New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-26

ity and energy and ambition would en-
able a man to rise IN political life, 10
show what is in him, to make service
in the Senate or the Assembly step
ping stone to high things.
I'VE may have been wrong in the
convention" Mr.. Root said. I'VE we're
not wrong about the need for some
thing to be done. We were not wrong
about the Importance to the people of
this state and the people of our coun-
try TO have something done TO make
a representative government more ef-
fective. That We were not wrong ]
can point you 10 "a thousand evidences
all over this country of the interest
that has been taken in the work OF this
convention. IL seems quite clear 10 me
that all through the West, through the
Middle West and the Mountain West
and the Pacific Coast there has been
greater interest taken in this attemp
in the State of New York 10 restore
representative government TO its true
state than has been taken in the State
of New York itself. There is no mis-
taking the evidences of private CORE
spondence and the publications of tie
press all over this country. They &c
the people of these states that have
been discussing the initiative and the
compulsory referendum and the recall
of the administrative officers and OF
judges and judicial decisions in
the State Of New York we are attempt
ing a great new departure in represen-
tatlve government"
Osborn Favors Constitution.
William Church Osborn said that
while he would vote against the reap
portiOnnent article, h. favored the rest
of the constitution, although he regret
ted that il did not 20 further IN chang
ing human relations and enlarging hui
man rights. Mr.. Osborn said he was
sorry that efforts had been made to
make il appear that the new consutu-
tiOn was PARTISAN EFFORT.
The convention" he said, "scrupu-
louslv needed the Injunction of the
chairman to regard the work in non
partisan spirit, although il was largely
Republican, except in the matter OF
apportionment. Each of the important
changes, except appOrtionment and
taxation. received considerable ma
iority Of the delegates OF each party.
The proposals embody the platform
promises made by both parties IN 1914
and in previous years. | have SHOWN
that Democratic principles prevail 30
far no voter is constrained by party
ties.
"Since the convention the Republican
State Committee has adopted the work,
various party leaders have supported
and opposed II in a somewhat partisan
manner, and ! confess TO noticing as
tinct stiffeninS of the Democratic back
bone on the subject. The tendency TO
regard 1t as a political matter IS IN
creasing, to my great regret -,
Discussing the various changes, Nh
Osborn said:
That such changes are necessary !
have no doubt. The framework OF our
state owes too much to fear and too
little to courage. The division of re
sponsibllity, The hampering Of officials,
the old system OF checks and balances
clog the machinery and confuse the
public; indeed, financially we are in
danger of turning from a government
of checks and balances into a govern
ment with checks, but without bal
/ ances."
Mr.. Osborn said that spirit of con-
fdence in the people permeated the
changes because they give the people
power Of direct action in their gov
eminent, which must be considered
truly democratic.
Labor Objection Criticised.
Mr.. Osborn declared. that the most
solid criticism OF the work OF the con-
lvention was that II made no substan-
tial effort, except in the amendment
respecting oecupational diseases, 10 es-
tabiish new fundamental rules govern
ing the new relation between labor,
employment, occupation and the state.
Il have examined the thirteen rea-
sons Of opposition put out by the
state Federation Of Labor" he said.
"Whoever advised them as 20 the new
proposals 5 made serious mistakes:
and | consider that the great mass OF
working people. who are neither law
vers nor publicists, are being misled
as TO what the proposals really do.
"The important objections may be
summed up in the general statement
that the convention failed 10 give ade-
oua,e effort 10 the solution OF lndus-
trial que tons, and specifically that u
failed q act upon any Of the requests
Of labor. with the exception OF oceu-