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Show How Representative By R. F. PAINE Evidence is becoming stronger and stronger that our representative government doe.s not represent, not only in things perpetrated upon the people but also in the fundamental funda-mental form of government. The forefathers, scarred and stripped in thisr combat for freedom and democracy, riat down beside the graves ot the common martyrs to their cause, and concocted a Senate of two representatives from each state, as a bulwark against too much representative government. They gave Khode Island, for instance, just as much power as New York in the highly important matter of representing America in respect of foreign relations. What is more, they gave that body exclusive power to pass upon fundamental laws international inter-national treaties; so that, a fundamental law may be put upon the country despite an adverse majority of millions ot people theoretically, but only theoretically, represented. Under such a condition, it is not remarkable that corporations with designs to thrive upon the people consider a Senate seat worth from one to three, or four millions. One hears much clamor over the injustice and inequality Df representation in the lower body of Congress. The inequality in-equality which applies to the Senate certainly applies to the House, also. Differences in increases of population have destroyed the equality of representation under the present apportionment. But, is the remedy in more Representatives, the regrettoble fact that we already have thousands of laws lawmakers means more laws, more cost and more difficulty in convincing the national assembly that it represents the whole nation, not merely the special interests of its different sections; and, any possibility of more laws is confronted by the regrettable fact that we adready have thousands of laws of which the majority -are ignorant and which they unintentionally unin-tentionally violate. But strongest of all evidences of the decadence of genuine representative government lie in the repeated demonstrations that the people are becoming more and more indifferent toward the greatest -of their patriotic duties, the exercise of the franchise. We no longer select representative government gov-ernment by a majority, but by a majority of barely CO per cent, of the potential enfranchised. Is this because the people despair of real representation in fact? Is it because they don't care whether they are represented, or not? Pretty important question, when considering the form of government. govern-ment. And the fundamentals of government are almighty weak and ragged, if "Yes" is the correct answer to either of them. "Patriotism? Bunk!!' declared Attorney Roberts, in reference to Doheny's taking those oil leases to save us from the blood-thirtsy Japs. But, isn't there considerable "bunk" patriotism rife throughout the country? Is patriotism love of country not at all based upon love of and loyalty to fundamental funda-mental principles but wholly upon the material prosperity? Is patriotism solely a spasmodic emotion aroused only when some blood-lusty foreigner pulls a gun? Less than four years ago, nearly five millions of American Amer-ican patriots broke away from party subserviency and fought for restoration of the fundamental principles of representative representa-tive government. Are all that determination, purpose, patriotism pat-riotism now to be identified as "Patriotism ? Bunk !" ? Is it only in war time, when the patriotism of everybody is fired to vigilance for fundamental principles, that representative repre-sentative government is endangered ? Or, is representative government in the greatest peril when the ease and comfort of the status quo erase the vision from men's souls and hypnotize hyp-notize that "eternal vigilance" which is the price of liberty and principle? Why are trust lobbies in America a disgrace to civilization, civiliza-tion, as Chief Justice Taft declares? Why the present great protest against a party of the Constitution? Why, above all else, the indifference on the part of a great mass of the electors as to who governs them or how? Representative government anaemic through much "Patriotism? "Pat-riotism? Bunk!" |