The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1917-07-13
THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

Ia democracy really as democratic as 1t mlgnt
be? It has been claimed by enthusiastic cana
dams that their government is more democratic
more RESPONSIVE to popular opinion, than our own.
,Yet though the only issue on which the present
Canadian parliment was elected was the reciprocity
;ss,,e of 1911, the present parliament has initiated
measures almost revolutionary without cohsui',
inc the electorate. It has declared war and sent
400, 900 Canadians oversee; it has accumulated
obligations of hundreds of millions and levied mil
lions of extra taxes, it is taking steps to conscrlp'
men for military service-all this without ascer-
tanning the will of the people relative to any one
of these propositions.
Doubtless public opinion supports these meas
ures: but the facts cited a., educatlve IN SO lar as
thew show how still al small is the part
PLAYED by the voice of the people in the national
chorus of legislation. Thc tendency OF every par
Elementary system is to c%enralize power IN the
hands of party leaders. Administration IS dele
gated by the people to their representatives, VINO
in turn delegate their power to a large extent 10
their party leaders. Thus the will of the people
usually makes itself felt only at the wide inter-
walls Of recurring elections, and then issues are
often Judged less than the personal popularity Oh
individual candidates.
Direct legislation has been urged IN order 10
give the people themselves a more influential voice
in administration. 1t is objected that direct leg
islation on every issue raised would provide a
constant turmoil of politics. Yet the democratic
theory of government is that the people shoulo
and must rule. Democracy is a great advance
hut apparently it has not yet reached its ultimate
development.
"a m "a IA Pa "a
THE COST OF RAILROADlNG.
The Interstate Commerce Commission IN deny
ing the plea of the railroads tor a 10 per cen'.
increase in rates, evidently regarded the increased
expenditure of the railroads more as a matter OF
than of actual costs.
! II was claimed that the railroads last season
maid ont S1OO, 900, 900 more for fuel; S195,ooO,-
/ 600 for locomotives and cars; $l62,oOo,ooo 1or
materials and supplies; $60,00O,OOO for wages Oh
trainmen and $57, 600, 900 for other employees.
But while the railroads may have paid out
these sums to the companies operating these oth-
er lines, it was, apparently, merely a matter OF
nuttinq money from one pocket to another. very
largely. the investors who own the railroads own
/ the coal mines, the locomotive works, the steer
mills. the lumber resources, the various other
sources of railroad supplies. If they pay out the
money, it comes back to them.
The advantage of the freight rate increase
might we'll have been a disadvantage from a nat
;onal point of view. 1t might readily have led tc
more over capitalization, further fancy financing
new burdens of bonds and stocks-all burdens or
Legitimate industry. And it is a question II hlgh
er rates would no thave crippled industry, anc
thereby ultimately injured the railroads them
selves.
IN IA "a IA pa "a H
THE FLAG GOES MARCHING BY