Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1912-04-03
THAT is PARAMOUNT ISSUE
Voters Have No Faith That Taria
Question Can Be Settled Until
They Are Restored to
Full Power.
BY JUDGE A. VAN WAGNER.
of SIoux CIfv Io...

a. ZIG CatnpoiBu IL may be well 10
remark here that paramount issues
are not made by the politicians nor
by political platforms
The paramount issue In this cam
paign In my judgment is the resto-
ration OF popular government The
people have no faith that they can in
teligently settle the tariff question or
any other until they have restored
free government as We had II in the
days when men elected to ONCE 40
knowledged the sovereignty Of the
people and were content to do their
will. The people are not blind. They
can see that certain politicians and
political bosses, rich and otherwise
powerful men and political machines
very largely control nominations and
elections and when they do not con-
troll the election they are generally
able TO control the administration OF
government. They have discovered
also that there is a certain insidious
power which wealth has in the manip-
ulation Of politics and public affairs
and in this way the great voice OF the
whole people Of the union has been
III
hope OF the people that after the preju-
dices OF war had subsidized popular
government would be reinstated. but
instead OF getting better II is getting
worse. The outside influences which
have power in the administration OF
government are becoming more sue
cessful every day Naturally the men,
beers OF congress and officers in almost
all stations. state and federal, and the
politicians are unable to see this.
They rather have an admiration for
these powers which hold out such
promising pledges Of support
The people distinctly understood
that If Woodrow Wilson could be put
in the presidential chair, for four
years no man who has a selfish inter
est would have a word to say in his
administration. We would have an ad-
ministration in the United States as
he gave them in New Jersey where
the political boss and the predatory
interests would have not a word to
say and the people are inclined to be-
Heve that one such administration by
such strong minded man as Wood
row Wilson would probably restore
completely without any change in law
a government really and truly by the
people In this country.
II We cannot elect men who will
properly understand and put into ef-
feet the will OF the people then We
will have to substitute some sort OF
machinery that will assist the people
to do so. The initiative and referen-
dunn are means principally talked of.
That is not the only remedy, however
Some very good progressive Demo
Gratis favor the system followed by
the English parliament That would
be to suggest that whenever occasion
arose We should adjourn congress and
go to the people on some particular
Issue. The advocates OF this theory
point to the promptness with which
Canada settled the reciprocity Ques-
ton.
Governor Wilson's personal idea Is
that we should resort to the initiative
and referendum. Personally 1t is my
idea that this Is the remedy to which |
we Will have to resort II We are re-
Quired to change the machinery Of |
government In order to make II DOS
sible for the people to rule Governor
Wilson. however. is the profoundest |
OF the age. Whenever ma |
chine politicians go to him they think |
he is very stubborn because he will |
not listen to their schemes at all. He
is irreconcilably opposed to everything
but government by the people. He |
has nothing In common with the DO
liticar boss
Everywhere Governor Wilson is the |
idol OF the common people. He has
the same faith In the common people
and IN free government which made
Jefferson's name immortal.
He has the same fearlessness of the
political machine and political boss
which we admired 30 much in Andrew
Jackson and he has the same clear
Of the fundamental pr1n-
clples or free government which came
SO nearly making Samuel J. Tilden
president OF the United States. There
are those who constantly think OF
masses OF the people as a great bunch
Of ignorance. They don't stop to oh
serve that the common people have
always moved the world and have
either had to shove the politicians and
their rulers ahead OF them or drag
them behind them In the march of
progress. Public opinion is miehtier
than law because you cannot enforce
q law without II.
Today the consensus Of the opinion
Of the people of this country picks out
Wilson as the one man who can give !
them free government in it's purity !
and they do it not by instffkt hut