The Greeley tribune., 1912-02-29

dent, here is the constitution that
suits U.S. How does 1t suit you?"
Well. he says. lit does not suit me
at all, it Is mean old miserable
adopted it take 1t home and see
what you can do with it." That
was four years ago. Now what?
Mr. Roosevelt now travels all the
way from New York, Mr.. Taft's
state, % tell constitutional con-
vention that they ought to embody
the initiative and referendum in
their constitution. That is a change
that is taking place And why this
changeo Because there Ia that in
truth that makes 1t omnipotent.
Truth has In itself power to propo-
gate itself. and when you come to
study the initiative and rcferen-
dunn yon find that your power to
make arguments against 1t are
paralyzed. when you appear before
an intelligent people.
What is the initiative? 1t is
merely a process by which the peo-
pie acting through petition compel
the submission Of . question upon
which they wish to act. and when
the necessary number sign the pc
tition the vote is taken and then II
a majority voted for the PROPOSE
tion 1t becomes a law as effectively
as If ths legislature had passed 1t
and the referendum ie a process by
which :. designated percentage OF
the people can ask for a vote upon
a law passed by the Legislature and
II that percentage asks the question
h< 1
people vote to approve the law II is
law, and IL they vote no, then 1t
is repeated as effectively as II the
legislat .e repealed 1t. and why do
the peol 'e want these things To
overthr w or destroy representa-
tive government? No. The initia-
tive AMI referendum have not come
to destroy but to fulfill. 1t is the
fault OF representative government
that sometimes 1t does not repre-
sent and 30 the people are adopting
the initiative and referendum that
the people. the source OF power.
may compel their representatives
to obey the will of the people. after
gene. alton, ages, centuries OF
struggle. after the shedding OF the
blood of millions Of human beings
to secure . government OF the peo-
pie. II when you get 1t men you
elect to office can knock you and
spit upon you while they draw their
salaries and laugh at you. OF what
avail is 1t? Applause. But some
OF them say that while they are
willing to support the initiative ana
referendum they are very much
afraid of the recall. Well. you get
acquainted with the recall and you
will not be any more afraid OF IT
than you are Of the initiative and
referendum you will find 1t Is built
upon the same foundation as the
eletcion Of representatives +. the
people such as the direct pi iimary.
What is the recall? 1t IL sort Of
device by which you can pull man
away from the public crib before
he is ready to go. There Is nothing
revolutionary in that. at least II Is
not going to hurt the government
1 IL may displease the individual. but
the government will stand. IT Is
sort OF patent machine by which the
people retain control of the latter
end of an officials term and adjust
it to suit themselves, and when you
understand the recall there II oni.
one argument you can make asaihs'
1t, and unless you are prepared 10
make that argument You might as
we'll accept the recall. :
What is the argument? 1t is
that an officials right to salary
is more sacred than the People
right to a faithful representative
That is all. Are you people mace
for the official, or Is the onice
created for the people. You tell me
that II you had the recall the people
will make mistakes. or course
they will. you need not tell me tha'
people will make mistakes. VINO ha,
n better recognition of the fact tha'
people make mistakes than i 'Hp,
piause) But shall despair o'
popular government beca"se th'
people do not agree with me- Ieo
pie make mistakes. OF course tney
WILL but will you tell me some klho
OF government in which there are
no mistakes. Is monarch! @ @ire'
from mistakes? Not ut all. no"
does It differ from democracy