Page:Back to the Republic.djvu/90

 experiments by discharging every board and commission that has been created and by repealing all statutory enactments that have provided for the initiative, referendum and recall in any of the several States. We should avoid the dangers of socialism and anarchy and government ownership as perils that threaten to shake the very foundation of the republic.

The thought that I wish to make clear is that our national government has grown weaker, more inefficient, more ineffective, more chaotic and more wasteful of public money than it otherwise might have been, just in proportion as through the creation of boards, commissions, dictators, excess legislation, etc., we have departed from and failed to adhere strictly and literally to the standard form, the golden mean, the republic.

Our State governments are weaker, more inefficient, more ineffective, more chaotic and more wasteful of public funds than they otherwise might have been, just in proportion as they have failed to adopt the standard form or have failed to require that it be strictly and literally adhered to, instead of putting statutory material into our State constitutions providing for the election of officials other than the executive and members of the legislative body, appointing boards and