The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-02-15
TALKS
Or Different
NATIONAL rule


- 4k4A4SAAS AAADAAA4AASAJ 40 Wv -&es~es~s-~>~f
aAd wDrn-out, Frank Dixon OF New
Yntk impressed upon the members
81, the Moline After-D Dinner club
last evening the need Of . number
Of. changes he held ~ essential to
aAdem0cratic government The
piAhs outlined by Mr.. Dixon In
clnde:
Inauguration Of the president 10
days after election.
"a national referendum on ques-
+ tiuns rot government policy ana
c64nSes in the machinery.
Compulsory ballot.
Election Of president by direct
pN1plar vote.
Termination conventions compos-
edic0f instructed delegates elected
ct q compulsory primary.
Abolition OF the presidents veto
power. te
A cabinet composed Of members
OF congress and responsible to con-
gress directly.
mo corporation" said the speak
er. would live six months il run
az our government is run, il the
government were placed in the
hands of 20 capable business men
thu first thing they Would do would
best6 dismiss half Of the govern
ment employees.
"Why don't we apply to public
buSiiiess the same genius applied
to- private enterprise? Our consti-
tutiOn has arrested our develop
mentan We are using machinery $50
yeaES old. II you believe in the
principles of democracy you must
adapt your machinery to the end
in view.
No responsible government wants
any dealings. with an administra-
ton that has been rejected by the
people. More things can happen
now. In four months than in four
years 100 years ago. One-quarter
tospne-half the men who are now
making appropriations for next
year were defeated at the polls. Nc
man is in a proper frame Of mind
to, make laws for his neighbOrs
who have defeated him at the polls
1T now costs millions Of dollars
and take from eight to one hun.
dred years to make changes in the
machinery Of our government. The
people had no chance to register ar
opinion on the League OF Nations
When they voted the Republican
I, ticket they voted for many mor'
things than against the league.
1.-THE compulsory ballot is just a
necessary as military service is il
time of war or taxes at all times
Twenty per cent Of our bushes
men have never voted.
THE president is the only ma
I tional official Of the United States
4 He should be elected by direc
II popular vote. The direct system
II is the only way to make every vOt
n count and to give every man. n
II matter If he Is from Ohio or not,
"A chance. q
II Eat present the selection of
II president is nearly all over befor
we have a hand in it. The peopl
had nothing to do with the selet
ton of either Cox or Harding. Th
"a national party convention, as 9
n present constituted, out to be blo1
n ted off the face Of the earth.
a 1--WE should lift from the shou
a ders of the president some Of til
A burdens which do not belong Their
a Roosevelt lived through his admir-
a i3trAtion because he was cowbC
Il and had the physical stamina; Ia
4 had the avoirdupois.s but Wflsc
4 tried to do the work Of II men ar
he is q physical wreck.
I'VE have today the last gre'
aristocracy on the face Of the cart
The presidents veto power make
him the Tlaxmaker of the nation
Take the veto away and the powt
will shift to the legislative branc
1 of the government, where 1t b.
longs. ~
1.-THE world outside the Unite
States has cabinet inside'its bod
of lawmakers. Why shouldn't "
have It? That's a responsible go'
eminent. Let's reduce the pres
dent to the level Of a king. Ii
him be nothing more than syn
boil OF national unity.
AT present change in partit
i means only a change in the payro
at Washington. No party in Wasl
Il ingtbn can performe its duty unles
I you change the machinery.
n Our fathers who gave us IL
II present machinery would endors
4 these changes. They have all bee
4 adopted by some modern nation ar
their value has been demonstrated