New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-15
PRINCIPLE IN POLITICS
LACKING, SAYS BUTLER
Educator, Citing Bryan and
Roosevelt, Asserts 1t Has Given
Way to Personalities.
PLEA FOR CONSTITUTION
Favors More Flexible Way Of
Amendment and Giving Cab
met Members Seats
in Congress.

met members Seats
in Congress.
| Chicago. Dec 14-"Principle in politics
| in the United States has given way in
great measure to personalities during the
| last twenty years, owing TO the presence
! Of William Jennings Bryan and Theodore
Roosevelt in the political arena" Nicholas
Murray Butler, president of Columbia
! University, told members Of the Chicago
/ Commercial Club tonight in discussing
the subject, What Is Progress in Poll
tics?"
The effect Of this limitation on our
| political life has not been happy" he
! declared. Passionate feeling has been
aroused at time when cool reason was
most necessary, and blind personal ad
vocacy or blind personal antasonism has
! taken the place of statesmanlike eNami-
/ nation of principles and Of policies
! The speaker took strong stand against
stretching the Constitution. declaring that
[ the right of amendment had been given
the people for the purposeo of changing
| the instrument when they deemed IT
necessary. He also expressed his dsap-
| proval OF the recall of Judges and judicial
decisions. Touching on the relation Of
the individual 10 the state, he urged the
use Of individual freedom and power OF
! initiative TO help build and maintain tn,
! institutions of the whole community.
These steps, he said. might we'll be
taken in the interest Of progress In this
country:
"A more flexible method of amending
| the Constitution; a more satisfactory way
| Of nominating public officers; improve
ment in legislative methods and proceed
ure: giving members Of the Cabinet seats
on the floors Of both houses of Congress.
with the right 10 participate in debates
concerning their departments. beginning
the regular sessions OF Congress at "A
time nearer the election Of its members
than now, and extension Of the principle
of the short ballot"
Or. Buffers Address.
Or. Butler said:
For some time past political progress
has been urged upon us and illustrated
indeed IL has almost been denned-lH
terms OF attack upon two very funda-
mental and tar-reacning political pm
| ciples that arc said ~ be Outworn and
| harmful
The two fundamental and far-reaching
principles to which ! refer are, hTst the
/ limitations Of a written constitution, ana,
! second. the relation that has hitherto cN-
listed In America between tho individual
| and the state. We have lately been told
in no uncertain terms that political prog
ress consists m throwing of the shacklcs
! Of a written constitution and in wholly
altering the relation that has hitherto
existed between the individual and the
state. These appeals are nothing short
Of a challenge TO the justice and wisdom
Of the basis on which our entire civliza-
ton rests, whether those who make them
realize this or not.
Or. Butler defined 4 written consttu-
ton and referred 70 the Impotence of it,.
which for some time past has been
marked in this country in many ways
and places. lie went Oh to state that
there is no justification for this. as the
Constitution is readily amendable. and
added:
There arc two questions that must be
carefully distinguished. The one relates
10 the desira bhity Of amending the con
stituuon in any specined manner az a
given time, and the other relates 10 tnc
breaking down or overriding OF constitu-
floral limitations, whether by executive
usurpdtiOn or by legislative act, because
some considerable body Of opinion IS
ready to applaud the result
| There are those who believe and teach
THAT the path OF progress Hes in the OIL
rcction of breaking down and overriding
constitutional limitations. II is essential
10 progress that all such proposals Dc
met with determined opposition. TIE
reason Why this matter IL so important
for us Ia that only in the United States
has individual liberty been made really "A
Ipart Of constitutional law. Everywhere
else II has only statutory basis.
! The second fundamental and faT-reach-
Ing n1ipc Is
mistaken name of progress Is that which
governs the relation Of the individual %
the community or state. There are three
broadly distinguished ways in which the
lfelation OF the individual 10 the com
muDity may be viewed. We may, IN the
first place, look upon the individual as
everything and the, community az nolh-
ing We may. in the second place. look
upon the individual as nothing ana me
community as everything. If anarchy bc
the result OF the first OF these views
stagnation r. the result Of the second.
The Western peoples from the time OF
the Greeks have endcavored to avoid
both anarchy and stagnstion BY adopting
and acting upon third poinl od o,cH =,
indy dualism on the one hand ana 10
communism on the other. ] call institu-
tionalism, for the reason that IL looks
upon the individual as finding his highest
purpose not in antagonizing his interests
| TO those OF his fellows. but in using his
freedom and his power OF initiative TO
help them build ana MAINTAIN me 1DSutu-
lions that are civilization. There Is no
progress in politics I'm breaking down this
third view Of the relation between the
Individual and the community IN favor
OF either the first or the second.
Two Party System Praised.
The two-party system Of government
was commended as making for political
progress Dr. Butler continued
We need both i'm connection with the
Congress Of the United states ana IN
| connection with the several state legls.
iatures, commissions Of experts to draft
bills In accordance with the wishes oI
those who have "A particular proposal 10
| bring forward -, ,.,,o,,,.co
| with the sharp separation OF me eNecu-
| tive and legislative powers, anu that tIiI9
| separation has some disadvantages Is Ger.
! tain. Our government policies TOO oItsn
| lack continuity and conference pecause
| Of H. This difficulty could be IN larse
| measure removed If action were taken,
as might easily and const constitute the he
] done giving 10 the members Oh tne
| Presidents Cabinet seats upon the nooi
| of the Senate and House OF represents