The Labor enquirer., 1884-03-29
THE IMPERATIVE MANDATE.


THE IMPERATIVE MANDATE.
Never before in the history of a United
States congress has there been so many
measures in the interest of the laboring
classes calledsto the attention of that
body at one time. A great many of the
ills complained of by the working classes
have been so much talked of and writ
ten about, and otherwise agitated, that
bills looking to the treating of few
of the subjects have been intro
duced during this session. Petitions and
protests have been showered upon con-
gress, collectively and individually, ask
ing practical disposition of some of
these meaures, and so far nothing has
been done; and there is hardly the
slightest probability that anything will
be done. In fact, there is very little pros
pect that vote on any of the bills in
question will be. reached.
Such is the condition of things to-day,
and. in my opinion, such it will be as
long as our mode of representation(?) is
after its present style.
Now, 1 want the workingmen, those
citizens and voters who desire the
passage of national eight-hour law, the
establishing of national bureau of labor
statistics, law to prohibit the acquiring
of large tracts of land in the United
States by aliens, and so on, through the
whole chapter; those. voters who have
petitioned their representatives in con-
gress, to pause moment, and see where
they stand in this republic, in this great
land of freedom, and equality of political
rights. Here are you, the backbone of
the country the men who have made it
what it is, who are the power that COM
mands for it the respect of the. nations
of the world; you who make and un-
make its legislatures from the highest
to the lowest; here are you, l say, de-
graded to the positions of serfs, beggars,
petitioners at the feet of these men
whom you and they speak of about cleo
ton times as the servants of the peo-
ple." Instead of being your. servants,
they are your masters or the drivers for
your masters.
1t is said by some of our foremost
writers and speakers of to-day, that the
people, instead of petitioning our "con-
gressional servants" should demand
that they carry out our wishes. This is
not bad theory, and honor the men
who haye the manhood and nerve to
express themselves so plainly. But the
question is, would the substitution of
eve demand" for 1--WE earnestly request"
be of any more weight, unless backed up
by positive demonstration to enforce
the demand and codld, and would that
demonstration be made? l am afraid
not. have long been in favor of the
hemp planof securing honest legislation !;
but, under our present systems and in
the face of the blind stupidity Of the
people, l am afraid the move would be
unpopular.
There is a method by which such leg
islation as the people may desire may be
procured, and l wish to call attention to
it here not in the hope that the plan
wiH,be adopted under our present sys-
tenn, but to show that upon this vexed
point the Socialists have clear and
effective idea, method which would for
ever put an end to betrayals by repre-
sentatives of trusts reposed by constitu-
encies 1t is for their views on this sub
ject, probably more than any other, that
those few politicians who understand the
doctrines of Socialists, lie upon and
strive by any and all means to prevent
enlightenment on Socialism. And it is
with the hope that this just and sensi-
BILE plan of dealing with the question of
legislative representation will command
your attention and respect, and induce
you to investigate further the whole doc
trine of: Socialism that l mention the
subject at this time.
The plan embodied in the Socialistic
constitution for the purpose of securing
honest representation from the men they
elect to law making bodies is called the
Imperative Mandate" Its workings
would be very simple and can be ex-
planned in few words: The power
which elects the people-must have the
power to recall at any time. If man be
sent to congress he is supposed to do the
will of those who send him there. If he
fail to perform his duty in that regard,
hose who sent him should have the
power to unseat him and elect his sue
lessor whenever they please. Let the
erm be as long or as short as it might,
,r let it be without any set limit, the mo-
nent representative fails to act in ac-
.ordance with the wishes of his constit-
1ency he ceases to be a representative, /