New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-15
A Check on Legislatures
Initiative and Referendum Needed ..
Keep Power in Hands Of Peonl.
litor 81 the Tribune.

n
vored an amendment to the proposed -
constitution providing for the initiatiy. 49,
referendum, has prompted the question, -
disapprovsl. What would old Chief Just..
Shaw or Daniel Webster think Of the a.
Massachusetts
Since their day, while there has been ,o,..
did progress and improvement along ma,
lines. it cannot successfully be denied a.,
in the domain Of government there has be-.
constant deterioration. OF the MAJ,
sources Of evidence from which il is pos,h.
TO draw in support of this contention. A..
will suffice, namely, the comment on l.y;,.
lation and legislatures as this has app.a,.A
for .he last quarter OF century in an,
newspapers and periodicals. II would ,.s.
therefore, that from tina: source help rath.,
than imposition should come 20 those NJ,
are endeayoring TO improve the goyernns,,
On the contrary, IL must be regretfully ,.X
that many OF our great dailies and oth,,
periodicals have almost invariably frovn.d
upon every attempt at reform, and nesr,v
every measure row realized has been esa.
tested. The remedy for our evils, so fsy a
they have been Acknowledged By the press
has been the exercise of the power In IA.
hands Of the electorate az the polls, vher,
faithless or inefficient set Of Legislator,
could be displaced by new men. This has
20 often been tried, however, as 10 prov.
that IL amounts to nothing but swinging
around the circle.
A Record OF Deterioration
Il is now ten years ago or more since
"Harpcr's Weekly" called attention TO the
deterioration Of Bay State political condi.
tons, when it said: at has been widely fek
and most regretfully noticed that during the
last ten years the Massachusetts, Legislature.
once a body of exceptional purity and public
spirit and patriotism, ha, become an assem-
blage OF ordinary political hacks accessible
to corruption" 1.-THE New York Times" At
the close Of our Legislature Of 1910, which
had become Democratic for the first time 10
sixteen years, during which the Republicans
were in control OF the government Of ths
Empire State and the politicians OF AG
party had become steadily rapacious and cor.
rupt. said edtorially: "The two houses have
been in session with but two short n.
cesses so long and have done so littls
worth doing and threatened to do
much which ought not 70 be done that the
promised retirement Of their members from
public view seemed boon" Prior 70 1910
the Democrats we're wont 70 point 10 the Re.
publcans in proof that the government had
become wholly corrupt, and after that 10
proof was needed. The divisions in the Re.
publican party carried the Democrats int
power again, both in the nation and the
state The odious Legislature Of 1913 MAS
the result whose remarkable achievement,
for which il will forever be outstanding IN
the history Of American politics, was the
impeachment If its own Governor b. the aid
Of the Republicans.
During this period "The Evening Mall
under the heading "A Bad Legislative Rec
ord" after calling attention 10 very few
decent things accomplished. said: These are
the meritoricus by-products Of plant tina,
from beginning to end has been run
against the public interest The bis
tory Of the Legislature OF 1911 is portrait
# reaction" "The Standard Union,' OF
Brooklyn, remarked of the following Legs
latnre: "This misrepresentation government
will stay in power until January l, but at the
November election will be swept away u
was. but several others succeeded, with no
Improvement until we came right up 70 date
Upon the last Legislature, Republican in both
branches. when Il. TOO, had passed into his
tory. The Tribune hurled its brosdside, under
the heading "An Unedify:ng Record VIVA
the words: "No act of the life Of the Legs
lature Of 1917 quite so well became II as Us
quitting"
Continuous Inefficiency
II ore were TO 20 so far back as The
Worlds" indictment of the Legislature Of
1895. which, among much else. contained this
bit. SIT was the most useless, vicious and cor
rupt that the peoplc were ever called upon
- he n
papers to date. he would find the record Of
AN almos. continuous performance Of IN
efficiency and corruption in our Legislative
halls, which in many instances would tn'0s
the burlesque and opera boufc performances
of our music halls and comic opera s"r
into the shade. He might 90 back 70 inc
dav NJ Henry Ward Beecher who declared
that orr legislators were bought up ~ our
rich men Ike cattle, and that II REFORM
tion did not take place q revolution would.
7 have cited one editorial comment besrinf
on political conditions in Massachusetts, ana
several referring 10 New York which con.
denim conditions that are typical oil Sn"
was going on all over the Union These con
ditions developed since the day OF Cher 'ps :
tice Shaw and of Daniel Webster, and e.,
10 high heaven for something which WIZ
make our government in fact what II pas
been IN name only Many movements hs''
come snd gone TO effect reform ano man.
reforms, in the teeth Of opposition nave gee
realized. and still bad government IS WIKI W
Why. then, in the name Of all that is resssa.
able. should not the people have me 'es'', !,
power given 70 them b. which they ean
they so choose put check upon their aselTs
in governmental affairs? Such power w
be provided by the simple device on vn,.,
The Massachusetts Constitutional Con'en"s ~,
has Just passed favorably. Every eros' sn'
be made to defeat the reform in the eampat.
which is 70 follow the submission OF ~.
question to the people for ratification: ~
newspapers, II they believe their own ln'..sl
ments Of our government or are im9'es, -
By them. should ali support the REFORM N,
history will again repeat itself and they "a,
with few exceptions, use their inhuen.
opposition. H. D. "A' :.
New York Dec. 3, 1917.
All Jews Not Disloyal
To the Editor Of The Tribune. a.