The Detroit times., 1913-04-21
PRIEST SAYS
THAT RECALL"
MEANSPROCRESS
FIR. Dooley Tells Lawyers Club
People Acted Wisely in De-
claring for Change
NOT ENTHUSIASTIC OVER
OTHER AMENDMENTS
Initiative and Referendum Good
in Theory But Not in Prac-
tice, He Declares

The Rev. FIR. William +. Dooley.
3. j., president OF the University OF
Detroit, told the Lawyers club al Its
luncheon In the Fellowcraft club.
Saturday noon, that he doubts the
wisdom OF the people of Michigan In
adopting the initiative and referen-
dunn, but that he favors the recall.
FIR Dooley's address was OH these
constitutional amendments. recently
ratified by the people. He said, in
part:
= ncations in th" measure OF the initia-
tive and referendum, by way OF re-
stralnt IN 1ts eN"rtls" ana application
rs IL has been adopted here Ia Michl-
gan, there is no doubling the truth
that the radical tendency OF this
measure is to abolish representative
government ana 20 confidc the momen-
tous task OF legislation directly In the
people by a so-cdlled push the but
ton" GOV "rnmcnt. out in Oregon, the
home Of the initiative and referendum,
the newspapers have been advocating
Tor some time past; tue radical pre-
posah 10 do away with the legislature
altogether. Recently. Gov. Hodges OF
Kansas. has suggested in formal
note 10 the kansas legislature the
abolition Of the two-chamber legisla-
Many among us are alarmed at this
unrest ~ tins agitation. this out
spoken dtSsd isfactton with the tradi-
tionary forms and methods Of our gov
ernmental system. by which our civili-
cation. our commerce, our Industries.
our prosperity have been nurtured and
developed IN III" past Every effect
has a oause There must baVe been
agencies ANA Influences, Ions In optr-
alton in our American society, to pro-
uuce this unrest, To make the Ameri-
, Fan people profoundly conscious that
LAWS ana IN tho mEtllD1 of their f.
ministration
one OF the principal causes for this
unrest has been ana still is that the
law In many OF its phases has NOT land
aside the gravc-clothes OF dead pas,
IL Is mistake 10 look upon the Jurls-
prudence OF people OF one aye az an
expression OF principles for the people
81 another II should be n perilous
thing - found or deny right upon
authority OF another age. unless justi-
ned ny lear evidence that the condi
lions relating 10 the question then and
now are substantially the same. out
worn precedenls should give way 10
Jaw Of the living axe, the process OF
criminal ion. displacement and replace
ment should be soins on all the time
During our period az transition
while our problems have been incrcas
Ing and multiplying. and our systems
judicial phases have been sparring at
long distance with our prot TENS. ana
pur conservatives have been giving
Poe's haven odds. and beating the
ebony bird IN Croaking out their
"neNcrmore, nevermorc' to every
change suggested to meet these prob
lens. an immense cataclysri OF muck
rackng has been delusing the country
every department of our government
function OF the exercise Of gov eminent.
executive judicial, Legislative. have
come under censure and andthema, and
The dema gogues In head-lirers Of news
and editorial columns have appealed di-
rectly 10 the people and proven to the
people beyond cavil or question that
h. nI l.av.
edy all the ills and short -co,nings in
our law. and in its mhistIntion.
The initistiye and referendum are
tangible resultants Of all this storm
ing. censure and muck racking. Sell
dom or never In our history as ma
ton. has more faliacious nostrum
been offered 10 the American people.
Consider for a moment the parts which
Will make up the new leriati,an legis-
lative machine which the Initiative and
referendum VIII set in motion,
First, one OF the largest populations
In the world. made uc of different races
and of many nationalities. having back
of them different historical experiences
and speaking different languages.
Second. extreme differences Of knowl-
edge from Ignorance TO learning ana
special attainments In art
Third. wide religious differences ana
q multiplicity Of demon nations
Fourth. profound moral differences.
ranging from vice and crime to virtue.
Integrity ana public spirit; extreme
wealth Add to these such differences
rs those that go with IDEALS and inter
ests. ambitions and Compartments. ana
you have faint picture Of the miscel-
laneousness OF that aggregate which
today We call the American people.
Given this miscellaneous mass. its
complicated relationships. its diverse
economic conditions. what posslbiii-
ties does 1t oner for unified. concerted
political action in the solution OF some
Of the most far-rcachng and momen-
ious problems with which civilization
political theories. carried to their ulti-
mate conclusion. would produce a
struggle for existence. an evolutionary
conflict. In which the preponderating
force would be the sheer force OF ma
jortty. a collective struggle for advan-
tage and supremacy. All our leg'sla-
mainly from the failure of effective
teamwork What possibility is there
lhat we shall get together on such a
large scale In Legislation and govern
ment7 All sorts OF discredited and un-
Related experiments may be tried over
Ind Ger az, again ,a., in ignorance or con-
Neither the business nor the profes.
ional man would know what to depend
Pm or TO look forward to- and political
lie would offer no certain career The
instability OF popular legislation IL a
Fact. grounded on experience. Not 20
multiply examples, note how often the
people change In attempting 10 solve
the liquor problem. In states In which
local option 10 In force. town is wet"
at one election and dry" at the next
and 80 on through the gamut OF change
Last November woman suffrage was
rejected in Michigan by the narrow
and doubtful margin OF 100 votes: the
other day II was overwhelmi de-
feated The initiative and referendum.
az . atopian and abstract principle In
, which We picture TO ourselves the
forces OF humanity. Justice. knowledge,
mon interest Is an attractive theory
q sublime abstract princinle--but not a
solid foundation. or which to build a
government, which will be character
Iced by equity and comprehensive JUS
tice.
Let the people choose good men: let
them recall bad ard inefficient ones.
believe In the recall. and think that
IL should also extend to judges OF
courts OF record provided such judges
be elected for life, and only when they
ail To render Just and Efficient SER
lice should they be forced 10 present
themselves 20 the people for re-elec-
tion The present system Of electing
Judges for comparatively short term
ls system OF recall which should be
abandoned.
4 To the question. Have the people of
Michigan made progress in adopting
ne Initiative referendum and ~ecali?r
-aii 7 think they have. because the
recall. properlv~ernploycd viii he con.
auciye to efficiency in the adr,inistra-
ZION 81 law Regarding initiative and
referendum. which w It's present form
, ia not "A dangerous instrument think
progress has been ~pfc IN he sense
that rho neotffcf of Michigan have sery