The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-25


In the OuHook the Hon. FREDERICK
NJ. DAVENPORT. continuing his ob>er-
valions on Progress and Reaction in
the West reaches Oregon. the great
experiment station If direct dcmoc-
racy." Oregon has more direct de.
mocracy To the square inch than any
the new. or revived ancient. notions
In the middle and far West. 4
petition 10y only . per cent produces
Il referendum on any act Of the IEgis.
lature. since 1901. when the initiative
and referendum was set w by the
Hon. WILLIAM :. U'RLN. the fertile
leader Of direct democracy in Oregon.
and his followers, the system has been
applied until n good many people are
sick Of 1t. rs weary Of Mr.. I'REN and
his undoubtel virtues. Mr.. DAVENPORT
finds. as the Athcnians became of
.ARIslIDEs, the peStily Just
And the voters are called upon To,
frequently and are confused by Ton
great a multiplicity Of questions t,
exercise their privileges intelllgently
AT the November election Of last year
the official ballot contained the name,
Of more than a hundred candidates
Federal. State and local and twenty
nine prOpositions-Only four were ap
prnxay an, ~ tln,, ,,,,b ,,,,z,
Gus ones rs the abolition OF capita
punishment. the abolition OF the stare
Senate, the single tax--Mr. u'REN /.
a passionate single taxer-were sub
mitted 10 the people. No matter how
progressive the ordinary man may be
no matter how great his sympathie.
with reform and radicalism, here wa
too prOdlgiOus a surfeit Of il. Tht
mind wanders. the attention canno
be concentrated, an inevitable reaction
is produced by such a jungle Of meas
ures Of change. Evidently the ex
cellent Mr.. UIiEN believes that Rome
WAS built In a day. He has been sup
ported from the first by the plaii
people" the w~Orkingmen. farmers an,
small manufacturers: but these mus
he getting puzzled by and tired Of
form Of government which bedevil
them with such n riot Of candidate
and questions.
The wise statesman. knowing tina
man Is both n busy and a lazy AMI
mai. will make his voting. his PARTED
patton in the government OF the State
as easy rs possible: make his worl
on election day as clear aud simpl
as he can The statesmen. II states
men they bc, Of Oregon, have don
precisely the reverse. They hav
built up a complicated and cOnfusln
system Of government. The inliintiv
and referendum have been so eagerl
used and abused that Mr.. DAVENPORT
an ardent Progressive. declares tina
1t "has become a real danger to tn
development Of responsible and repre-
sentative leadership, and therefore t
genuine representative government
under the Constitution"
Resides the direct legislation sys
tenn Oregon has the direct primary.
severe corrupt practices act an
home rule for cities. The opinion G
a a Of Mr.. DAvENPORT's recent n,
litical antecedents on the recall
worth noting. lie says that ''exceI
within narrow limits it lis unsOun
in principle and vicious in practlc,
II Is a blow at calm and delilerat
and dignitied and continuous leade
ship Of a kind which democracy grea
ly needs Even in the most radio,
States II IL distrusted. It's use main
confined to commission governed ri
les. In n few States, the chief Of whic
are California and Colorado, whic
have had or believe themselves
have had special aus of complail
on account Of corporation owne,
Judges, 1t is statewide,
As to the recall Of Judges, NJ
DAVENPORT holds that that IL "to h
gin at the wrong end of Il much needle
reform. The judiciary is not We
: adapted 10 the present elective ~
tenn" While THE SUN does not agr,
: with This view, II records 1t as at lea
a sharp reaction against leadi,