The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1912-03-27

1
and hedge around It with every spe-
oies of restriction and check and bal
ance so as to make the power Of the
people as limited and ineffective as
possible. Mr.. Taft fairly defines the
Issue when he says that our govern
ment Is and should be a government
Of all the people by a republican part
of the people. This is an excellent
and moderate description of an olig-
srchy. II defines our government as
q government for few of the people.
am not speaking critically nor do
mean to be unkind for believe that
many honorable and well meaning
men OF high character take this view
and have taken 1t from the time Of
the formation Of the nation Essen
TALLY this view 10 that the constitu-
ton is a strait Jacket to be used for
the control of an unruly patient--the
people Now I hold that this view is
not only false, but mischievous, that
our constitutions are instruments de-
signed to secure justice by securing
the deliberate but effective expression
of the popular win, that the checks
and balances are valuable as far and
only SO far as they accomplish that
elaboration and that 1t is q warped
and unworthy and improper construc-
ton of our form of government to see
In 1t only a means of thwarting the
popular will and OF preventing Justice.
Mr.. Taft says that every class"
should have a voice" in the govern
ment. That seems to me a very SER
ious misconception of the American
political situation. The real trouble
with us IL that come classes have had
too much voice. One Of the most i'm.
portant Of all the lessons to be taught
and to be learned Is that man should
vote not as representative OF class,
but merely a. . good citizen, whose
prime interests are the same as those
Of all other good citizens.
Taft's Disbelief In the People,"
Mr.. Taft again and again in quota
lions / have given and elsewhere in
this speech expresses his disbelief in
the people WREN they vote At the polls
In one sentence he says that the
proposition gives powerful effect to
the momentary impulse OF a majority
Of an electorate and prepares the way
for the positive exercise Of the gross
est tyranny" Elsewhere he speaks
Of the "feverish uncextainty'' and ''un-
stable determination Of laws" by tenn
porsry and changing majorities. and
again he says that the system pro-
pose, would result in suspension or
application Of constitutional guaran-
tees according to popular whim."
which would destroy "all possible con-
sistency" In constitutional interpreta-
ton. / should much like to know
the exact distraction that Is to be
made between what Mr.. Taft calls
"the ftful impulse Of a temporary
majority when applied to a question
such rs that raise and any other
question Remember that under my
proposal 70 review Q rule Of decision
by popalAS vote. amending or con-
strAng to thae extent the constitu-
ton couid eertalRly take at least two
years from the time Of the election
of the legiaia<Hrs which passed the
act. Now. eaay four meoths elapse
between the noalAnation and the cleo
ton Of \ man - president to fill for
four years the most important office
In the land. m one Of Mr.. Taft's
speeches he speaks OF the voice Of
the people az coming next to the voice
of God" Apparently, then, the de-
oision Of the people about the presi-
denog. after four more years Of DELHI
sratiDa, 10 to be treated a. next to
the voice Of God" but II AFTER two
years Of sober thought they decide
that women and children shall be
protected IN Industry, or men protect
ed from excessive hours Of labor un-
der unhygisnic oonditious, or wage
workers. compensated when they lose
life or limb In tho service Of others.
then their decision forthwith becomes
"whim" end fevsrash and unstable"
and an exercise Of the "grossest tyran-
ny and the laying Of the axe at the
loot 0f the tree Of freedom"
That IL the old, old doctrine which
has been acted upon for thousands Of
years abroad and which here In Amer
ica has been acted upon metimes
openly. sometimes secretly. for forty
years by many men in public and in
private Me. and am sorry to say by
many Judges. q doctrine which has in
fact tended TO create q bulwark for
privileges. . bulwNsk uniustly protect
ing special intersst. against the rights
Of the people 40 q whole. This doc
tsiae IL to me Assadful doctrine, for
lite erect is. ana can only be. to make
the courts the shield OF privilege
against popular rights. Naturally. ev-
cry upholder and beneficiary Of oreok-
ID privilege loudly applsuds the doc
trine. 1t is behind the shield Of that
doctrine that crooked clauses creep
into laws that men of wealth control
legislation
Remember, an not discussing the
recall Of judges--although | wish II
distinctly understood that the recall
is a mere piece of machinery to take
the place Of the unworkable impeach
ment which MT. Taft.in effect defends
and that II the days of Maynard ever
came back again In the state OF New
York | should favor It, have no wish
to come to 1t, but our opponents when
they object to all efforts to secure real
justice from the courts are strengthen
ing the hands Of those who demand