e equitable plan of
representation, and the special and privileged interests of all sorts
which have found the present system satisfactory would use every means
at their command to prevent the states from resorting to this power. It
is possible, if not indeed probable, that a serious and concerted
attempt by the people to force changes in the Constitution by this
method would sufficiently alarm the opponents of democracy to convince
them of the wisdom and expediency of such amendments as would appease
the popular clamor for reform without going too far in the direction of
majority rule. To prevent the complete overthrow of the system, which
might be the outcome if the states were compelled to assume the
initiative in amending the Constitution, the minority may accept the
inevitable, and, choosing what appears to them to be the lesser of two
evils, allow Congress to propose such amendments as the people are
determined to bring about.

It is in the state and in the municipal governments, however, that the
influence of democracy has been greatest. Yet even here much still
remains to be done before the practical operation of the system will be
in accord with the principle of majority rule. Direct election and
universal suffrage have not under our scheme of checks and balances
secured any large measure of political responsibility. The logical
result of this system has been the growing distrust of public officials
and especially of such representative bodies as state legislatures and
city councils. This lack of confidence in the local governmental
machinery, due to the irresponsibility of public officials, is certain
to lead to the adoption of radical changes in the organization of our
state and municipal governments. Either the tenure of public officials
will be made to depend in some more effective way upon the will of the
majority, or the power which they now have and which they often use to
further private interests at the expense of the people will be taken
from them and conferred directly upon the majority of the voters.

The movement to give the people greater control over the officials whom
they have elected is really just beginning. Heretofore the effort to
make the government truly representative of the people has been mainly
along the line of broadening the suffrage and perfecting the method of
voting. This, the people are just beginning to realize, does not
guarantee political responsibility. The secret ballot un