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PAGE TWO
Public Opinion Throughout the Union
DIRECT LEGISLATION THE MOST IM
PORTANT NEXT STEP.
There is so much sophistry and buncombe
abroad in the land on the subject of represen
tative government that it is highly gratifying
to have so mportant a journal as the New York
Independent on the right side of the ques
tion. Read this editorial:
il Theoretically, representative government
should be popular government; but practic
ally it creates a career for the professional
politician; and the professional politician,
however upright his intentions, is driven by
the exigencies of his life to build and maintain
the political machine which is moved by
bribery and graft. The professional politician
must get elected. To that end he must have
votes. To that end he must have money.
To that end he must do something for men
who are willing to pay money for services
rendered or goods delivered. Direct Legsla
tion by the Initiative and Referendum cuts
through this vicious circle. Its immediate
effect, therefore, is to clean up politicial busi
ness. It has another effect, however, which
is quite as important. It educates and dis
ciplines the people in political competency.
The world has enormously overestimated the
educational value of that popular participa
tion in political affairs which consists only in
voting for candidates for office. Popular
government to this extent merely centers
attention upon personal qualities. It makes
the voter a blind hero worshiper or the pliant
tool of a boss. It provides no incentive to
study questions, to understand measures. All
that is left to the legislator. Under the
Initiative and the Referendum the voter
turns his attention from man to measures
and becomes an informed citizen. Although
years and generations may pass before more
than a small minority of the people will thus
become thoroughly informed and interested,
yet every year the number of such increases
where direct participation in legislation is the
rule, while under the merely representative
system voters become more indifferent, more
neglectful and more stupid.—Ohio Liberty
Bell.
$50,000 A YEAR VERSUS $lO A WEEK.
“Stuyve” Fish, who was recently hooked,
gaffed, netted, and thing on the bank by the
“practical” Mr. Harriman, has made a re
markably astute observation. “It is a great
deal harder,” says this rich man, “for a
man who has been living at the rate of $200,-
000 a year to get down to a $50,000-a-year
standard than it is for a man who has been
living on sls a week to get along on $10.”
This is the sort of poisonous stuff that
keeps up and increases the resentment be
tween the rich and the poor. An income of
$50,000 a year ought to be sufficient for
almost any degree of luxurious living. It is
not enough to live in a ceaseless riot, in which
money is actually thrown to hirelings or
THE JEFFERSONIAN.
despicable minions of pleasure. It is easily
possible for a man to waste a far vaster sum
than this in monkey dinners, private theat
ricals, Pompeiian feasts, Newport, fancy
automobiles, and that sort of thing; but to
assert in apparent calmness that for a man
who has been getting an income of $200,000
to accommodate himself to the narrow bounds
of $50,000 a year is a particular hardship, is
to come near writing oneself down an ass or
an imbecile.
There was a time when it was the opinion
of the wealthy class of New Yory that a man
was considered wealthy if he had an income
of $20,000 a year. Even this is a large sum of
money for a single household or a single
spender. Comfort and even luxury—even
luxury accompanied by refinement and cul
ture —are easily attainable for much less than
this in any metropolis of the world. Yet if,
for the argument, we accept this standard,
we still have $30,000. left to the credit of Mr.
Fish’s typical waster to wanton with.
Was it Pierre Lorrilard or some other of
his set that said no gentleman could pretend
to live in New York on less than one thousand
dollars a day? This means an income of at
least $365,000 a year, or $366,000 for the
leap years. To understand a little better what
this means, we must try to realize how much
productive capital lies back of this income.
Take the usual average, four per cent., and
it means that Lorrilard’s “gentleman” must
have 25 times that income of $365,000, or a
hoarded fortune of $9,125,000; but it is more
likely that is would take $12,000,000 to pro
duce such an income. Judged by thia stand
ard, there are not very many “gentlemen”
living in New York or in the world. Fortu
nately, it is possible for a “gentleman” to
live a comfortable, refined, and even a
luxurious life elsewhere for very much less.
But the real venom in Mr. Fish’s remark is
that the man, who is forced from a $200,000
standard of living'down to a $50,000 standard
has a great deal harder time of it than the
man that has been living on sls a week has to
get along with $lO. There is no use in saying
that such a remark is merely absurd, untrue;
it is positively vicious and tends to poison
man’s respect for his fellow man. —Columbia
State.
A PLATFORM JOKE.
The Democratic platform’s solemn pledge
for the enactment of a law preventing any
corporation contributing to a campaign fund
is emphatic, though not more so than the
candidates’ equally solemn assurance that no
contributions from the corporations will be
acceptable or accepted. Considering the very
explicit law of Congress on the subject, mak
ing all such contributions a penal offence,
these Denver and Fairview deliverances con
stitute something of a joke at the expense
of their authors. Platform builders and
candidates ought to be more or less familiar
with th* statutes. —Boston Herald.
? ? ?
“Well, well, you never heard of Kern!”
The politician said.
“Why, Kern is—say, be on your way,
You’re stupid, on the dead.
Why, Kern is—um, just let me see,
I think he’s one of those—
Oh, what the—well—no, I can’t tell,
But maybe Taggart knows.”
“Eh, what? You never heard of Kern!”
Exclaimed the Democrat;
“Well, who’d have guessed a man possessed
Such ignorance as that?
Why, Kern” —he added with a laugh,
Extremely hoarse and hearty,
“Why, Kern —Ho, ho!—so you don’t know!
Why, Kern’s a certain party!”
*
“Gee Whizz! You never heard of Kern,”
Observed the delegate;
“Well, by the name of world-wide fame,
You sure are out of date!
Why, Kern —excuse me if I smile,
I don’t mean to be rude' —
But, Sacred Cat, a child knows that;
Why, Kern’s a breakfast food!”
—By James J. Montague, In New York
American.
Guess Who. —He is the press and the people,
the sultan who rules the Turks; he is the bell
in the steeple and he is the whole blamed
works. He is the hill and valley, the dawning,
the dusk, the noon; he is the large white alley,
he is the man in the moon. He. is the sooth
ing slumber, he is the soul awake; he is the
big cucumber that gives us the belly-ache.
He is the fire that quickens, the company that
insures; he is the ill that sickens, and he is
the thing that cures. He is the ruling
Russian and we are the groveling skates;
he is the Constitution and he’s the United
States. —Emporia Gazette.
SUMMER M'ONEY
If you can spare a little time to do some
work for the two Jeffersonians this summer
and fall you can make good money. We have
one of the best propositions that was ever
offered to agents.
THE JEFFERSONIANS, THOMSON, GA.
AGENTS WANTED.
We are offering a very liberal proposition to
agents who will take subscriptions for the two
Jeffersonians during the campaign. An active
man or boy can make good money at this work.
For sample copies, subscription blanks, etc.,
apply to
THE JEFFERSONIANS, THOMSON, GA.
FOUND!
One of the best Commission Houses for you
to ship your Peaches, Pears, Watermelons,
Lopes, and everything in this line to. Write
them today. They are
HEWITT & COMPANY.
10 East Camden St. Baltimore, Md.