The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-03-14
DIRECT LEGISLATION.

D1NGA4 lON.
The "lnitiative and the Referen.
dunn. us it Possible to Unite
all Reform Elements in
One Body.
PENNINGTON, Mimi, March 5, "a.
EDITOR REPRESENTATIVE:
Popular government is founded on
the theory that 1.-THE majority shall
rule' and the companion theory
"the greatest good to the greatest
number" On these two propositions
rests the whole superstructure of "a
government of, by and for the peo-
pie" In the face of this theory, we
are confronted with the fact that
very few of our agents (officers), are
elected by majority of all the votes
cast. 1t is common to speak of Presi-
dent Cleveland having had an un-
precedented majority in 1892. Very
few seem to be aware that tt ere
we're 969, 205 more votes cast agGinst
him than for him. (See N. " Tri-
bune Almanac, 1894, page 1870. IN
der our system of representative gov
eminent, and with the gr1at and d.
verse development of social and in
dustrial systems it is inevitable that
there shall be more than two parties,
each representing distinct issues and
so it is inevitable that the majority
shall go unrepresented, and that
some particular minority shall rule,
it may be with a rod of iron. Again
the followers of any particular par
ty, are not agreed, except on a very
few issues. In fact the democrats
land republicans as welD are not
agreed on any issue except my
party 1t is extremely doubtful if
either of the parties named has, in
the past twenty years, done many
things that majority of it's consti-
tuents wished it to do. Take Nc
Kinleyism and wisconsin, as illus
tratiOn.
Is there remedy? direct Legis-
lation,' more commonly known as
the "SwiSS referendum and initia-
tive, twill place the veto power in the
hands of the people, instead the exc
cutive; and in case the legislative
bodies fail to make such laws as the
nnOnla want tho poon1o will l,oyo q
way to make such laws regardless of
cats-paw legislators and executives.
How shall we secure 'direct legisla-
tion?" Evidently the old parties will
not help us to it. The various reform
parties have each hobby to ride
and cannot see any good in anything
else. 1t is herculean task to incu-
bate and rear a new party. Is not
there better way? If all the reform
parties could be united on this ques-
tion until it is secured, without
loosing their identity. then each par
ty could take up it's favorite work
and go on just as before, with the
advantage that each could test the
strength of it's hobby at will. To do
this it will be necessary to make a
platform all of one plank, DIRECT
LEGISLATION" "Hobbies" must not
be admitted because each man with a
hobby is afraid of every other hobby.
1t seems to me the best way to get
the various reform movements in
terested in this matter would be for
some one, (perhaps chairman of
the national committees), to send
out circular embodying the idea to
members of the various national and
state committees, and asking a con-
SlderatiOn or an expression of Opin-
ion in regard to it. There is hardly a
question but that they would all IA
vor "direct legislation" but favoring
it separately will do but little good
To be effective the friends of "direct
legislation" must be united. The
populists, the prohibitionists, the
single takers, the nationalists, the
socialists, can all meet and stand on
this platform. 1t is broad enough
and good enough for all men who be-
lieve in "a government of the people,
by the people and for the people,"
w. H. SMITH.
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