New-York tribune., 1912-03-09
lodge ASSA|LS RECALL
AND ALLIED SCHEMES
eooator Tells Princeton PROPOSE
tions to Change System OF
Government Are Old.
CITES CASES FROM HISTORY
areat Audience of Students and
Professors Applaud Denuncia-
tion of Legislation by
ef Direct Vote.
,Rr relesranh to The Tribune. ]


rAr.eton. y. j., March S.--Senator Henry
cabot Lodge. of Massachusetts speaking
,tso,o an audience OF Princeton students
sna faculty members that filled Alexander
r,.u here tonight, denounced the initia-
.,,.. referendum and recall as Impractical
Ne undemocratic and not in accordance
"a. the princple of representation, which
=. called the greatest modern gift TO poit-
~, sc,ance He was introduced by Presi-
80. uibbeu and received an enthusiastic
greeting.
ne ouoted freely from various writer's,
,rcIudiny Woodrow Wilson, the mention OF
those name drew forth prolonged applause.
Tho address was given under the Spencer
rrask Foundation for Lectures at Prince
ion University.
The political significance of the speech,
in view Of Colonel Roosevelt's support of
the initiative referendum and recall. had
aroused much interest, and in spite Of the
fact that Princeton is supposed to be favor
ably inclined to the initiative and referen-
dunn the lecture called forth much ap-
plause. After the lecture Senator Lodge
was entertained at an informal reception
at President Hibben's home.
Meaning of Terms Important.
Senator Lodges speech in part follows;
In discussing a subject so momentous as
the principles of government it is of great
imnortance 20 determine at the outset eX-
2ctly what we mean by the terms We use.
Nothing is more dangerous, when We are
irving through inquiry TO arrive at direct
results than TO be the slaves of words or
phrases. We all believe in liberty, for in
stance and desire to promote it, but ex-
planatory words are needed for the liberty
ye mean, and the only liberty worth hav-
ing is an ordered freedom. and not the
license which knows no law. The word
'progress' has been much used of late in
public discussion, but mere progress is not
the direction in which the progress is
made
The word people" again, in connection
with the constitutional changes which
have been advocated for the last few years,
is also used in a misleading manner. The
people" referred to in the Constitution
means all the people Of the United States.
People" as referred to in popular discus
sion by those who favor radical altera-
tions IN our Constitution invariably means
a majority of the voters. which is totally
different thing from the people. 1t is Inn
portant to bear in mind that when it is
proposed TO make the government more
directly a government OF the people. what
Is intended Is TO make the government
more clearly responsive and more abso-
lutely under the control of the majority of
the voters. whether that majority is large
or small. Also. 1t is TO be remembered that
this will result In the destruction Of repre-
sentative government, about which / shall
have something to say later on, and IL is
the substitution of the will OF portion OF
the voters for the will OF all the voters
who are represented by the legislative
bodies.
The Constitution His Subject.
In the same way when We come to the
consideration of the Constitution, upon
which l am to have the honor to speak to
YOU tonight. il is important to know just
what we mean by constitution con-
stitution in its proper significance, as | un-
deTstand II. Is declaration OF certain
broad principles upon which government
must be based and by which laws are TO be
tested.
Senator Lodge then referred TO what he
termed the bad habit in most OF the
states Of placing in constitutions provisions
which should be the subject OF laws and
statutes and which have no relation to
general principles, pointing out that this
has caused widespread feeling that con-
stitutions do not differ from laws, that they
may deal with any subject and be the re-
ceptacle OF any idea which at the moment
happen to be popular.
Continuing, he said
The one great contribution OF modern
times to the science of government has
been the representative system. Represent
ative government has stood for great
advance over the democratic systems o1
Greece and Rome. / am not now concerned
10 show from history which system was tne
more successful. I merely want at this
point TO call your attention to the fact that,
while II might be better or worse TO adopt
legislation by direct vote as substitute
for representative government, there can
he m 1ua xyh that IN abandon
representative government and to take up
in its place legislation by direct vote is TO
return from high stage of evolution TO a
lower and more primitive one.
Judicial Recall Not New.
There IS therefore nothing new in these
propositions as to legislation by direct vote
and If we look at tho scheme for the recall
control OF the courts by the sovereign au-
thority been familiar at all stages of his
tory but that the actual practice OF ju-
dical recall was attempted in France dur
Ing the revolution Of 184S. The provisional
government made the Judges removable at
pleasure, and il YOU will take the trouble
70 read the manifesto issued by Ledru-
Ron YOU will see how he asks the voters
10 let him know IL any judge does not be-
have in accordance with their wishes, so
That he may remove the peccant magis-
trate; and he further calls attention TO the
TACT that the judges are on the bench SIM
ply to do the popular will. They had also
at the time OF that revolution In 1913 not
only this control Of the judges under the
provisional government. but also the man
oat tmperatif and government workshops
4 VIII only pause long enough TO say that
1e result Of those experiments in France
vas the plebiscite and the Third Napoleon.
representative government and liberty
, laded away together and the executive be-
came all powerful Therefore. ] repeat that
IN these propositions now made to us there
nothing new. They are old propositions.
i Id DoLr cd 20 IaW u auin a
soVance In government made. as history
tnowS, by the representative system and
iFeturn TO earlier forms
Senator Lodge then took up the initiative
ana referendum in their practical workings,
iPoihting out that I'm the contest which has
arisen over tho seat OF Senator Stephenson,
OF Wisconsin. where the primary system
y IN full operation. ii has teen shown that
the 1909 primaries in that state it cost
- y vote TO get o3O291 voters to the polls.
tie further discussed the practical work
n'gs Of the initiative. referendum and
recall along the lines of his Raleigh speech,
and then said:
LET Let me in closing end where | began by
paulng your attention 10 the purpose and
STU OF the Constitution OF the United
isates' The Immediate object OF the men
fEnoo mel at Philadelphia in 1857 was to pro-
ibo,,sloT loT union OF the states in a general
issyJSetnment and for the adjustment Of tho
i,siatons between the general government
nus ar created and the several states.
f,ine most vital, perhaps, of all the great
5Hhnclples embodied in the Constitution IL
- a. 70, oI securing the absolute independence
the judiciary. Courts are human, and
ny nave erred, but bear in mind that
CIT s Is comparative world. AS DIR. John
on yons wisely said: I'm political regulations
5000 can never be completes: IL can only
~, ~ predominant" II ig not a question OF
s~nstner you are going to substitute for a
fnhtssn imperfect with the imperfections
ahslsnt IN human nature another system
20 foILoiutely perfect and final The question