The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-04-14
proper representatives.

say that the people are not canabIe of
selecting proper representatives What
we say IS mat the system of leaving
pubic affairs entirely in the hands of
elected representatives. without linn
us 10 their authority, and h the
possibility OF control of either the rem
reSentatlveS or their acts by the cleo
torate. is unWise. Such
ces frequently xpose normally hon
est men to undue and unfair TENN
'alohS. ShreWd and powerful politi-
Clans ana agents of corporations are
able TO d threats to temptations, and
tnus undermine character tina would
WlthStahd any ordinary strain. An
elected representative is still human,
with the customary frailties of average
humanity. He would nave to be su-
to stand firm under the
pressure that some legislators have
Deen subjected to. These Influences
nave their source in what is known
as the invisible government" That
it is powerful, its victims can testify.
But when there is a simple remedy
that will protect both our represent
tatives and the public interests from
the domination Of this invisible gov
eminent, should we not adopt and
apply the remedy? This simple rem
edy is the Referendum 1t limits the
authority of representatives over pub
lie affairs. 1t gives the electorate
hc pOSSlU1Illy OIL undi COntrOl over
their own business. With his instru-
ment within the reach of the voters.
the invisible government vanishes and
IS no more; and our representatives
are no longer tempted and badgered.
For, ever if they should do hi worst
that the interests" might wish, they
could not deliver the goods" for the
voters would have the option of the
final decision. Representative gov
erTfnnent was satisfactory until it came
under the domination of the invisible
government. An instrumentality that
will Danish the invisible government
will restore representative government
to it's former place in the confidence
of the people.
On page ga Professor Taft says:
Gould any system be devised bet
ter adapted to the exaltation Of
crankS n the Wearying Of the cleo
torate of their political duties tina
the giving Of power to 5 per cen OF
even 8 per cent Of the voters tc
submit all the fads and nostrums
that their active out impractical.
minds can devise to be voted on in
frequent elections?"
Again We refer Mr.. Taft to the I
and r. constitutional amendments ir
more than q dozen states to show hin
that these instruments as here use(
; do not and cannot produce" %freQuenr
III W. SOL GIG III
to MIR. Lowell's book, page 2O2, where
that eminently conservative author
says that in the use of these instru
ments the Swiss have shown them
selves to be IAN eminently cOnserva
tive people,"
. Mr.. Lowell further says:
; The most notable fact abour
, Swiss experience with the initiative
is the small amount of legislation i
: has produced. Even the attempt
? to use it have not been very fire
quent. The total output Of fedora
legislation from that source in
; score Of years has been wv meas
> ures, or n in ten years. In tn
cantOns the result has been smalle
still. In the eighteen, or in som
{ cases. twenty, years covered by tn
tables only fifteen measures LAY
been enacted in this way by all tn
y procedure, or an average OF les
> than n measure per canton i
twenty years, while in Bern, tn
more prolific of them all, the aver
age is only one measure i'll fly
years."
Figures can be shown that we, i
this country, also, do not use thes
It instruments to place on the ballot "a
the fads and nOstrums' that "crank
e can devise" 1t is not SO easy to foo
l. even 5 per cent OF the electorate j
is the SldTe OIL puDilC UlSCuSSlOH.
l. AS to the local use of these instrl
L. mentaGties in the United States, til
II writer is now making an investigated
l. concerning the use of the Initiativ
Referendum, n Recall in the con
n missiOn-gOverned cities, which as
II rule have the Initiative, Referendum
IS and Recall in their charters. Thes
d results show hat these instrumer
talities have not been abused. In fac
the reports show a remarkable degre
of restrain on the part Of the vote
in those municipalities. For exam
le pie, Of 1876 cities thus far heard fro
vs. which have the Initiative, RefeTel
20 DUN, and Recall, only 90 have ev'
ly used any of these inStrunlentalltie
f. MI. Taft's statements and argumen
are based entirely on theory and n
a. on facts. He ignores the results IN IT
in states and cities which have the In
O. tiative, Referendum, and Recall
in their constitutions and charters.