The Washington herald., 1912-02-22
Continued from Page one.


improper fashion. and been guilty Of de-
moralizing and corrupt practices, should
not only be broken UP, but 1t should
be made the business Of some competent
| governmental body by constant super
vision TO see that It does not come to-
gether again save under such strict con-
troll as TO insure the community against
all danger Of repetition Of the bad con-
duct.
| I do not believe any absolute private
monopoly is just fled. but IL our great
combinations are properly supervised,
so that immoral practices are prevented.
absolute monopoly will not come to pass,
as the laws Of competition and efficiency
4 are against 1t.
We grudge no man fortune which
represents his own power and sagacity
exercised with entire regard to the well
fare of his fellows. We have only praise
for the business man whose business sue
cess comes as an Incident TO doing good
work for his fellows. But we should so
shape conditions that a fortune shall be
| obtained only in honorable fashion. in
such fashion that its gaining represents
benefit to the community.
| In word, then. our fundamental pur-
pose must be to secure genuine equality
OF opportunity. No man should receive
dollar unless that dollar has been fair
/ ly earned. Every dollar received should
represent a dollars worth OF service rem
dered. No watering OF stocks should be
permitted; and II can be prevented only
| by close governmental supervision Of all
stock issues, so as to prevent overcapi-
talization.
We stand for the rights Of property, but
We stand even more for the rights of
man. We will protect the rights Of the
wealthy man, but We maintain that he
holds his wealth subject to the general
right OF the community to regulate its
business use as the public welfare re-
quires.
Shape your constitutional action so that
the people will be able through their
legislative bodies or, failing that, by
direct popular vote. TO provide work.
mems compensation acts. to regulate the
hours OF labor for children and for
women, TO provide for their safety while
at work. and TO prevent overwork or
work under unhygienic or unsafe condI-
tlons. See 10 II that no restrictions
are placed upon legislative powers that
will prevent the enactment OF laws un-
der which your people can promote the
general welfare. the common good. Thus
only will the general welfare" clause
OF our Constitution become a vital force
for progress, instead OF remaining a
mere phrase.
In the first place. believe in the short
ballot. You cannot get good service
from the public servant II you cannot see
him, and there is no more effective way
OF hiding him than by mixing him up
with a multitude Of others so that they
are none of them important enough to
catch the eye OF the average. workaday
citizen.
l. believe in providing for direct noml-
nations by the people, including therein
direct preferential primaries for the cleo
tion Of delegates to the national nomi-
mating conventions. Not as a matter of
theory. but as a matter OF plain and
proved experience. We find that the con-
vention system. while il often records
the popular will, is also often used by
adroit politicians as a method OF thwart
ing the popular will.
believe in the election OF United
States Senators by direct vote. Just
as actual experience convinced our peo-
pie that Presidents should be elected
(as they now are in practice. although
not in theory, by direct vote Of the peo-
pie instead of by indirect vote through
an untrammeled electoral college. so ac-
tual experience has convinced us that
Senators should be elected by direct vote
of the people instead OF indirectly
through the various legislatures.
I believe in the initiative and the ref |
erendum, which should be used not to |
destroy representative government. but |
to correct it. whenever It becomes mis- |
In actual practice IL has !
been found in very many States that |
legislative bodies have not been respon- |
sive TO the popular will. Therefore. |
for the possibility of direct popular |
action IN order TO make good such Iegis- !
lative failure. The power to invoke such |
direct action, both by initiative and by |
should be provided in such |
fashion as TO prevent its being wantonly |
or too frequently used. 1 do not be-
lieve that It should be made the easy 1
or ordinary way of taking action.
As to the recall 1 do not believe that |
there is any great necessity for it as
regards short-term elective officers. On
abstract grounis / was originally in
clined to be hostile to il. ! know of one |
case where it was actually used with
results. On the other hand.
in three cases N municipalities on the |
Pacific Coast which have come to my |
knowledge II was used with excellent
results believe It should be generally !
provided. but with such restrictions as
will make 1t available only when there
Is a widespread and genuine public feel
ing among a majority OF the voters.
There remains the question Of the re-
call of judges.
An independent and upright judiciary
which fearlessly stands for the right,
even against popular clamoT. but which
also understands and sympathizes with
popular needs, is great asset of popu-
lar government. There is no public SER
want and no private man whom ! place
above a Judge of the best type, and very
lew whom / rank beside him.
Never forget that the judge is just as
much the servant of the people as any
other official. OF course he must act
So must every other
official. He must not do anything wrong
because there is popular clamOr for it,
any more than under similar ciTCum-
stances u governor or a legislator, or a
public utilltiSs commissioner should do
wrong. Each must follow his conscience.
wen though to do so costs him his place.
IC0NOCLASTS, AVAUNT!