Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-01-16

who make living out Of the law
judges, attorneys, etc. A friend of mine,
whose den is In large Office building,
said to me the other day while was
talking to him about direct legislation,
"There are fifty lawyers in this build
ing, and I'll go you cigar that not one
of them will indorse your initiative and
referendum scheme" l didn't accept
the wager for obvious reasons. IF any
thing were wanting to make me favor
able to direct legislation, it would be
fully supplied by the opposition of the
men who depend upon the misunder-
standings and misfortunes of their fel-
low men for means of livelihood. They
make the laws in such way as to create
a necessity for their services in all sorts
of disputes, large and small. What
would you think of the physicians if
they were to sow the seeds of some awful
disease in the country that their services
might be in demand at high prices?
But l am wandering. We boast a
great deal about ours being a govern
ment of, for and by the people. There
can be no government by the people un-
less the people make the laws. We also
hear quite often of pure and trium
phant democracy" We have not demo
cratic form Of government, nor will we
have until we abolish the system Of dele
eating the ruling power to a few and
adopt the principle Of the whole people
governing. Put it in your pipe and
smoke 1t that representative form Of
government is not democracy. Is a
United States senator, who does as he
pleases or as the machine dictates for six
years on a stretch, the personif1cation of
an ideal democracy? Well, have you
heard of many Of them asking their con-
stituencies how they should vote on a
pending measured
We practice the referendum principle
to some extent, and always have. We
vote on amendments to national and
state constitutions. In some states the
regulation or suppression of the liquor
traffic has been submitted to the voters
of the state, and SO with the question of
woman suffrage. The issuance of bonds,
levying of special tax and many similar
questions are voted upon by the people
in numberless instances. Then why
should not the people be permitted to
express at the ballot box their will upon
such questions as the tariff, immigra-
ton, postal telegraphy, silver coinage,
Canadian annexation and many other
matters which our representatives seem
unable to handler Their inability to
decide is principally due to lack of
| knowledge as to just how the fellows
who cast the votes feel about it. 1t is
absurd to say that the people express
their will upon these leading questions
when they choose between the various
candidates put up for Office. A thou
sand or more things, most Of them
trifles, are at work at such times. Wait
and see if the Democrats make any con-
siderable changes in the tariff before
you dispute this position.
One man objects to the direct legisla-
tion idea because he Is "afraid to mako
such radical change. Don't like to be
making experiments in such important
matters" Bless your soul, my son, no
one asks you to experiment. Switzer-
land has had the referendum for 300
years, and has so extended the system
that she now practically has direct leg
islation by the people. Do you know a
freer, happier, more peaceful people on
earth than you will find in the little
mountain republic? Do you ever hear
of any Swiss "swarming in the steerage
and unloading themselves upon our
shoresw With country like ours, gift
ed in natural resources as no other land
under the sun, and twenty years of gov
ernment by the people through direct
legislation, we might offer inducements
even to the Swiss, whose native land |
does not present such grand natural op- |
portunities,
My advice to every man who is not |
engaged in either the lawmaking or
lawbreaking business is TO give some
attention at once to the subject of direct |
legislation by the people. If you In
dorse the principle-and how on earth
you can help doing that can't see-do
not be quieted by the harpies who tell
you 'it is cumbersome" or revolution
ary," but read up on the details as pro-
posed by men who have given much at
tention to the subject. Familiarize
yourselves with its workings in Switzsr-
land, and be prepared to take your
proper stand when the time comes to |
decide whether you will longer remain
the prey of bunko legislators or will |
gain for yourselves and your children a
pure and unqualified democracy.
Jos. r. BUCHANAN.