The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-03-21

and servant, the sweat-shops, and tn
whole calendar of social and industriH
injustice. 1t is small minority that i
to-day using our convention system T.
defeat the will of a majority of tn
people in the choice Of delegates to tn,
Chicago convention. The only tyrannie
from which men, women and children ar,
suffering in real life are the tyranniei
I of minorities.
/ "No sane man who has been familiar
| with the government of this country fol
the last twenty years will complain that
| we have had too much of the rule o.
the majority The trouble has been &
/ far different one-that, at many time
and in many localities, there have hell
! public Office in the states and in the IA
ton men who have, in fact, served not
the whole people, but some special elias;
or special interest. | am not thinking
only OF those special interests which by
grosser methods, by bribery and crime
have stolen from the people. | am think
ing as much Of their respectable allies
and figure heads, who have ruled and
legislated and decided as if in some way
the vested rights Of privilege had q first
mortgage on the whole United States
while the rights Of all the people We're
merely an unsecured debt.
Would Increase Rule of Majority.
ITO further the rule Of the majority"
continued the speaker. the progressives
Of the Republican party in certain states
have formulated certain proposals for
change in the form Of the state govern
ment--certain checks and balances
which may check and balance the speciol
interests and their allies.
First, there are the initiative and
referendum. which are so framed that
if the legislatures obey the command Of
some special interest, and obstinately re.
fuse the will of the ma jorty. the major.
ity may step in and lcgislate directly.
Then there is the direct primary
the real one, not the New York one
and that, too, the progressive offer Al a
check on the special interests. Most
clearly Of all does it seem to me that
this change is wholly good for every
state The direct primary,
if accompanied by a stringent corrupt
practices act, will help break up corrupt
partnership Of corporations and polti-
clans.
$50 that no man may misunderstood
me, let me recapitulate;
"fll ! am not proposing anything in
connection with the supreme court Of
the United States, or with the federal
constitution.
Hf0l a., MT protogipo onvtb;pr,
having any connection with ordinary
suits, civil or criminal, as between indi-
viduals.
"t3l I am not speaking Of the recall
OF judges.
"t4l am proposing merely that in
a certain class OF cases involving the
police power, when state court has
set aside as unconstitutional Law
passed BY the legislature for the gen
eral welfare the question of the valid
ity Of the law-which should depend, rs
Justice Holmes so well phrases it, upon
the prevailing morality or preponderant
opinion be submitted for final determi-
nation to vote Of the people, taken
after due time for consideration.
"The president of the United States.
speech to criticism of this proposition,
He saws that it is utterly without merit
Or utility. and. instead Of being 4
IN the interest OF all the people, and of
the stability Of popular government, is
sowing the seeds Of confusion and tyr1n
n.y. by this he Of course means the
tyranny Of the majority, that is, the
tyranny of the American people as
whole. He also saws that my proposal
(which. as he rightly sees is merely a
proposal TO give the people a real, in /
stead Of only nominal chance to con- !
,true and amend a state constitution
with reasonable rapidityl would make 4
such amendment and Interpretation de /
,end on the feverish uncertain and IN
table determination of successive votes I
hanging maiorites'; and that 1t lays .
he axe at the foot OF the tree Of we'll /
,rdered freedom and subjects the guar
lntees of life liberty, and property
without remedy to the ftful impulse OF
temporary majority Of an electorate.
Says Taft Criticizes Popular Govern
ment.
"This criticism is really less a criti-
ism of my proposal than a criticism of
ii popular government. 1t is wholly
lnfounded on the belief that the people
ire fundamentally Enthusiastically. RI
he supreme courts definition of due
lrocess in relation TO the police power
S sound then an act Of the legislature
o promote the collective interests of the
must be valid. if it embodies
policy held by the prevailing morality
If a preponderant opinion to be neces-
AIRY to the public welfare. This is the
question that | propose to submit to
he people. How can the prevailing mo-
ality or a prepondeant opinion be bet
er and more exactly ascertained than
y vote Of the people,
Mr. Taft fairly defines the issue when
e SAYS that cur government is and
hould be a government Of all the people
v a representative part Of the people
his is an excellent and moderate de-
cription Of an olgarchv. IL defines
ar government as a government Of all
he people by few Of the people"
Mr. Taft. said Col Roosevelt. declared {
hat the judiciary ought not to be "rcp-
Of the people in the sense !
hat the legislature and the executive