Imperial Valley press., 1912-10-29
THE INITIATIVE,
THE REFERENDUM
AND THE RECALL
IBY DIR. MARTIN SCHITZEI

IBY DIR. MARTIN SCHUTZEI
tDr. Martin Schutze is professor of
German in the University of Chicago
the author of many poems and also
of two plays, Judith" and Nero and
Leander." He was born in Germany,
took his degree of Phi. D. at the UNI
versity of Pennsylvania. He is thor
oughly conversant with the Progress
sivs, Republican and Democratic plat
forms from an economic point of view ]
There is neither in the Republican
nor in the Dem ocratic platform a plan
embodying the initiative, referendum
and recall. In view of the importance
Roosevelt's pre-convention campaign
these omissions are significant
1t il natural that the bosses anu
corruptionists of both old parties
should not want these measures. But
it is more important that the domi
nant honest elements in both those
parties are opposed to them. Those of
the southern states which are ruled
by the old style Democracy are united
against them. Mr.. Underwood, Demo-
| cratic floor leader, represents their at
| titude in his conviction that the Amer
lean people understand men, not meas
ures. Historically, the opposite is true.
! The American people have frequently
made mistakes in choosing their rep
resentatives, but never in the long run
in the fundamental principles of our
gov rnment. The very declaration OF
! Independence was a declaration for
principles, not for men.
Governor Marshall has expressed the
I prevailing sentiment of the old Democ-
racy in substantially these words: The
\ people have all the necessary govern
mental machinery. They rule now IL
: they only take the trouble. Precious
good care is taken 20 give them all
the trouble possible''
/ In ancient times man scratched the
Y soil with pointed stick strapped to his
v-ife's back. He called that ploughing.
Tut this age calls for every improve !
machinery possible. The measures Of
I popular rule proposed in the Progrey-
sive platform are the m9st imsroveJ
and tried machinery Of modern gov
eminent We propose TO get them
and as soon as still better implements
are devised. we will have them too.
The utterances of Mr.. Taft and his
political associates prove their posi-
tion as identical with that of Mr. Mar
shall
( The modern question is not of what,
/ by a tremendous effort and waste. af, :
G. years of scandalous obstruction ard
1 miscarriage, we can do in an occa
sional paroxysm of reform which
shakes the whole country, but of Gre
ating conditions most favorable to a
prompt, easy, smooth and continuous
movement
| The majority of the Republican ana
Democratic parties are committed u
what they call Representative govern
ment." But they have in mind not
representative, but misrepresentation
government not governme of the
constitution, but of substitution, of the
possible substitution of the will of the
Barneses, Penroses, Cranes, Roots and
their associates, masters and tools, for
the known will of the people!
AS to social and industrial parties
the Democratic is pledged solely Ia
workmen's compensation, "providing i
adequate indemnity for injury to body
or loss of life, so far as the fedora
jurisdiction extends" The Democratic
| Interpretation of the extent of thai
jurisdiction is sufficiently known tc
compel comprehensive differences.
Governor Wilson is on record as be-
ing opposed to a federal law prohib
iting child labor as unconstitutional II
is well known that the most horrible
blot on our industrial system, preva
lent particularly in the old Democratic
states of the South, which furnish the
backbone of Mr.. Wilson's support, car
be only wiped out by a federal act
because with child labor in some states
! the adult workers of the humane states
would have to compete with child la
| Dor in the others.
Governor Wilson and his party are
also opposed, on constitutional grounds
to any federal law fixing a minimum
wage for women, by which alone an
| other scarcely less hideous blot can -.
removed. With that policy many thou
sands of women are annually driven in
to exhaustion, death and prostitution.
Is the universal slow, barbarous cor.
ruption, exhaustion and destruction Of
babies and souls a less vital injury
than a violent physical accident?
As to other important measures OF
conservation, Mr.. Henry, of Texas,
chairman of the powerful committee
on rules of the house, was bitterly op-
posed, again on constitutional grounds,
to pure food inspection. Mr. Adam.
son, chairman of the house commit