OCR Text |
Show ROOTS MISTAKE. Elihu Root in a recent speech supported sup-ported the proposal for a journal of the New York legislature like the Congressional Con-gressional Record. He argued that it would be a cure for "invisible government" gov-ernment" and would develop orators. It is more than probable that it would not accomplish either purpose. A legislative journal would record merely the speeches, the various parliamentary moves and the ballots. Invisible government govern-ment is behind the record. Its methods of control seldom obtain the publicity which is essential to make them of record. rec-ord. In a legislature the only publicity comes from the speeches and these rarely rare-ly describe the operations of invisible government. Senator Root made a mistake when he identifier! bossism and invisible government gov-ernment as one ami the same. The boss is merely a symptom. He heads the visible vis-ible organization. Back of him and controlling con-trolling him are the powers of invisible govern ment. A house journal cannot lay bare the ways of invisible government. This service ser-vice usually is performed by newspapers either through their news or editorial columns. col-umns. The publicity which has decreased the power of invisible government in the last decade has come first from the news columns of the daily papers and then from the editorial commentaries of the daily, weekly and monthly publications. publica-tions. The 1 ongressional Record has served a purpose in this movpment. but usually as a mere reference book. Its dryness prevents it from being read ex cept bv those who desire to make use of its contents for more attractive writings. writ-ings. Nor is it likely that such a journal would develop orators. The chances are that the long-winded talkers would de velop still longer speeches and that those unaccustomed to sustained oratorical efforts ef-forts would write extended speeches for the.spis purpose of getting them into the iournal bv "leave to nrint." |