1 92 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



morally synchronous. But that is emphatically not the present condi- 

 tion. The period of transition has made it necessary to shorten the 

 pendulum of representative government to make it move as fast as the 

 people wish it to go. The voters have repeatedly tried to set the clock 

 forward by electing new men to office, but the new men after election 

 soon fell into the old swing. Direct legislation seems to be the only 

 way to keep those elected to represent the present from falling into the 

 practises of those who represented the past. Its strength as a political 

 issue lies here. Its function will doubtless be temporary. When it has 

 done its work, it will have made government really representative again 

 and itself doubtless fall into disuse. 



Looking at the initiative and referendum thus in the best light 

 leaves one, however, with a decided feeling that the agitation for them 

 is pretty much a " talking point " in the process of developing public in- 

 terest in changing the methods of public business, very serviceable, of 

 course, to the candidates who are conspicuously eager to " trust the 

 people." As a matter of fact, direct legislation to be successful, will need 

 keen and intelligent public interest. Such an interest would result in a 

 wiser choice of more responsive representatives and accomplish the 

 same results with less strain on the electorate. The disinterested advo- 

 cates of changes in the mechanism of government in this case are over- 

 emphasizing the form to the neglect of the spirit. The new attitude of 

 the public mind will soon be sufficiently strong to secure complete ex- 

 pression in government with or without the aid or hindrance of direct 

 legislation. 



No one may expect the new weapons to destroy quickly the old insti- 

 tutions that have become abuses. They are too well rooted to die with- 

 out a struggle : but in time they will die. There is no longer that upon 

 which they can live. 



