Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1912-03-26

question and had for more than q
dozen years when he rendered mi.
nority decision in the Transmits
souri, Freight Traffic Case, urging
his plea of Reason" If man is g
reasonable thief or robber he shoult
not be punished criminally but al
lowed to ply his vocation, is the
gist of the decision. How did il
happen (if it was not understood
that he appointed so many men who
concurred in Chief Justice White:
Reasonable ideas? Will the Amer
lean people believe it was an acct
dent of chance? 1t hardly seems
possible, or, probable and if he i:
nominated I believe our next pres
ident will be democrat and
would rather have a democrat thar
to risk Mr.. Taft again. Like near.
ly all lawyers he strenuously op-
poses the recall. A man who op.
poses it is inconsistent when he says
he believes that the people shoul6
rule. Is it possible that the people
can create an article known as q
constitution that has elements in II
that can be used to thwart the
wishes of the people and set al
naught their desires and necessities!
Such argument is suicidal. The
only strength a nation has to en-.
force its rights against a foreign
power lies in the Willingness of the
people to respond to the necessity.
This is true in case of a rebellion.
What would the edicts or mandates
Of court or other servant amount
to il not endorsed and carried out
by the people
Monarchies and all forms of gov
ernments rely upon the strong arm
of its people and could not exist II
they did not respond. The last re-
sort is to this tribunal and If such
tribunal can be relied upon in times
OF distress and great need why is
it not safe proposition to allow
the majority to decide conditions
that are vital to their existence, in
times of peace. John Adams and
others of his time considered the
ideas of Washington, Jefferson and
others dangerous, because the peo-
pie were given SO much authority.
The idea of one man or few hav-
ing the authority to control regard
less of the needs of the people Is
becoming Anticipated and the peo-
pile are beginning to understand
that they are the reliable power of
all authority in governments. The
more they delve down into their
rights, privileges, necessities, etc.,
the more they will come to the front
and demand justice minimizing the
of their. paid servants.
The idea OF a servant dominating its
master is a perpetuation of arbi-
trary monarchial rule that thwarts
Justice, mercy and reason. It is an
that dies hard, but 1t
must go and the sooner the better
for the people. With proper safe
guards thrown about the Initiative,
and Recall there is
nothing to fear. Switzerland has
all these and has had for years and
point to anything that has happened
IN that common wealth that has a
tendency to do any wrong to the
When men object to the
people passing upon their desires it
is only a plea for selfish purposes
hat robs others of a chance to use
equal opportunities. Mr.. LaFollette
$ opposed to special privilege and
stands for equal opportunities and
universal justice. He advocates the
,ontrol of large corporations that
ire interstate, and why not? Such
only exist by the suf-
erance of the people and their pat
cnage. Nearly all use franchise
hat belongs to the people and why
hould not the people have some
hing to say about it. The earth is |
|. God given inheritance and all
hat is in 1t to men and why should
egislation be so framed as to bar
hem from the use and privileges of
njoying the benefits that are their
atural rights? This is Gods mer-
iful and gratuitous gift and when
len undertake to overthrow the
lans Of the Almighty they should
xpect retribution and will get it
-hen the people awake to their
lights and strength.
H. D. Ballard.