Popular Government. By Arnold Bennett Hall. (Macmillan. 16s. net.)—Dr. Hall,
of Wisconsin, in this " inquiry into the nature and methods of representative government," is concerned mainly to answer the question, " How should the people rule in order to rule the most effectively ? " He discusses from a moderate conservative standpoint methods of educating public opinion, the direct primary, constitutional restraints, the " recall " of public officers and judicial decisions and the " short ballot "—that is, the election of a small executive with wide powers rather than the election of all officials, however nnim. portant. •Dr. Hall throws a good deal of light on problems which concern Great Britain in some degree, though they are far more acute in America. He appends questions to each chapter. One of them is :—
" There are eighteen possible candidates for the vacancy in the office of city bacteriologist. Suggest tho' two best methods of selecting a man for the vacancy. Which do you prefer ? "
The question illustrates the difficulties which confront American municipalities through an excessive faith in popular election.
Previous page
