The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-08-06

a whole. This cannot be permitted.
we choose our representatives for two
purposes: In the first place, we
choose them with the desire that. as
experts, they shall study certain mat
ters with which We, the people as a
whole, cannot be Intimately acuuaint-
ed, and that as regards these matters
they shall formulate a policy for our
betterment. Even as regards such a
policy, and the actions taken thereun-
right ultimately to vote our disap-
proval of it. if we feel such disap-
proVal. But, in the next place, our
representatives are chosen to carry
out certain policies as to which we
have definitely made up our minds,
ana mere we expect them to represent
US by doing what we have decided
ought TO be done. All L desire to do
by securing more direct control of the
government agents and agencies of the
people is to give the people the chance
10 make their representatives really
represent them whenever the govern
ment becomes misrepresentation.
L nave not come to this way of
thinking from closest study or as a
mere mater OF theory; 1 have been
forced to it by a long experience with
the actual conditions of our political
NE. A few years ago, for instance
tnere was very little demand in this
country for presidential primaries
There would have been no demand
now II the politicians had really en-
deavored to carry out the will of the
people as regards nominations for
president. But, largely under the in
huence of special privilege in the bus
mess world, there have arisen castles
OF politicians who not only do not rep-
resent the people, but who make their
bread and butter by thwarting the
wishes of the people. This is true of
the bosses of both political parties in
my own state of New York, and it is
Just as true of the bosses of one or
the other political party in a great
many states of the Union. The power
OF the people must be made supreme
WlLhln the several party organizations
In the contest which eliminated six
weeks ago in this city L speedily
found that my chance was at a mini
mum in any state where L could not
get an expression of the people them
selves in the primaries L found that
II L could appeal to the rank and file
of the Republican voters, could gen.
orally win. whereas, if had to appeal
to the political caste-which includes
the most noisy defenders of the old
system-I generally lost. Moreover. 1
found, as matter of fact. not as a
matter of theory, that these politicians
hab1tually and unhesitatingly resort
to every species of mean swindlfng
and cheating in order to carry their
point. 1t is because of the general
recognition of this fact that the words
politics and politicians have grown to
have sinister meaning throughout
this country. The bosses and their
agents in the National Republican
Convention at Chicago treated politi-
cal theft as a legitimate political
weapon. 1t is instructive to compare
the votes Of states where there were
open primaries and the votes of states
where there were not In Illinois.
Pennsylvania, and Ohio we had diEect
primaries and the Taft machine was
beaten two to one. Between and bor-
dering on these states were Michigan,
Indiana and Kentucky. In these
az
ries, and the politicians elected two
delegates to our one. In the first
three states the contests were abso-
lutely open, absolutely honest. The
rank and file expressed their wishes,
and there was no faint of fraud about
what they did. In the other three
states the contest was marked by ev-
cry species of fraud and violence on
the part of our opponents, and half
the Taft delegates in the Chicago con-
vention from these states had tainted
titles. The entire Wall street press at
this moment is vigorously engaged in
denouncing the direct primary system
and UNFOLDING the old convention sys-
tenn, or, as they call it, the "old rep
resentative system" They are so do
ing because they know that the bosses
and the power of special privilege
have tenfold the chance under the
system that they have
when the rank and file of the people
can express themselves at the primar-
Chicago was a fraud upon the rank
and file of the Republican party; It
was obtained only by defrauding the
rank and file of the party of their
right to express their choice; and such
action does not bind
single honest member of the party.
Well, what the National committee
and the fraudulent majority of the
National Convention did at Chicago IN
disappearing the people has been
done again and again in congress.
perhaps especially in the senate and
In the state legislatures. Again and
again laws demanded by the people
have been refused to the people be-
cause the representatives of the peo-
pie misrepresented them. Now my pro-
posal is merely that we shall give to
people the power. to be used not wan
tonly but only in exceptional cases.
themselves to see to it that the gov
ernm entail action taken in their name
Is really the action that they desire.
The People and the Courts.
The American people, and not the
courts, are to determine their own fun
1amental policies. The people should
have power to deal with the effect of