The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1913-04-16
ROOT AT PRINCETON
HITS WILSON'S VIEWS
Senator Attacks Initiative.
Referendum and Recall
Of Decisions.
ARE BLOW At FREEDOM
Speaker Gets Ovation From stu
dents at Stafford Little
Foundation.

PRINCETON. April Ex-senator Elihu
! Root attacked the initiative rcfcren-
DUN and other proposed reforms in n
speech before big audience in Alex
andcr Hall here tonight. The Scna =
! tor got an ovation as he criticised soma
of the pet theories of princetons for
mcr president.
This il the first Of two lectures on
! the stafford Little Foundation on pub
! lie affairs
Senator Root began by pointing out
the changes In American life in the re-
cent years, the discomfort with institu-
tions. the growth Of socialism and the
universal desire to adapt the laws 20
/ the life of to-day.
lie wondered If II were necessary not
only tn make new laws hut to modify
/ the principles on which the government
/ is based and the institutions designed
for the application OF those principles Ia
tn" affairs of life.
| He said that there were certain CON
sidprations to be observed when pro-
posals are made to change these insti-
! tutions.
We should reject" he said, "cvery
proposal which involves the idea that
! tho people can rule merely by voting or
merely by voting and having one man
or group of men To execute their will.
We are apt TO forget" he said, how
little. after all. 1t is possible for any
/ Government to do and to hold the party
! in power at the time to standard of
/ responsibility which no Government can
meet
The chief motive power which has
moved mankind along the course Of
development. which We call the progress
of civilization. has been the sum total
of intelligent selfishness in a vast num-
bcr Of individuals. each working for
his own support, his own gain, his own
/ bettcrment.
| Gradually. during the long process,
selfishnes has grown more intelligent,
with a broader view of individual bene-
~ from the common good, and gradually
! the influences Of nohlcr standards of
altruism. of justice and human sympa-
thy have impressed themselves upon
I the conception of right conduct among
civilized men
"Rut the complete control Of such
motives will be the millennium. Any
attempt to enforce millcnnial standard
now by law must necessarily fail and
any judgment which assumes govern
mcnt's responsibility to enforce such a
standard must be an unjust Judgment.
Indeed. no such standard can ever be
forced. 1t must come. not 10y superior
| force. but from the changed nature Of
man, from his willingness TO be alto
gether Just and merciful.
| IT Is limiting the liberty OF citizen
/ to regulate the conduct of others toward
| him in the field where formerly he pro-
: tected himself by freedom of contract.
said Senator Root, and the habit Of
undue interference by Covenant de-
stroys independence Of character
! The recognition - shortcomings or
inConvenences in government IL not by
itself sufficient to warrant a change OF
system. There should be also an effort
to estimate and compare tho short
Comings and Inconvenience of the sys-
TEN 10 be substituted, for although they
may hc different they will certainly
exist"
"IIow can we adapt our laws and the
workings Of government to the now
! conditions which confront us without
! sacrificing any essential clement Of this
system Of government which has so
nohly stood the test Of time and without
bandoning the political principles
which have inspired the growth Of its
institutions For there are political
principles and nothing can be more
fatal to sclf-sovcrnmcnt than to lose
sight Of them under the influence OF
4 apparent eXped!ency."
| He took up the proposed reforms
which he said related to the structure
OF government. the initiative and the
compulsory referendum. the recall of
officers and the review of judicial de-
, cisions
, He said that the initiative and refer
endum are attempts to cure the evils
which have developed in our practice
/ Of representative government by means
Of a return to the old. unsuccessful and
discarded method of direct legislation
and by rehaOil!tatiNg one OF the most
/ impra cticablc OF Rousseau's theories
/ The weakness both Of the initiative
and Of the compulsory referendum IL
that they are based upon a radical err
ror as to what constitutes the true dif-
frulty Of wise legislation he said.
THE difficulty is not to determine what
ought to be accomplished but how 10
accomplish II. We already have great
body Of laws. both statutory and GUS
tomary. and a great body OF judicial de-
cisions as to the meaning and effect OF
existing laws. The result of adding a
new law TO this existing body Of laws Is
that we get not the simple consequence
which the words taken by themselves
would require hut a resultant OF forces
from the new law taken in connection
with all existing laws.
"a very large part OF the litigation.
injustice, dissatisfaction and contempt
for law which We deplore results from
ignorant and inconsiderate legislation
with perfectly good intentions The
only safeguard against such evils and
! the only method by which intelligent
Legislation can bc reached is the