The Alaska socialist., 1913-12-05


 N1R. WILKINSON Ladies a nd gentlemen of the State Bar Association : I appreciated that this discussion on the other side would of necessity take the shape of all attack, not upon the integ- rity of men, but upon the integrity of our institutions, and for that reason, appreciating that this discussion should be characterized by fairness of thought and temperance of speech, 1 have foll- owed the example of the gentleman who has proceeded ne, and prepared an out line of the points which urge upon the other side.
 No more important question has been debated by this generation than the one which Is now under consideration. In fact, presented as 1t is by its advocates as step forward i'll the growth of pop ular government, and ill the assertion Of the rights of the people, it is one of the most serious questions ill our whole na- tional history.
 These and similar questions which in their last analysis involve vital change i'll our entire theory of republican gov ernment are more than mere political questions. They involve great deal more than the political ambition of any individual, or the success of any polite al party. The fundamental question pre- sented is whether republican govern ment as it was conceived and established by the framers of our federal ccnstit- ution and as 1t was followed out in the schemes of government adopted by the states for more than a century, is to be preserved, or we are to adopt all entirely new conception of the division of the powers of government and of the func- tions of its different branches.
 It will not do to say that although i'll theory this may Seem to be the effect of this proposed reform. yet in practical operation 1t will produce no such result { because the power is ore which rarely will be exercised by the people. It may be true that i'll ordinary times and under ordinary circumstances the power is one which seldom would, be exercised but it would be q part of our system of govern- ment, ready to De used at times of excit- 1nent and popular disturbance, the very times " Il en its exercise would be most disastrous, and when the people are i'll need of the protection of those safe guards which under a wise form of gov ernment they throw around. themselves to protect themselves from the evil con- sequences of their own intenperate aud unwise actions
 Just as the. strength of chain is to be measured by that of it's weakest 1ink, 50 in framing system of government the { wisdom of each provision must be meas  ured by it's ability to stand the test of these circumstances which will put 1t to the severest trial. It is perfectly obvious that change such as the one which is | proposed, should be made only after the most careful consideration and upon the clearest ground. It is well i'll considering these changes which go to the very i foundation of cur government to re member the words of Lincoln who said:
 T do not mean to say we are bound l to follow implicitly in whatever our fathers did, To do So would be to discard all the lights of current experience reject all progress, all improvement. What l do say is that if we would sup plant the opinions and policy of oar fathers in any case, we should do so up OH evidence 50 conclusive and argument