The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-08
Evolution or Revolution.

entiie government, order and development,
not the politics of bread and butter scheming
and wire-pulling which at present prevails.
Under the new, the higher and better
social state, every citizen should belong to a
club or organization, where all matters of
public interest would be discussed, and the
result Of these deliberations drafted into
simple laws, where any necessity existed for
more law; copies could be sent TO all other
clubs or groups in that community or state,
and laws so drafted and circulated should be
submitted to general vote once year, and
all laws receiving a majority of votes cast
would be incorporated into common law, un-
til repealed by two-third majority. Care,
however, should be taken that each law
dealt only with one specific subject, and, if
containing more than one section, to be voted
on, not as whole, but by sections; this pre-
caution would prevent the introduction of
''little joker" " as the people could indorse
only the beneficial, and reject the bad, with
out necessarily rejecting the whole.
AS the law-making is done at present,
nothing could be more unwise, unjust or
demOralizing.
We elect men to make laws for us.
What kind of men?
The very worst, lowest and meanest that
society can produce. *
What kind Of laws do they make for us !?
The very opposite of what we want.
What are we going to do about itP
Under the present system, absolutely
nothing, except to grin and bear it. We have
no legal remedy, and we are too cowardly
to apply natural, speedy and effective
remedy, viz: to hang everyone of them.
The amusing absurdity of the matter is, that
not only can we not discharge them, or in
any manner get rid of them, but we must
pay them larger salaries than any useful
mechanic gets, not for services rendered, but
for the most infamous ingratitude, the gross
est injustice and the greatest injuries in the
power of man to .inflict, viz to deprive us
of liberty. fc
What beneficial society or other organiza-
ton would elect a committee and pay them
high wages, and then have this committee
frame laws and perform acts the very oppo-
site of that which was expected from them ?
What society would divorce itself from all
control over committees, or deciding vote
on their acts, or would not punish or dismiss
for neglect Of duty on the part of any mem
Der of its committee? How much more
should it punish and degrade any of its ap-
pointees who would sell the organization to
its enemies, betray it's secret work, SANDER
its principles, abuse its membership and
defy its power? (
No individual organization would tolerate
any such proceeding on the part of its mem
bers, particularly those whom it had honored
and rewarded. -e
But are not the interests, honor, stability
and welfare of society as whole greater
than those of any of its parts ?
Is not the whole equal to the sum of all its
parts
Logically, the state is therefore entitled
to the best service, the truest allegiance, the
highest honor and purest patriotism that any
citizen can render, and hewho, having been
selected to fill an office OF trust or honor,
fails to fulfill his duty to the state is traitor,
liar and thief. -.
From the foregoing, any person bf candor
and intelligence will see and admit the ne
cessity of radical change in our present
system Of government. .,". ~
l. The abolition of the one-man power,
the presidency, and with it the veto.
2. The abolition of the senate, an oil
garchy and impediment to free government
by the people. .., ~.
8. The adoption of one legislative body
by direct vote of the people-the House of
Representatives. .,I.. ..-4.
4. The manner of election, viz: instead of
party politics and districts, have proportional
or preferential representation, whereby the
largest possible number of citizens shall be
directly represented by men of their own
choosing, -, = t&/ T.. g,
5. The adoption of the Referendum,
whereby all laws shall emanate from the
people, and be referred back for adoption or
rejection. f ..1>--. IN " 1s-
6. The Imperative Mandate, whereby all
officers, agents and servants
who do not carry out the will Of the people,
can be Immediately recalled, and others
elected to fill the vacancies. All
We believe that if even these few modest,
and conservative changes were inaugurated,
that atleast one-half of our present govern
mental iniquities would be absolutely i'm
possible of preparation; then monopolists
would not nominate candidates whom they
hewwould be certain Of defeat, and whom,
if elected, could pass no laws in the interest
of their masters, unless sanctioned by ma
jority of all the voters, and then it would
cost too much to buy; in fact the majority
are so honest as to be unpurchasable. The
people, if not hoodwinked and misled by in
terested and designing men, are always right,
and it is an exceedingly pleasant task to re-
cord that in nearly every case where a propO-
sition or law was submitted to a general
vote of the people it received the sanction
or condemnation which it deserved; as wit
ness, the votes on the Chinese question, the
new constitution, the San Francisco charter,
and the recent attempt to bankrupt this city
with an enormous debt.
With these changes adopted, legislation In
favor of capital, as against labor, would
cease, and the tr1(e of the politician and
Lobbyist become one of the lost arts. The ex-
actions Of monapolists from the defenseless
producer, and the exploitation of labor by
irresponsible capital In the hands of fndivid-
uals and corporations would be at least cur
tailed, II not entirely destroyed.