The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-12-19
DO WE HAVE POPULAR
GOVERNMENT?

This is a day or questioning, anu "lh0i1o
the questions flying thick and fast, we
find the Newberry, S. c., Observer asking
the question, What Is Popular Govern
ment?" The Observer says that the chit
dren are taught in the schools that the
people rule in this country, but when they
grow to be men and women and institute
an investigation, they find that as rule
a minority of the people control the coun-
try. The Observer explains that It's mean-
ing is that while majority Of the citizens
who can qualify as voters usually cast
their ballots in elections, it is frequently
true that the majority of those voting,
which majority controls elections, is MI
nority of all the voters of the country.
The Observer cites the cotton belt cleo
ton on the Bankhead bill as an example
In spite of the far reaching Importance OF
that issue, less than half of the cotton
growers voted on December 18th. The
Observer asserts that 100000 southern
farmers were qualified to vote in that cleo
ton and little short of a: million votes
were cast. An overwhelming majority Of
those who voted favored the issue, but
what about the greater number of farmers
who did not vote? Who knows their senti-
ments? Who knows why they failed 10
meet their obligation as citizens of the cot
ton belt when the time for decision in this
matter arrived?
The Bankhead bill election is a fair eX-
ample of how American citizens meet the
obligations of citizenship in elections.
Doubtless there are fifty to sixty million
men and women in this country who could
qualify as voters Less than two-thirds os
that number have voted in any election.
In the November national election only
around one-half of the possible number Of
voters in the country cast their ballots.
The Times-News agrees with the conclu-
sion of the Newberry Observer that in view
of the fact that we do not have popular
or Democratic government because we
cannot get. full and complete expression
of the views of the people, we should give
more thought to representative govern
ment That is what we had in the early
years of this country's history; that is what
the federal government was designed by
its founders to be. .~-. -'- .f''. Q"
We hear much about a Democratic gov
eminent in the United States; the Repub-
JIG is frequently spoken of as Democ-
racy. That is an erroneous view of our
system of oOvorppoop A Day,, ~ 10 n, -. :,
government in which all the people direct
ly express their views and reach decisions
Our government was founded as repre-
sentative, system wherein the people dele
gate the powers of government to repre-,
sentatives. WeNhaye swung SO farltoward
European systems of Socialistic govern
ment that what We have had for the past
several years has become more and more
aFbfoe or class SYSTEM of government
with numerous classes orA bloSs of ,citi
zens pulling and hauling their elected rep
resentatives around, exerting direct pres
sure upon them, and seeking special ia
vors. -, ~ 'Fi.r'
If the Congress of the United State:
could be restored to its position as truly
representative law-making body, which
could mean nothing less than that Con
gressmen would exercise their individual
intelligence and Judgment and common
sense in serving their country, we Nigh
.shaye, better government. in Washington
. tnanSwe have at present or have had sine
n -