Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-08-20
REPRESENTATIVE AND DELE
GATE

A recent editorial In the Journa
dealing with the question uf repre-
sentative government attracted quit
little attention among Journa
readers. SOME Of which was favorable
and some the contrary There are
those who firmly believe that the
practices % the town meeting SHOULD
b. observed ln the government Of o
great nation Of more than one hun
bred millions OF people and with az
area 81 more Than 100000 square
miles
DoctrInalrc democracy never do
accept the representative system j
10 couldn't govern by direct towr
meeting IL demanded that the repre-
sentative be simon-pure delegate
registration instrument. a mere con.
triyance. perfectly mechanical. Il
record the desires and the demands Of
hts constituents
Thdmas jefferson could not admit
a representative. theoretically. In his
system Of things Even the president
was to be no more than q delegate
at-large Of an the states, although II
is recorded to Iefferson's credit that
In practice he was not at an confined
hy his theory as witnessed notably
when he exercised his own discretion
On purchasing from Napoleon the
Louisiana territory
jefferson was himself one Of the
most dominant and forward leaders
% men lie was always IN advance
Of public thought. always summonlnp
men 60 follow him Yet his theory
ignores the essential fact Of leader
ship, phenomenon OF human ma.
ture and great lever of develop
ment without leadership and fol-
lowing. We should not have oiviliza-
ton And It ls no Impeachment Of
leadership 20 show how often its func-
tion has been abused Religion has
been abused and so has marriage. as
have been an things beside which
have merit
A mere delegate H. not leader. and
Doe has NO following 10 choose for
representative man qualified onN
10 hc q delegate ls to lose one OF the
chief advantages OF representation.
namely the bringing TO Tho business
OF legislation % a man who is not
onl, g moutbpicco fer his people bat
also constructive, agent boo their be-
hslf
I'm fact. There iy ua such thing as "a
dcloratc Even the man who poses
ae ruch exclusively VIII use his dis
erection which may be as bad as hia
folN ur as good as his wisdom.
Whatever hts u,t however G. direct
obedience ~ his constituents. it viii
bo ,olured h hs ludEmcut as the
career ~ jefferson itself ubuudaatly
6I..Ios,e
How uaue agencies are there in
which is involved no discretion OF
she assent iNre man 90 dig post
holes do uu want hmm 60 exercise
uo discretion when your back is
turned
10 ne earr ths representative
should he delegate Ilo should uo,
Dee permitted 90 take tbt whole de.
termination into his own hands Hn
opinion of what his constituent
ought 90 naut. should NOT be entirely
substituted Cur what they 40 want II,
Is sent 20 Che capital uf the state OF
tbc nation with instructions alou.
general ln,. which 4 is his duty {,
follow. and Doe byttas bits trust whcr
he disobraa tho mandates OF th,
people who elect him. His opinion
Of what tho people uught 90 want o.
mot us good as their own opinion o
What tHcs DO want There have beer
Representatives who. filled with lhou
own ,w,etl or perverted by Other
influences hav, forrotten the dele
gate character ct republican repre-
hentston
con the other hand questions a.,
arise. which were not forcs,cu at cleo
tlon time. CONCERNING which the Iuds
mcnt Of the honest rcpr,srnuuv,
dltfota from that expressed rs IN,
convention al the time OF his numin
alton when President Wilson WA
nominated at baltimore it was upol
platform which declared for fret
tolls through the Panama canal fol
American coastulse vessels The
president learned later that such Law
not only would be- in violation Of GER
tain treaties hut that il would dis
crIm.nate asainst all % the interior
terutor Of the United states and it
favor Of the cities on the coasts
Hence, be Was FULLY Justified In hay'
ing the law repealed.
In his action on the "free tolls