l consider 1t one of the most
important methods to be adopted. By
the short ballot" I mean the prin-
ciple Of electing few men to important
offices and making more administra-
tive Offices appointive. This Is the
method that Is pursued in our Federal
government. The people have nothing
whatever to fear from giving any pub
lie servant power so long as they re-
tain their own power to hold him ac-
countable to them. You will get best
service where you elect only few
men, each of whom has his definite
duties and responsibilities, and is
obliged to work in the open so that
the people know who he is and what
he does
Do you believe In direct primarIes7
do. In the state the primary should
be of the simplest form consistent
with preventing fraud) that will en-
able each individual voter to act di-
rectly on the nomination Of elective
officers; in the nation presidential pri-
maries should be SO framed that the
voters may chose their delegates to
the national conventions, and at the
same time express their preference for
nominees for the presidency. At the
present moment our political machines
are using their power to defraud the
people out of their right to make nomi-
nations.
Do you believe In the election Of
United States senators by the peo-
pIe7
do. think the people are just as
competent to elect United States sena-
tors directly as they are to elect gov
ernors or representatives in congress
or state legislatures.
referendum
Yes. under certain definite limita-
tons Action by the initiative or ref
erendum ought not to be the normal
way Of legislation: l think the legis-
Iature should be given an entirely free
hand. But believe the people should
have the power to reverse or supple
ment the work Of the legislature, when
ever 1t becomes necessary.
Do you believe In the recaII7
believe the people should be pro-
vided with the means of recalling or
un-electing important elective admin
istrative officers, to be used only when
there is a widespread and genuine pub
lie feeling for such recall among a
majority Of the voters. l believe that
there is scant necessity for using it in
connection with short-term elective Of
f1cers.
Do you believe In the recall Of
judges7
l believe that the evils which have
led to the very widespread proposal
to apply the recall to judges are very
real. l see no reason why the people,
| if they are competent to elect judges,
are not also competent to un-elect
them. l think the judiciary should be
| made clearly to understand that they
| represent Justice for the whole people.
Personally, and having in view the sue.
cess of the Massachusetts, system, |
am at present inclined to believe that
judges should be appointive. Then
we can apply the principle of the re-
call to the appointive power In adj
dition. would have the appointive
judges removable; and, in feeling our
way to the proper solution, would
i try having this done by majority
vote Of the two houses of the legisla.
ture, as may now be done under the
Massachusetts law, whenever the PEG.
pie through their representatives feel
that the needs Of the people require
such removal. But this is merely my
preference; and, moreover. my prime
concern is with the end, not the means
wish to see good judges put on the
bench and bad ones taken off it. Any
system which in its actual workings
| accOmplishes these two ends Is q