Torch of reason., March 13, 1902, Page 2, Image 2

T H E T O R C H O F R E A S O N , S IL V E R T O N , O R E G O N , M A R C H 13, E. M. 302 (1 9 0 2 .)
com e less or v a n ish a lto g e th e r if
th e referen d u m were im p en d in g .
7'he m an w ho gives his check for
one h u n d re d th o u s a n d d o lla rs in
o rd e r to get a hill th ro u g h a law ­
m a k in g assem b ly ra il o h v io u -iy not
re ly upon th e p o p u la r s u p p o rt for it.
T h e p re su m p tio n is a g a in st a h i l l of
th a t c h a ra c te r, an d if th e sin g le
fact of th e co stlin ess of it were to
becom e k n o w n or su sp ected , the
ch a n ce s th a t the referen d u m would
he applied to it a n d th a t th e hill
w ould he d efeated w ould he very
g re a t. L arge e x p e n d itu re s are rash
an d u n b u sin e sslik e e x p e n d itu re s
w here le g isla tio n is pased u n d e r
th e s c ru tin y of th e people an d is
lia b le to he revised by th em .
Of course, all le g isla tio n can in
som e way he rev ised , am i if neces­
sa ry rev ersed by th e p o p u la r vote,
a n d th a t, too, w ith o u t an y c h a n g e
in o u r c o n s titu tio n a l form s. If c o r­
ru p t m e asu res are passed, can we
not tu rn o u t those p a r tic u la r ra s­
cals who en act th em an d p u t in
o th e rs ?
T h e tro u b le s con n ected
w ith th a t policy are n u m e ro u s an d
serio u s. If th e new men whom we
p u t in a re a d h e re n ts of a n o th e r
p o litic a l m a c h in e , h en ch m en of a n ­
o th e r boss, th e p ractica l gain m ay
be sm a ll an d tr a n s ie n t. A ch a n g e
of p a rtie s m a y do th e one th in g th a t
we a re d e te rm in e d to have done,
sin ce it m ay rev erse one p a r tic u la r
m e a su re , b u t it will leave th e held
open for o th e r m easu res, m a n y of
w h ich m ay be as c o rru p t as th e one
t h a t we suffered from before.
‘‘M easures, not m e n ,” used to he
th e p o p u la r p o litic a l cry . som e
y e a rs ago we grew tired of it, an d
w ere even in clin ed to s u b s titu te th e
o p p o site c ry , “ Men an d n o t m eas­
u re s .” W e found th a t accep tin g u n ­
w o rth y m en in o rd er to secu re th e
a d o p tio n of o u r g en eral lin e o f policy
w as often in the en d a lo sin g b ar-
g ain , for it in v o lv ed acce p tin g a
m u ltitu d e of m ore d etailed e n a c t­
m e n ts w hich th ese u n w o rth y m en
w ere su re to give us. T h e w orst of
it w as th a t, w hichever cry we a d o p t­
ed, we a d h e re d to th e sy stem w hich
m erged in one th e choice of m en
a n d th e d ic ta tio n of m easu res. We
co u ld n o t do th e tw o th in g s se p a ­
ra te ly a n d th erefo re we could not
do e ith e r in an y sa tisfa c to ry way.
W e c a n n o t now. D ictatin g m e a su re s
in a n d by th e act of ch o o sin g m en
is a h opelessly clu m sy w av of gov­
e rn in g ourselves.
U ltim a te ly , we
m u s t h av e m ore pow er th a n we now
h a v e to choose m e n ; b u t we m u st
c e rta in ly h av e, in th e n ear fu tu re ,
v ery m u ch m ore pow er to c o n tro l
m e a su re s.
In two y e a rs, if th e L e g isla tu re of
New Y o rk ta k es no actio n on th e
excise q u e stio n , th e peo p le of New
Y o rk C ity w ill, in th e ir p rese n t
c lu m sy w ay, ap p ly th e referen d u m
to th a t issue. T h e election of 1903
will become to a co n sid e ra b le e x te n t
an a p p e a l to th e people c o n c ern in g
th e policy to be a d o p te d in refer­
ence to salo o n s. C an th e y decide
necessary often to resort to it is a ta in te d by c o rru p tio n w ould not
chief reason for fa v o rin g th e sy stem , n ecessarily c a rr y w ith it th e con-
“ You can nev er get a full vote in d e m n a tio n of th e m en w ho ex ecu t-
a p p ly in g th e re fe re n d u m .” In th e ed it. N ot less dig u ified a n d m uch
m a jo rity of cases you can n o t. In m o re secure th a n it now is w ould
some im p o r ta n t case you can . T h e be th e position of a le g isla to r in a
ca-es in w hich you do not draw o u t S ta te h a v in g th e re fe re n d u m ,
a iu ii vote a re those in w ich m an y
T h e p ro b lem is not w h e th e r we
p erso n s have no decided o p in - sh a ll or sh a ll not d ic ta te m easu res,
ions
a n d w ishes.
I hose w ho \ \ ’e a re tr y in g to do th a t in a c lu m sy
have o p in io n s an d w ishes th a t w ay, w hich m ak es politics c o rru p t
are w orth ex p ressin g rep rese n t, on a n d causes policies to reflect very
Is it well to s ta n d w here the a d o p ­ such an issue th e real p o p u la r im p erfectly o u r a c tu a l w ill. W e can
tion of a cou rse of a c tio n th a t th e choice. T h e y are p ro b ab ly m en do it in a m ore efficient w ay, a n d in
people really w an t w ould have to who know m ore ab o u t the m eas- th e process we can p u rify au d ele-
a n d ab o u t
th e
w ay
in v ate o u r p o liical life. T h e g re a te s t
m ean a re tu rn to T a m m a n y ? T h is ures
is o n ly one s trik in g in sta n c e of the w hich they w ould affect th e well- “ ev ils of d e m o c ra c y ” com e by a
evil th a t com es from d ic ta tin g being of th e p u b lic. T he vote de- th w a r tin g of th e will of th e people,
m e asu res in an d by th e act of cided by such men is far from he- a n d th e re fo re th e re fo rm a to ry s p irit
ch o o sin g m en. W ith th e in s titu tio n ing w o rth less, since it m ay reg ister sh o u ld m ak e co m m o n c a u se w ith
of th e referen d u m in w orking o rd e r the only decision th a t can have th e th e p rese n t p o p u la r te n d e n c y . H un-
we could first d e te rm in e w h at p o l­ p o p u la r w ill behind it. Very im- e st politics a n d real self-govern-
icy we w ill a d o p t in re g a rd to s a ­ p o rta n t in th is co n n ectio n are tw o m e n t go to g e th e r, a n d p ro s p e rity
loons, an d th e n we could select the facts— n a m e ly , first, th a t a n y con- goes w ith th e m .— [T h e In d e p e n d e n t,
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m en to whom we wish to in tru s t sp icu o u sly had m e asu re w ould d ra w
out a full v o te ; a n d , secondly, th a t
“ B e g in n e r ’s ” H a lf T r u t h .
th e g en e ra l in te re sts of th e city.
----------
It is d isc o u ra g in g enough to try it w ould be h a z a rd o u s for an y corp-
to p u rify A m erican politics.
I t o ra tio n to p ay m uch to a boss, in E ditor T orch of R eason :
“ B e g in n e r” tells th e tr u th as far
m ean s e te rn a l v igilance, hut also o rd er to secure th e e n a c tm e n t of a
gOes b u t fails to give th e w hole
m ean s e te rn a l w ork a g a in st u n n ec­ hill, if it were a fte rw a rd to ta k e its aH
essary d ifficu lties. W e could re­ chan ce on th e issue of a vote in g tory. I a m re a d y to confirm all
sa y s re g a rd in g th e p ro d u c tiv e
m ove m an y in d u c e m e n ts to c o r r u p ­ w hich even a m in o rity of in te llig e n t
pow er of th e m illio n a ire ’s in v e n tiv e
tio n if we chose to do it. We could citizens sh o u ld ta k e a p a rt.
I here is d a n g e r th a t we m ay sac- Hnd e x e c u tiv e a b ility . T h e u n p re -
p u t th e bosses w here th e y could
not receivp larg e pay for p o litica l rifice so m e th in g of th e essence of j u d iCed S o c ia list m ay en d o rse w h a t
“ goods” because th e y could not dem ocracy in o rd er to save o ne of F M H o lla n d sa y s in th e sam e
prom ise, w ith a n y confidence, to the n am es by w hich we are accus- i ¡¡ne .
•
,, ,
d eliv er th e m . W e could p u t th e tom ed to ca ll it.
“Suppose a scu lp to r sends a model
\\ e h av e long been prom of th e
a at atu te to a foundry, where it is
people w here th ey could d ete c t th e
ro tte n n e ss of su ch co m p acts, and in e x te n t to w hich we hav e developed ca8t iuto bronze. It tu rn s out to be
a g la rin g case w ould he su re to d e ­ th e “ r e p re s e n ta tiv e ” p rin cip le. W e such a marvel of beauty th a t he sells it
feat th em . W e couid m ak e it p o s­ ea rly discovered difficulties in th e f° r 310,000. W ould the workmen in
the foundry have a right to say to him:
sible for v o ters to h a v e th e ir w ay of d irect self-g o v ern m en t by a ‘We want our share of th a t money. It
way in c o n tro lin g m easu res of p o p u lo u s n a tio n , an d h it upon t i e j8 th e fru it of labor, aud we have each
g o v ern m e n t w ith o u t being forced, p lan of selectin g a few m en to of U8 worked much harder at the job
w h en ev er th ey p rescrib ed a m e as­ do th e g o v ern in g , p re su m a b ly as than you did !’ The scu lp to r m ight
u re th ro u g h th e m ed iu m of an a c t­ we w ould like to h av e them , very verV properly ’reply: ‘You have had
■
,
.
,
• i , your wages already. You worked no
,
u al electio n , to ac ce p t w ith it m en e a rlv • we . began to a sse rt the rig h t ; harder
ou my model than on the one
a n d rin g s th a t th e y do n o t w an t in to prescribe w hat they should <1» wbich you ca st ju s t before. T h at sta tu e
after th e ir election, a n d now we f8 worth only the m etal in it. It took
g en e ra l c o n tro l of th e S ta te .
G f course th e re are o b jectio n s to know th a t we m u st do th a t a t ev ery quite as much m uscle to model and
th e re fe re n d u m . I t w ould involve step if self-g o v ern m en t is to be a cast it as my sta tu e did. The price 1
e .
r,,,
.
....... .
. got is the wages for th e brains I used
1 he re p re se n ta tiv e s m u st act- ”
. , „
•
.
a little la b o r on th e p a rt of th e fact.
in th e work.
Suppose, again, th a t
people a n d w ould cost so m eth in g . □ ally re p re se n t, an d we m u st con- these workmen leave the studio of the
T h a t objection c o u n ts for so n early tin u a lly m ake th em do it. In real- a rtis t, go to the office of the p roprietor
n il th a t it is scarcely w o rth sta tin g . itv, we rescue the re p re se n ta tiv e of the foundry aud say to him: ‘You
p rin c ip le w hen we m ak e them do it. got more money from the man who
T h e people w ill nev er p u rify p o liti­
A la rg e m easu re of d ic ta tio n by th e made th a t model ,han yo" paid to us
cal life, an d to th e e x te n t to w hich
,
.
.
,
,,
We want our full share.’ He m ight
.rr, man th a t . ran th
. . . is fouu-
.
th is w ould do it, at a n y such trifl­ people
t K m akes it y possible to allo w answer: ‘The
th e o rig in al tra in in g of laws to he dry before I bought it paid you less than
in g cost as th is w ould e n ta il.
“ T h e referen d u m w ould not be d o n e by a few m en, a n d if th e se I do per man, aud made you work ju st
hard. He managed so badly th at he
used fre q u e n tly .” As if th a t were men a re com pelled to be tru e serv-
a n ts of those who elect th e m , th e had to 96,1 o,lt at 8 ,O9S- 1 know how
an a rg u m e n t a g a in st it! A p o te n ­
.
. ,
to tu rn out b etter castings at less ex­
system
is
successful.
.
. , aud , m achinery,
us
tia l referen d u m costs n o th in g a n d J
peuse for
m etal
aud i t 1
A v ery s trik in g fact is th a t on don’t lose by bad debts as he did. I
is often as good as an a c tu a l one.
T h e fact th a t th e people c a n reverse m a jo r q u e stio n s affecting th e p u b lic make more money than he, but it is
an o b je c tio n a b le m easu re often fo re­ w elfare the referendum a c tu a lly al- not because you are paid less or work-
.
i • i <
.
.. •
ed harder. The foundry is more valu-
to use th e ir own , ,
..
. , . .
.
s ta lls a n d p re v e n ts it, a n d th e p o p ­ ows leg islato rs
able than it was before,
but it s be-
u la r vote is th e n u n n ec essary . In ju d g m e n t to an ex te n t to w hich th e y caU8e i know how to run it . The out-
a w ay we m ay say th a t th e re fe r­ scarcely d a re to use it now, T hey put is worth more than it ever was,
e n d u m w orks m ost effectively w hen, now leg islate “ w ith th e ear to th e and 1 have a right to all I earn by
as far as th e a c tu a l vo tin g goes, it g ro u n d ,” lest iu rev isin g th e ir ac tio n m aking it so. If I could not make my
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„ „, . ,
capital and skill pay in th is country I
th e p re se n t clum sy m ethod th e . , , 4
1 \
'
does n o t w ork a t all. T he m ere by
J
,
T
should take them to Europe.’ The
If a g re a t mall who could honestly speak th u s,
pow er of th e people to vote on an people tu r n them o u t.
im p e n d in g bad m easu re w orks p re ­ m e asu re w ere d estin ed to be acted and who has the skill to ru n a factory,
v e n tiv e ly , a n d th e p re v e n tio n , in on by th e people w ith o u t d a n g e r to or railroad, or any other great enter-
a profit, w ithout wronging
th a t case fo restalls th e vote. In th e ir re p re se n ta tiv e s these m en Pr De
i i u..
i .i
eith er his w orkm en or his custom ers,
th e .
.,4 4 ,
.
IT
cases in w hich it is necessary to re ­ would . be b e , tte . r . ab le . to m ake
, .
, has a right to be a millionaire. He is
so rt to it th e v o tin g w orks cu ra- prelim inary decision in an u n b ia sed uot the enemy of his c o u n try , but 8
1 be d efeat of a m easure not 1 public benefactor. He is keeping goods
tiv e ly , b u t th e fact th a t it is not j way.
th a t q u e stio n on its m e rits? If
th ey w an t one re su lt th e y will have
to accept w ith it th e g o v e rn m e n t of
th e city by T a m m a n y , w ith e v e ry ­
th in g w hich th a t m eans, if th e y w a n t
th e o th e r resu lt, th ey will hav e to
accept w ith i t g o v e rn m e n t by those
who are called th e fu sio m sts.
W o u ld it not be w ell to se p a ra te , in
th is in sta n c e , th e discu ssio n of th e
m easu re from th e election of th e
p a rty th a t is to ru le ?