Evening journal., 1912-08-01


ular unrest by promises OF remedies,
are consciously embracing socialism.
The truth is that they do not offer any
definite legislation OF policy by which
the happy conditions they promise are
to be brought about. but If their prom
ises mean anything they lead directly
toward the appropriation OF what be-
longs 20 one man to another.
Don't Know Where They Are Going.
The truth Is. my friends. both those
who have left the Republican party
under the inspiration OF their present
leader and our old opponents. the
Democrats. under their candidate, are
going In a direction they do not def
inltely know. toward an end they can
not definitely describe. with but one
chief and clear object. and that is OF
acquiring power for their party by
popular support through the promise
OF a change for the better. What
they cIamor for is a change. They
ask for a change in government so
that the government may be restored
TO the people. as II this had not been
a peoples government since the begin
ming of the constitution.
These gentlemen propose TO reform
the government. whose present de-
fects. II any. are due to the failure. Of
the people TO devote as much time as
Is necessary to their political duties by
requiring a political activity by the
people three times that which thus far
the people have been willing to as
sumo. and thus they propose rene.
dies which. instead OF exciting the
people to further interest and activity
In the government. will tire them into
such an Indifference as still further to
remand control of public affairs to a
minority
But after we have changed all the
governmental machinery so as to per
NIT instantaneous expression of the
people in constitutional amendments,
agents. what then? Votes are not
bread. constitutional amendments are
not work. referendums do not pay rent
or furnish houses. recalls do not fur
nish clothing. initiatives do not supply
employment or relieve inequalities Of
condition or OF opportunity. We still
ought to have set before use the def
inite plans to bring on complete equal
ity OF opportunity and to abolish hard
ship and evil for humanity. We listen
for them ia vain.
Instead Of giving us the benefit OF
any specific remedies for the hardships
and evils OF society they point out. they
follow their urgent appeals for closer
association Of the people in legislation
by an attempt TO cultivate the hostility
OF the people TO the courts and to repre-
sent that they are in some form up
holding injustice and are obstructinp
the popular will Attempts are made
to take away all those safeguards foi
maintaining the Independence of the
judiciary which are so carefully framed
IN our constitution.
Hostility to the Courts.
These attempts find expression in ths
policy. on the one hand. Of the recall oi
judges. a system under which a judg,
whose decision in one case may tempo
rarily displease the electorate is TO b.
deprived at once OF his ONCE by a popu
lar vote. a pernicious system embodied
in the Arizona constitution and which
the Democrats of the house and senat,
refused to condemn as the initial policy
Of a new state. The same spirit mani
tested itself in the vote by Democratic
senator's on the proposition. tirst, t
abolish the commerce court and. sec
ond. TO abolish judges by mere act O.
repeal. although under the constitution
their terms are for life. on no grounl
except that they did not like some o
the courts recent decisions.
Another form Of hostility to the iudic
isry is shown in the grotesQue propo
sition by the leader OF former Repuh
licans who have left their party for
recall of decisions. so that a decision
on a point of constitutional law. hay
ing been rendered by the highest cour
capable OF rendering it, shall then b
submitted 10 popular vote to determin
whether It ought to he sustained
again. the Democratic party in cor
gress and convention shows its desir
to weaken the courts by forbidding th
use OF the writ OF Injunction TO proteC
lawful business against the destru'
tive effect OF a secondary boycott an
by interposing a Jury in contempt prs
ceedings brought to enforce its orde
and decrees.
These provisions are really class les
isiation designed to secure immunit
for lawlessness in labor disputes on tn
part OF the laborers. but operatin
much more widely to paralyze the arr
OF the court IN cases which do not II
volve labor disputes at all. The hosti
ity to the judiciary and the measure
to take away its power and its ind'
pendence constitute the chief deinit
policy that can be fairly attributed
that class Of statesmen and reformeI
whose absorption and control the RI
3 publican party escaped at Chicago an
< the Democratic party yielded to at Ba
J timore
D Record Of Administration.
l. The normal and logical questio
which ought to be asked and answere
In determining whether an ADMINISTERS
r. ton should be continued in power 4
How has the government been az
J. minlstered? Has II been economic;
0 and efficient? Has It aided or obsruc
i ed business prosperity? Has II mad
for progress in bettering the conditio
j. OF the people and especially Of II
e wage Garner? Ought its general pol
! cies to approve themselves to II
E. people?