The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-09-11
From Other Pens
THE SHORT BALLOT.


The short ballot is the latest pana-
cea for bad government. Senator
Root, at the New York constitutions
convention just closed, vouched Tor I
as a means for discriminating bosses
and restoring government to the hanos
of the people. Others support it as
sovereign remedy for graft and ex-
travagance. 1t is interesting to read
in the New York Evening Post, a let
ter written by cynical citizen of New
Jersey, who denies that there is any
thing in experience or human nature
to justify these hopes. This notion,
he writes. that good may come from
fixing responsibility on a single and
prominent individual in popular
government is not new and it is not
sound. over here in New Jersey
we had the short ballot for nearly
seventy years. No state officers have
ever been elected by the people of New
Jersey since 1914, except the governor
and the members of the legislature,
and vet we have had bosses always
and invisible government almost con-
stantly with US during the long term
of years. We also have reckless ex-
travagance which in effect is equiva-
lent to graft and the legitimate limits
of government have long since been
trampled out of sight.
This writer calls attention to pas
sage from Herbert Spencer that is just
as true in Nebraska as in New York,
and that every good citizen, ANXIOUS
to reform the world by changing the
laws and the constitution, might well
paste in his hat:
There seems to be no getting peo-
pie to accept the truth, which never
theleSS is conspicuous enough, that the
welfare of a society and the justice OF
it's ARRANGEMENTS are at the bottom
dependent upon the character OF It's
members; and that improvement IN
neither can take place without that
Improvement in character whlch re-
suits from carrying on peacetul INDUS
try under the restraints imposed by
an orderly social life. Ihe pehe1, not
only of Socialists, but also OF those So
called liberals who are diligently pre-
pairing the way for them, is that. by
due skill, an ill-workinS humanity
NAV be framed into well-working in
situations. 1t is a delusion. The de-
fective nature of citizens will show it
self in the bad acting of whatever So
cial structure they are arranged INTO.
There is no political alchemy by which
you can get golden conduct out or
leaden Instincts
The theory of the short ballot re-
form is that good government is to be
secured by centering responsibility in
one man, or a very few men, instead
of in many, and that better results
may be looked for from appoint1ve
than from elective officials. Some
times it may work that way-as IN
Germany. Other times it may not-as
in Russia. 1t depends on two things:
The character and attachments of the
people themselves anu lIlC SAloA dStCf
and attainments of the man in
whom responsibility and power
are centered. In free govern
ment, as a rule, the people have
been chary about relinquishing the
right to choose their own important
officers, local as we'll as general
! though it is coming to be recognized
| that there are not a few offices, now
| filled by election, which either because
OF their clerical administrative ma
ture or by reason of technical quail
| fcations required of the incumbents,
might safely and better be filled by
appointment.
The @short ballot, as a panacea, will
prove to be what all other panaceas
have been-a delusion and disap-
pointment. There is no royal road 20
good government. But the principle
Of the short ballot, nationally and con-
servatively applied, may tend to pro-
nent, not so much popular rule, as
| efficiency and simplicity. These, while
! in no sense the ultimate goal of gov
ernment-they are but means to an
end-are means not to be despised
The great trouble is the disposition to
think that when a new means has been
devised, when a new tool has been put
into the peoples hands, the result has
been achieved. No fallacy could be
more obvious. Whatever the nature of
the tool the results are going to de-
pend on the people that use it,
Omaha World-Herald.
''In order to be a diplomat man has
don't know" answered Senator Sorghum,
whether he has to speak fluently. But