Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-12-24
PRESIDENT BurLER's VIEWS:

Nicholas Murray Butler, president OF
Columbia university, believes tnat the
elimination Of two personalltles
Thee lore Roosevelt and William Jen !,
nin1s BRYAN from national politics anu
the substitution of principles as the
subject OF discussion Is essenual "
political progress. +u,,
For nearly twenty years THESE w.
powcrful and attractive personaltles
have largely dominated the 1maglna-
tion Of large elements OF the Amer
can neonle." he asserted in a recen.
address. "Since the generation passed
from the stage to whose lot II 1eil " u,
+ settle the issues growing out OF the civil
war Mr. BRYAN and Mr.. Roosevelt nave
heen the center points Of American
political discussion. ..
"These two attractive men nave
,rnch in common as well as many
noints Of difference. The Important
tact is that when either of them is Pc
fora the electorate as a candidate 1or
hioh ONCE It Is almost Impossible 10
Obtain discussion of any political pro-
posal save with reference TO nls pei
sonality. ,-.: on
our political life has not oeen napp,t
Passionate feeling has been arousei a.
time when cool reason was nus.
necessary and blind personal adVocacs
ar blind personal antagonism mas TAKEN
the place of statesmanllke e1a ;,
tion OF principles and Of policies.
1.-THE people we're to eliminate tnese
two personalities, Mr.. Butler pelleVes
that they face q serious proDieM -
choosing the path that leads 10 req
progress escaping the snares OF Do.n
the railroads and ultra-conservatlVes'
Continuing he said: sa
..For some time political progress
has been. urged upon US, ana lllus1la.,
"a II terms Of attack upon Two xe.y
governmental and far reaching poiltlcai
PRINCIPLES that are said to be ou'"oin
srd: armful These principles are
ATT the limitations Of written con
.,..n,ion. and, second. the relation that
hi.-,erto existed in America between
the individual and the state:
.sve have lately been told that pon,
.,o.s nroeress consists in throwing on
~ :hackles Of a written constitution
.rd!sn wholly altering the relation OF
tha.indtyidual to the state. one man s'n
Sas+s1ion OF this impatience Is the as
cmsgion OF the recall Of judicial ae1i
s,ons. another, the recall OF JUDGES;
apolitical progress does not Ire IN tne
a,-ection Of breaking down and over.
r,d,ng constitutional limitations: ~
,rieht he il the constitution OF 1ne
11ni+ad states were unreasonable. put
a. 10 not. It is the one thing that ols.
4,ns,,.fes this country as the land OF
ssdnr. = ia the one token Of the
.orereianty of the people themselves.
.We must hold fast in any program
=. ad-ance to q written consttution
,r,th definite and precise limitations
-, Government in the interest OF l1oei'
-, which constitution Is not 10 %
as.,,.--idden and ignored, but which may
anoaTded in orderly fashion wnen
n,1blic opinion demands. .oa
NJ Rutler outlined what he termed
az six important steps to be take w
a. American people If they make
+r,,a no1itical progress as follows:
more flexible method OF anlehu,
- +ha constitution of the united
States
A more satisfactory way OF null
mating and electing public omoels.
Improvement in legislative nle'nou'
and procedure.
Giving members of the presidents
p,,a+ seats on the floor OF DOM
S.usas Of congress, with the right 10
Participate in debates concerning 'aeli
several departments ~,
pasdnning the regular session VI
aroas at point much nearer 10 the
s s,acf:on o, it's members than now.
Eytansion of the principle or tne
short ballot. , be sa;d
- Conclusion. concrete problems OF
in~,.Iation and administration may be
attankad with greater hope OF success
snI Satisfaction. We should not delay
: month in trying to obtain modern
"a scientific system of banking ana
anrrencv. without waiting for the les
sons Of another money panic. we
shn,,,d labor to bring greater economy
to the field Of public expenditures.
-. should support the businesslike rec
nmmendation of President Tart Tor the
7 torzmulation of an annual national bud
Z gat We should end undue delay IN
judicial procedure. -.
eve should aim not to bring the
government into partnership WIN
monopoly and privilege, but IN all our
Iaoislation affecting these matters,
whefher in the state or in the national
- keep open the channels both of COM
ret;tion and Of useful combination by
pneventing monopoly on the one hand
and BY furnishing specifically unfair
and dishonorable business practices on
the other.
"The path of true political progress
10 mt to he found amid the morasses
Of discomfort Of class feeling, of the
erasping for privilege and monopoly
or by making the individual lean con-
stantly more heavily upon the. COM
munity for maintenance and support.
cit is to be found rather on the clear
and sunlN --sdghts of individual oD-