New-York tribune., 1916-07-29
LITERARY CRITICISM
AND BOOK NEWS
Our Government, Its Checks and Balances
The Origin and Growth of Military Rail
roads-Lady Poore's Memoirs

| divided responsibility, which is falling
more and more into disfsvor in munici-
pal and State government.
The defects Of the checks and bal
ances system have come more plainly
10 the surface in the State govern
ments. The best feature of the Federal
scheme was its vast concentration OF
executive power in the HANDS of the
President. But the States, especially
the newer ones. took Rousseauism very
seriously. They reduced the powers of
their Governors TO a minimum. Many
Western Governors did not even have
the veto. Executive functions were
divided among State officials. elected
by the people and acting independently
of the Governor. Local self-govern-
ment was pushed to an irrational ex-
treme.
The State governments have there
fore been essentially anSmic. Two leg
islative branches, each representing the
same body of voters: many State Off
cials, each with an autonomous status:
home rule in cities and counties; q
Governor with shrunken powers and
functions this was an ideal combina-
tion for the development of inefficiency
in government and for the obstruction
of democratic control. Control could
not help falling to small, well in
trenched interests in the community
and TO the political middlemen who
dealt with these interests.
Or. Elliott has enumerated the many
devices resorted to in the hope Of re-
storing power TO the people. Jefferson
advocated frequent elections, Jackson,
rotation in Office latter device
quickly leading TO the scandals and
evils of the Spoils System. Much was
hoped for from the extension of the
suffrage. But each enlargement Of the
electorate left the government as un-
representative of popular purposes as
before.
The party system has been tinkered
with. Parties have been put under
rigid State control, and the primary
was introduced TO restore the power Of
nomination as well as election to the
voters. Elections have been freed Of
most Of the coarser practices Of cor
ruption. but efficiency and true ma
iority rule remain unattained. Popu-
lar recall Of officials also has been
tried, and recently the functions of the
State legislatures have been abridged
by the introduction of such clumsy de-
vices as the initiative and the refer
endum.
These remedies have been made
quate, one and all, the author main
tains, because they have all left un-
touched our inherited machinery Of leg
islation and administration. The true
remedy IS to discard the theory that
government is in itself an evil and
must be kept in leading strings, and
4. fol cf
simple in form, efficient because con-
centrated. easily responsive TO the will
of a democracy not afraid either to
govern or to be governed.
DR.. Elliott notes that our municipali-
ties have nearly all turned away from
the old system. They have abolished leg
islative councils and have concentrated
power in a Mayor, in a small city
board like New York City's Board OF
Estimate and Apportionment or in a
Commission. The States must go the
same route in order to recover govern
mental efficiency. With a strong Gov
ernor. sharing responsibility with no
other elective officers. and perhaps
single-branch legislature, or with
bicameral legislature shorn of much or
it's present control over State expendl-
ture. the basis for efficient popular gov
ernment might soon be laid.
The author might have found much
support for his theories in the pro-
ceedings of the New York State Con
stitutional Convention of 1918. That
body went a considerable distance IN
recognizing the faults of the existing
system of state government. II struck
out courageously in trying to slmpllfy
and strengthen our governmental ma
chinery. Its example will not be lost
although the constitution which it drew
was rejected. We believe that the peo-
pie of New York would now indorse the
principle of short state ballot and of
concentrated power at Albany, If the
question could be submitted to them on
It's own merits, uncomplicated with is
sues like discriminatory legislative
apportionment out of which partisan
capital can so easily be made.
Dr. Elliott's book may seem almost
revolutionary to critics who do not ap-
preciate the fact that the reforms
which he advocates must affect the
state governments, primarily, and the
Federal government only in very sec
ondary degree. Lord Cromer, who re-
viewed the book recently in the London
Spectator" expressed the hope that
here in the United States "the drag
chain will not be wholly removed from
the equipment of the democratic
coach" He felt that our Federal struct-
ure would be damaged irreparably il
its checks and balances were destroyed
But the Federal structure is safe
enough II will be made over only
with the greatest difficulty and after
very long delays. But the faults which
slavish imitation Of the Federal sys'
tenn has fastened on our state systemf
can be and should be remedied in the
interest Of democratic progress and a:
means of promoting our economic
efficiency and social welfare.
Mr.. Hills book is descriptive, not
critical or controversial. 1t is an en-
largement of university lectures deliv
cred bv him at Harvard, Johns Hop