Omaha daily bee., 1912-04-29
IRELAND UPON DEMOCRACY
Archbishop Defends This Govern
ment in Galena Speech.
ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL PERIL
Popular Government on Trial in
This Country-socisIism snd
Recall Are Scored by the
Noted Prelate.

1 oALENA. ILL.,. April 3.-The ninetietl
birthday anniversary Of General U, 8
Grant was celebrated here today. Arch.
bishop John Ireland of 81. Paul dsIiy.
cred an address In Turner hall The
occasion served ~ a reunion for sur
vivors OF me Forty-fifth Illinois volun.
teer infantry, and with other societies
they Joined In a parade.
Declaring his confidence In the per.
maneney Of American democracy and its
certainty TO overcome the perils which
beset 1t. Archbishop Ireland chose for
his theme Some Problems OF Democ-
racy."
Among those periis. the archbishop
spoke OF the proposed reforms Of which
he said the most fatal was the recall.
especially tho recall OF the judiciary. j"
His speech vas also marked by strong
criticism Of socialism and fits tenets.
The archbishop prefaced his treatment
OF the problems. which he classed as
the economic peril' and the political
peril" by declaring. In the permaneney
OF American democracy. / have steadIest
faith. because steadIest faith / have in
the patriotism and good sense Of the
people OF America. But confidence IN
the abiding ability OF American democ-
racy TO pass safely through every storm.
must not beguile US into somnolence and
apathy while the storm circles above its
brow and the peril digs pitfalls beneath
lis feet
Democracy on Trial,
Democracy Is on trial in America.
Our land today is a spectacle TO all ma
lions; the acclaim to America is uniyer-
sal: America proves or disproves the
the vitality Of democ-
racy."
Touching what he characterized as the
economic peril. Archbishop Ireland said
In part:
The economic peril is well within our
doors: care is needed that Il does not
farther into the interior Of the
Whatever leads TO the dis
ruption Of me social organism is forbid
len; that also Is forbidden which ruins
private property-the foundation stone
upon which rests the social structure.
he very core OF life IL human effort and
human aggrandizement. whether in the
Individual or In the COLLECTIVELY. ElImln- |
Ute private property. destroy or minimize |
induly It's rights, make It Insecure or |
profitless-you have ruled that labor Is |
not worth the fatigue. that Incidence
md improvidence arc privileges to be |
sought for; you have stilled personal ana |
national progress. you have driven back |
he human race TO the chaos Of barbar-
SIN and savagery.
Faliacious Theory.
To attempt the use Of powers Of q |
government. be that government the |
'reest OF democracies. in order to make |
he world OF men other than what nature
Tilled II. is the most futile Of tasks. |
doomed by nature to failure. sure. n long
pursued. to destroy the government itself
md the social organism IN whose behalf /
I was instituted"
On the political problem. the archbishop /
declared that the main question was how |
ire the people to govern. whether directly |
" through representatives. acting under
limitations. He sketched Che /
raining OF the constitution. and said In
art:
stability or constitution and law ls
he vital condition OF social order. of con-
nuous economic progress. What becomes
this stability when a small percentage
voters may at their caprice suspend
ecrees OF legislatures. call for aItera-
ons IN existing laws. propose as projects
law their whims and fanclesf IL Is
10 road 10 social revolution. Into II we
Iay at any moment be cast by a small /.
'inority OF the peopie-often the precise
Iinority which least deserves the protee-
We hand OF government"
Recall Fatal Reform.
or the recall, he said: "of all the pro-
'sed reforms, the most fatal 10 the re-
NJ, especially the recall Of the judiciary.
0 greater peril 10 the institutions Of
'mocracy. to the permanency OF social
der. could well be imagined than tho
galiEing Of the recall OF the judiciary.
III ever expert knowledge and deep.
'olonged reflection were In rsquisition.
surely IL when the eternal principles
right and justice as between man and
an. between man or men and the social
ganism. OF the exact and precise mean
9 OF constitutions and laws are under
scussion. Are such matters, often 90
'struse In nature. 40 dazing In COM
exity. TO be judged at the bar OF a mere
'pular majority. so many Of whom have
'ver given to them slightest study, or
. svowedly Incapable OF srasplng their
ep and intricate intent. so many of
hom VIII be ready to put in first place
cir personal interest and caprice, %
any OF whom very likely have their
m good reasons to dread justice and
w."
The archbishop declared that the dif-
renee between tie recall Of judges ana
At OF judicial decisions. to be one Of
'rds. and that the Judge whose decis-