The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-03-21


court wnat their own moraity ana their
own opinion is' ! ask that You. here
you ana the others ike you. you the
own views OF tustic. and nnbllc n,oraIi,v v
and not sit meekly by and have your
views announced Tor you by we,i-meanin9
adheients or outworn PHILOSOPHERS, whu
exalt the pedantry Of formulas above the
vital needs or human life.
s,uv.r,,,. ,.
'''"'""
MI Tafts position Is the position tina,
mas Deeh heid ftOm the beginning or on,
Government. although not always 50
openly helu, ny large number OF icpu-
tapie ana honorable men who down q,
pottohl. d'stiust popular government. and
when they must accept IT, accept II with
reluctance. ana hedge II around with
every species or restriction aud checl,
and balance. so ms To make the power OF
the people as limited and rs Ineffective
as possible.
MI. tart fairly defines the issue when
he says that our Government IL and
should be a government of all the people
by a representative part OF the people. This
Is an excellent and moderate description
or an oligarchy. II dehpes our Govern
ment as government os all OF the people
ny Few or the people. Mr.. TAFT In his
able speech has made what Is probably
for ,hos. whn Zoo, In ,ht, ,,,s,,nn,
,
'''~''
Essentially this viey differs only in ,s
expression from the View nakedly set
forth by one or his supporters, Congress-
man Campbell. Congressman Campbell,
m n In. .t.t. L..
opposing the proposition TO give the people
real and effective control over all their
servants. including the Judges. stated that
this was equivalent to allowing an appe al
from the umpire 20 the hlcachers
Doubtless Congressman Campbell was
not himself aware Of the cynical truthful
nes with which he was putting tho real
attitude NJ those Tor whom he spok. Ru,
II unuuostionably IL their veal attitude
Mr. Cam,b,lIs conrentiou M tho nm, tho
American peopI. should nlay I'm scIf.voy.
crnn,.ut is that they sbu,,ld .i, ,n ,b.
bleachers and nav In. price of admission
but should hay. nothing 10 sny ms to the
contest which is wage, I'm the sr,n, by
the professional politiciops .,na,.ntiy
Mr.. Campbell Ignores ~. fact that ,b,
American peop,e are NOT ,n.r, ,nIo,l..,s
ut a game, that they hsy. a vital stal,.
IN the contest. and thar d.u,nc,.cv ,p.ars
nothing unless tb.y a.. a,L. ,uI rIi,,,r
To show that they mr.. tb.,, ov, ,,,.,.,s
says Iat Doubts the People.
Mr.. Taft again and again Iu ouots,ion.
have given and .is.vb.,. thrn,,vh his
speech expresses his disbelief In lin. neonl.
when they vote at tn. polls IN one sen
tence he SAYS that tn. uronosition gives
powerful effect to the rnom,utary impuI..
of majority of ai electorate, aud nr.
pares the wsy for tin. nossibl. ox.rcis,
OF the gross.st tyranny t.ls.vhera IA.
speaks Of the "f.vprish uncertainty" and
unstable determination OF laws nv tenn,
porary and changing moioritiAs" and
again he SAYS that the system | p-onos.
would result In suspension or spplica.
ton OF constitutional guarantees according
to popular whinl' which would destroy
all possible cnrs,s,.rcy'' in constitutional,
/ should much like to rnow the exact
d distinction that IL to be made b.twecn
. ,.mnn,.r,, ,r.,.,,,,,. -. ,i''., y,
a question such as that / raise and any
other question. Remember that under my
proposal TO review a rule OF decision by
popular vote. amending or constituting 10
that extent the Constitution would GER
tainly take at least TWO years from the
time Of the election OF tn. Legislature
which passed the act. Now. only four
months elapse between the nomina tion
and election of man as President to fili
Tor four years the most important office
IN the land.
In one OF Mr.. Tafts speeches he speaks
or the voice or the people as coming
next 10 the voice OF God. Apparently
then the decision OF the people about the
Presidency after four months dcliberation
IL 10 oe treated as next'to the voice OF
God, but if after two years OF sober
'housht they decide that women and chill
dren snail be protected I'm industry or
men protected hom excessive hours OF
laoor uhocr uhhyslehic conditions or wage
workers COMPENSATED when they lose Nfe
or liinb In the service OF others. then
'helf decision iofthWi'h becomes whim
ana feFerish ana unstable ana an
exercise ot me crosses, tyranny ana
the iaglns or tne axe 10 the loot OF the
Tree OF ireeoofn'
Mr.. Tafts position Is perfectly clear.
II Is that We have In this country a special
class OF persons wiser than the people.
who are above the people, who cannot
be reached by the people, but who govern
them and ought to COVER: them: and
who protect various classes OF the people
from the whole people. That is the old,
old 1pct ripp n niph has tefp al fnr