sharply inimical to one another's interests will in the long run work more havoc to our ideals of social unity than was wrought by the old time machine-controlled convention and legislature, which even at the worst took some account of the sentiments of all classes.
The remedy for the evil here pointed out lies in a new institution which is no more a part of the state constitution than was the political convention, namely, the conference. To an increasing extent, the people of these states are habituating themselves to the idea that all wisdom does not reside in a class dominated by a single interest. They begin to recognize that since legislation affects all interests, the proposing of legislation like the nomination of candidates for office is a matter on which all interests should be consulted.
In Oregon the state University has for a number of years held an annual "Commonwealth Conference " for the discussion of questions on which legislation would probably be formulated later. In these conferences all interests have been represented and the views of all have been frankly stated. The result has been a mitigation of animosities and the acceptance of the commonwealth spirit as opposed to a class or section spirit, which means a desire to do justice. Other conferences, likewise, have been held, some at other educational institutions, some at the state capitals, and some elsewhere. The people are getting the conference habit, which, to the writer's mind, is the best guarantee that the new democracy will succeed, and that it will have a tremendous influence in socializing our people.
