The Commoner.
SBRUARY IS, 1912
ludson Harmon Thinks the Peoole are
Not Capable of Self -Government
EThe following are extracts from the news
sooluninB of the Columbus (Ohio) Citizen, issue
BP'fFebruary 8:
BRreaching conservatism, attacking tho Inltia-
tlMand referendum as a dangerous experiment,
approving things as they are with tho ex-
tion of a plea for liquor license, Governor
rmon addressed the constitutional delegates
fll.30 Thursday morning, speaking for half
hour.
is attack on the initiative and. referendum
is received in dead silence and only the most
perfunctory applause greeted the close of his
speech, most progressive delegates, sitting in
perfect silence.
: At its conclusion the governor was surrounded
).by- a small group of ultra-reactionary delegates,
who shook his hand. The body of delegates re
mained in their seats and indulged in moody or
angry comments to each other.
.rThe governor was introduced by President
ierbert Bigelow immediately following a vote
yfor tho noon recess of the convention. The
Introduction was brief and formal, and the
fbvernqr immediately launched into tho reading
his manuscript. The galleries and outer area
f. the convention hall were filled wita a curious
?Hspwd of onlookers, chiefly politicians, who had
v' &?ard tnat tne governor would declare himself
V", Mn"a way to influence his political future pro
foundly. 'The-only applause greeted his reference to tho
njjsd of good roads and to the need for a strong
'an1 Inlannnilnnt 4nltttnir T V.-V nnrnn 4-1.-
" juuoiouucui J UU.1V..1U.1 J . Ill UUi.ll (JO. OUt L11W
pplause was light, in the latter case coming
largely from lawyers and ex-judges, who
looked upon the allusion as a blow at the judi-
tl recall.
On the question of the initiative and referen
dum, the full text of the governor's remarks
iwrere as follows:
3i 'V' "T nm nnf nr.Tnr.T.rar1 flint fho lr.1.-.f lim nn1
j..jl. -' . vuu,.uv,iu -"u.1. .o iuj.biu.bivc auu
kt.' ' HAfHnn 1 . w nnnltAfl ivmm amm11 J- -. .-l..f'..J. il
f, icioiciiuum, ammuu gtjiitjiuiiy lu buujeuia oj.
legislation, would be an improvement on our
U system of government by representatives, which,
b.wmie it uas short-comings like all human insti
fctutions, I do not believe has proved a failure.
"These shortcomings are doubtless the chief
cause of the continued advocacy of direct legis
lation, and if it could be confined to their cor
rection or prevention there would be less ground
for doubt about the desirability of it. But it
seems to be conceded that such limitation is
not practicable.
"Tho measure is confessedly an experiment
and as several states have recently undertaken
it, my attitude is that of 'the man from Mis
souri.' I have always found it wiser to profit
by the experience of others, in matters of doubt,
when I could, rather than by my own.
"And no one can yet claim that this new de
parture in government has yet passed the ex
perimental stage in other states, while, even
if t had, none of them have so large or so
diversified a population as Ohio, or such a great
variety of interests.
"A somewhat wide experience, as well as
bbservation, Jias taught me that government,
in all its branches, is a complicated and diffi
cult business which requires careful study and
close attention, besides the consideration of
many things in the doing of each one. And my
doubt is whether these essentials can or would
be supplied by a large, busy and widely sepa
rated body of electors acting directly in matters
of general legislation.
"It is a safe rule to judge others by one's self,
and I gravely question whether, as a private
citizen immersed in business and personal
affairs, I should be able, however willing, to de
vote to a proposed measure, unless it were a
very Bimple one Involving no details, the study
of its own provisions and of their effect on other
laws or subjects, which is required to qualify
one to take part in the important work of legis
lating for a great commonwealth. My action
would lack the sanction of an oath to perform
my duty to the best of my ability. I am certain
I would not and could not give it tho care and
attention I now give to my part in the making
of our laws. And I do not see how merely multi
plying the number of private citizens in the liko
situation, without opportunity for conference or
discussion with each other, could better tho
result.
"I believo tho work of legislation can bo
properly done only by bodies small enough for
each member to- get the advantage of conference,
debate and deliberation, with tho concurrence
of both required and absoluto rules to prevent
hasty action by either, as well as final approval
by another and independent actor in tho pro
ceedings. This is one of the main features which
made our government 'a broad and liberal de
mocracy,' but 'compatible with ingrained respect
for parliamentary methods and constitutional
checks,' as has been well described'.
"Of course, if these agencieB all prove in
capable or corrupt, if for any reason they betray
the confidence reposed in them by tho people and
fail under the control of special interests which
seek advantages contrary to common right and
injurious to the public, then the plan will mis
carry. And this seems to have happened with
alarming frequency "in some of the states. But
whatever the case may be or may have beon
elsewhere, Ohio has furnished no such example,
even before the executive was given a voice in
tho malting of her laws.
"I do not mean that wo have had no bad
legislation and no unworthy representatives; but
these have been too rare to discredit the magni
ficent history of more than a hundred years.
Our citizens have never enforced higher stand
ards in tho public service than they are doing
now. So some other reason must be found to
justify a change in our system which would
throw off tho checks and precautions against
hasty and unwise legislation, which have been
so carefully provided and make tho stump the
seat of government.
"However, I believe that, in actual practice,
this change would not fully justify either tho
fears of its opponents or the hopes of its advo
cates. If it will work well anywhere it ought
to do so in our municipalities. So, to add to
discussion of it, the argument of a test by our
own citizens, I approved a bill at the last session
to authorize it to them, though I am told it has
not been resorted to anywhere.
"For myself, I think we should await the
result of a fair trial in our cities and villages
before making statewide the operation of so
radical a change in our methods. But if tho
convention should decide to submit the question
to the people, as I understand many members
wish to do, it should be done separately. The
provision should be guarded so as to prevent
its being lightly invoked. The very heavy ex
pense of special elections should bo avoided,
except in cases of unusually widespread and
general demand. And, in view of its experimen
tal character, resubmission to the people should
bo provided for at tho end of a reasonable
period, without the formalities and delay gener
ally required for amendments of tho constitution."
OHIO DEMOCRATS INDIGNANT
From Columbus (Ohio) Citizen: Scathing
criticism by members of tho constitutional con
vention, was hurled at Governor Harmon
Thursday after he had appeared before tho
convention and had taken a position against a
state-wide initiative and referendum.
Delegates declared that tho governor, in
opposing tho Initiative and referendum, had
shown himself in his true colors.
"Ho is an ultra reactionary," "ho is making a
bid for Wall street support," "he 1b out of touch
with the needs and demands of the people," aro
some of the comments made by members at the
conclusion of his address.
To a big majority of the delegates, the gover
nor's opposition to the initiative and referendum
came like a bolt out of a clear sky, largely be
cause he was elected in 1910 on a platform that
said: "Wo favor the principle of tho initiative
and referendum."
DELEGATES PLEDGED
A majority of the convention that Thurs
day listened to Governor Harmon voice his
opposition to the I. and R. are pledged In writ
ing to put an I. and R. plank in the new consti
tution that will be workable. Fully 25 other
delegates are I. and R. advocates and wero
elected as Buch. Hardly one-fourth of the con
vention were in agreement with tho governor
In his views and they woro those who were
elected as out and out reactionaries.
DISAGREE WITH HARMON
Horo are somo of tho comments mado by mem
bers of tho convention on Governor Harmon's
attack on tho initiative and referendum:
Delegato Robert CroBser, democrat, Cuyahoga,
chairman committee on initiative and referen
dum: "Governor Harmon's attitude on tho
initiativo and rofcrendum is no surprise to mo.
His attitude shows Governor Harmon to bo a
reactionary of tho oxtromo typo. He is so far
out of sympathy with the common peoplo that I
sincerely believe it would bo a great public
calamity to elect him president of tho United
States."
President Herbert S. Bigelow, democrat,
Hamilton county: "1 am, of course, aware of
tho indignant protests that have boon provoked
by Governor Harmon's address. But none has
charged him with insincerity, and I, for ono,
admiro his courage in exprcsalng vIowb which
he must know aro considered ultra reactionary
and oven defiant of tho progressive spirit of tho
times."
Delegate J. W. Ilarbarger, republican, Frank
lin county: "I've always felt that Harmon never
had tho interests of the masses at heart. IIo's
always been a corporation man and a reaction
ary. His opposition to the I. and R., in my
mind, totally unfits him for tho presidency. It
will bo a dark day for this republic if he's
elected president, because then plutocracy, in
its worst form, would continue to rule this
country."
Delegate E. A. Peters, democrat, Franklin:
"I differ with tho governor both in his views
on the I. -and R. and on the liquor question. I
will not attempt to criticise him, for ho is
entitled to his own opinion."
Delegato G. W. Knight, republican, Franklin
county: "I admire the governor's courage In
attacking tho 1. and R., but I differ with him
materially. He seems to consider it as a substi
tution for representative government, rather
than a corrective of it."
Delegate J. 0. Solether, republican, Wood
county: "Governor Harmon does not reflect tho
sentiment of tho voters of my county. Ho Is
clearly a reactionary."
David Pearce, democrat, Butler county: "It's
no more than I expected. I have always felt
that tho governor was not closely identified with
tho people."
Delegate Alexander Dunn, republican, Cler
mont: "In trying to deny the people tho initia
tive and referendum and in upholding the most
harmful of all tho trusts, and in advocating
licensing ono of the greatest curses of tho human
race, Governor Harmon proves himself an enemy
of the common people."
Delegate Otto M. Harter, democrat, Huron
county: "I can not regard Harmon as a pro
gressive, and I will not vote for him for presi
dent if he is nominated."
Delegate Percy Tetlow, republican, Colum
biana county: "Governor Harmon's attack on
tho Initiative and referendum is extremely re
actionary and places him In opposition to pro
gress as advocated by the masses of tho people."
Delegate Illion E. Moore, socialist, Mus
kingum county: "I've always considered Har
mon as an ultra reactionary and his speech
against the Initiative and referendum hero today
only strengthens that belief."
Delegato Stanley Shaffer, democrat, Butler
county: "Governor Harmon has made it plain
that ho is not in sympathy with popular gov
ernment. Apparently, he does not even under
stand the theory of It."
Delegate Harry Thomas, socialist, Cuyahoga
county: "The speech shows that Governor Har
mon is living in tho dark ages. The I. and R.
is no experiment, but the tried and proven
safeguard of tho people against tyranny."
Delegate John Ulmer, republican, Lucas
county: "Governor Harmon's opposition to tho
I. and R. looks like a bid to Wall street to got
behind his presidential candidacy."
Delegate Harvey Watson, democrat, Guernsey
county: "Governor Harmon, as all are aware,
is but giving tongue to the vested lnteresta
that aro diametrically opposed to the right of
the peoplo to rule. Ho is wholly out of touch
with tho heart throbs of humanity. He knows
no God but ambition, no creator but J. Pierpont
Morgan."
Delegato Frank G. Hursh, democrat, Hardin
county: "The time has come when the people,
at every opportunity presented, are declaring
themselves for tho I. and R. and the attitude of
Governor Harmon, in placing himself In opposi
tion to thiB popular measure, seems to confirm
the charge that he is reactionary in principle."
Delegato John D. Fackler, republican, Cuya-
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