The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-03-09
SENATOR LODGE
OPPOSES I-R-R
Says Initiative, Referendum and
Recall Gives Minority
More Power
WOODROW WILSON is QUOTED
Massachusetts Senator Addresses
Princeton Students
Quotes Woodrow Wilson, Now Demo
cratVe Progressive Leader to
Strengthen Contention.

Princeton ~ j., March S.-Senator
Henry Cabot Lodge OF Massachusetts
preached vigorous opposition to the
initiative. referendum and recall here
tonight before the students of Prince
ton University. His speech was one
Of series on public affairs delivered
under the Spencer Trask lecture fund.
Mr.. Lodge denounced the initiative,
referendum and recall as both absolete
! and impracticable, and subyersive of
the fundamental ideas of representa-
tive government. In emphasizing the
latter point, he quoted freely from
books written by Gvernor Woodrow
Wilson while president of Princeton
university.
1T is quite true" said MIR. Lodge,
that the voters are the means by
which we necessarily obtain an ex-
| preston of the popular will. but ma
| iority Of the voters are not neces-
sarily the people and do not at all
times represent the real wishes Of the
people. The majority OF those who
vote on any given question may be a
very narrow one. IL may be a very
epheneral one. The majority OF one
| year may be the minority of the next.
and yet YOU will observe that in all
the practical arrangements for the
compulsory initiative. referendum and
for the recall of judges. the people who
can compel the initiative and who in
it's practical operation may be able TO
carry it, are a small minority of the
voters.
Only Minority Required.
"The start OF the initiative or the
recall in all the provisions that I have
seen. only minority. sometimes a
very small percentage of those who
voted al the last election is required
When the act acted for has been
adopted by the legislature and re-
fcrred. it appears. if experience is OF
any value. that a large proportion of
the voters express no opinion. either
from Indifference or from not compre-
hending the question. while the small
and interested minority takes pains to
vote for the law, the submission Of
! which TO the voters has been COM
PEELED by their original action. The
result Is that laws are placed upon
the statute book without there being
anv sufficient evidence that they are
there will not say by the will OF
the people--but even by the will OF
the majority Of the registered voters.
"A small minority of the voters
would be generally effective under
these methods. and of course n small
minority Of the voters is still small
er minority Of the people, for the vot-
ers themselves are small minority
of the whole people Therefore IL is
important to bear in mind that wher
it is proposed TO make the government
more directly a government of the
people. what is intended is to make
the government more clearly respons-
i've and more absolutely under the con-
troll Of the majority of tha voters
whether that majority is wrge o'
snol.
Quotes Woodrow Wilson.
Also il is To be remembered thai
this will result i'm the destruction o
representative government. and IL Is
the substitution of the will of por'
ton of the voters for the viii Of al
the voters who are represented by
tho legislative bodies. I cannot ex
press my meaning better than by quot
ing from a distinguished expression
Of this university. in his book OF
constitutional Government published
in 1905"
Mr.. Lodge quoted a reference b.
woodrow Wilson to the use OF the ini
tiative and referendum as "the virtua
. abandonment Of the representative
principle. and the attempt to put il
the hands of the voters themselves tn
. power to initiate and negative laws
!. in order to enable them 10 do 70
|. themselves what they have not bee
. . able 10 get satisfactorily done throug
!. the representatives they have hithert
!. chosen to act for them
Mr. Lodge next discussed what h
:. termed "the widespread feeling tina
!. constitutions do not differ from law;
!. that they may deal with any subjec
;. and be the receptacle OF any idea
:. which at the moment happen to b
:. popular" To illustrate "the habit 9
:. regarding the constitution as " II wa
:. an ordinary law" he referred to M
:. wilson's writings in which he said
:. "The Ganger is that constitution-mak
!. ing will become with us only cum
). brous mode OF legislation"
Cites Historic Instances.
: while IL may be better or worse
s adopt legislation by direct vote as
- substitute for representative goverr
j. ment." continued MIR. Lodge. "the'
e can be no question whatever that
q abandon representative govcrnmei
= and TO take up in its place legislatic
by direct vote is TO return from his