The citizen., 1913-10-03

question:
The bane of all nations, and especially
the three great republics, has been the
spirit of Innovation, that like fever, has
seized upon the people Of those repub-
lies.
The Romans, the Greeks, and the
Jews, were all destroyed by the spirit of
Innovation. The Jews were blessed with
a great and an honest republic, but the
desire for a change grew upon them, and
they insisted upon a king, and as they
were foretold, they got a king, and they
got kings, and then what they GOT from
the kings was on oppression that the
world has rarely seen until they were
finally destroyed as nation.
The Greeks departed from the laws
of Solon under which they had lived for
years. because Solon left his country
after the people had promised HIM that
they would not change the laws until he
returned. and he never returned, be-
cause he knew the dangers Of Innovation.
While they were true to the laws of
Solon they were prosperous and free, but
after years the desire for Innovation seized
them. and they changed the laws, and
liberty took her flight from Greece, and
never lighted on those sunny shores since
that evil day. How wise and patriotic
| Solon was, and he will live forever in
the memory of the human race.
The Romans were not happy until
they had changed all Of their institu-
tions and it was followed by an imperial
ism. and that great nation houndered
on in the slavery of its people in an un
equaled corruption and an oppression Of
the people. and there only remains of il
the scattered wrecks of its domain.
Shall we profit by these examples o
great peoples and nations Of the past, o
shall We like them be captivated by th'
desire for change, and thus drive tn,
proud bird of liberty from these shore
never to return again.
There is abroad in our country to-da'
the wild desire for change. y chang
from what we have tried and prove'
to something that we have not tried an
proved. Suppose there is tendenc
to change.
The public tendency to change ma
be all right and it may be all wrong. 5
let us be sure that the public tendenc
to change is all right before we ventur
on a change. Let Us hold on to a govern
ment which is upheld by well tried COY
ernmental institutions, and not rush o
to government by the ballot-box-
government by votes and one that ca
be changed, when, and as often as poi
ular clamor may demand. Let us TT
government officials by law, and not b
clamor and public vote.
The only way that any nation or pee
pie can be governed is by law. Peopl
cannot govern themselves. They neve
have and never will Govern themselve
except by law.
That is why the Constitution of tn
United States, which was adopted b,
our forefathers, has so many limitation
as to what the people could do, an'
what they must do, and how they wer
to do all that they had to do. 1t was
government of law and not a govern
ment of men.
The great danger that now threatens
this nation is in the adoption of the ini
tiative referendum and recall.
The Democratic pa ty of this State
stands out clearly against it, and the
Republican party and the Roosevelt
party stand for it. If this country i.
saved from this change it will be due tC
the Democratic party, which has always
| stnnl for law and nrdnr