The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-04-18
FAILED TO IMPRESS
Orators of the Direct Leg
islation League Talk
Loud and Long.
SAY VERY LITTLE, HOWEVER.
Members of the Board Of Trade
Believe the Referendum
Scheme Visionary.
SAY VERY LITTLE, HOWEVER.

~ bRI 1871
last night at the special meeting called for
the special purpose of considering the pro-
posed amendment to Article Nv. OF the Con-
stitution Of the State embodying the right
of direct legislation by the people.
Only twenty members were present be-
sides Messrs. E. D. Knappen, Recording
Secretary of the League; Mr.. ]. w. Sullivan,
orator of that body, and Mr.. Samuel Com
pers of the Federation of Labor.
AS the preliminary routine business of the
board proceeded half a dozen people entered
the room, including Superintendent Snyder
and Principal Sweeney of the Public Schools
and Superintendent Carroll of the Consol-
dated Traction Company.
Before the Referendum" advocates got In
their fine work the question OF opening up
the West Side streets to the Hackensaek was
referred to. At the last meeting OF the
board Mr.. j. P. Hall. a hustling manufac-
turer of this city, and a committee from the
West Side Improvement Association, asked
that the Board of Trade ~countenance a
scheme to open up all streets through to the
Hackensack. This very important matter
was referred to a standing committee of the
board. Mr.. A. j. Corcoran, chairman of
the committee, in reporting on the question,
offered a resolution to the effect that the
OSa u W. " " SA1O 04O ~ NV NDS
Side Association to secure the frontage of
the Hackensack for the establishment Of
docks. Mr.. CofcoranS resolution was re-
ferred to the Committee on Municipalities
for consideration. This question was highly
commended, but its magnitude was thought
a fit subject for mature consideration.
When Mr.. Corcoran's suggestion was
favorably acted upon, Mr.. Edward Knappen
started the advocacy of the Referendum"
scheme.
THE REFERENDUM PLAN.
He began by apologetically explaining that
his idea, notwithstanding the opposition OF
THE JERSEY CITY NEWS, has been endorsed
by other cities and other powerful papers.
He mentioned that Seattle is the first city
that has put the principle into practice.
He read the principle of the referendum
scheme, which Isl
The legislative power upon all measures for
the governance OF any municipal division of the
borough, village, etc.), in addition to being
exercised by the legislative body thereof and
by the Senate and General Assembly, shall be
vested in the qualified electors OF the municipal
division affected thereby.
Mr.. Knappen insisted that hFehad a respec-
table standing because his cause had been
advocated by a score of papers, even includ<
ing the New York SIN. He wound up his
speech by saying that the scheme was a
good one, notwithstanding anybody to the
contrary. MI. Knappen made ipsedixit
statements, and ignored arguments as super
ious when addressing an Intelligent body
like the Jersey City Board of Trade.
DOWN MI LEGISLATURE.
Mr.. j. w Sullivan, Orator of the League,
was, by general consent, introduced, and
started into explaining the object of the
league. With a.rhetorieal flourish of trumpets
he said the object Of the amendment was to
enable the people to tcall down" the legis-
lators on any legal petition which shall be a
matter Of public Importance. The results of
the adoption of the Direct League scheme
would mean that City Councils could not
| pass objectionable ordinances. The people
! would have a veto. Home Rule would be-
come a possibility here. Offices and salaries
would be reduced.
Mr.. Sullivan laid stress upon the thong ht
that his scheme was not a Utopian one. 1t
had been put into practice by other States.
But of what the scheme was he left the board
in complete ignorance. 1t was an idea. 1t
was established by a man Of the name of
jefferson. 1t belonged to a party which calls
itself the Democratic party. It was illus
trated by q motto which says that to the
people belong the spoils.n
Then Mr.. Sullivan talked about the
sovereignty of the people, and argued that
| ANYBODY who thought differently didn't
quite know what he was talking about.
GRANDMOTHERLY LEGISLATION.
neu MI. DuluYdu ROt VHrouSu repeating
these platitudes, he remarked casually that
the League proposed to legislate as to schools,
bridges, sewers, roads, water and railroads.
Exactly how the people had to legislate on
town matters did not appear, but Mr.. Sulli-
| van contended that the people must legislate
on something. He didn't say what; but they
must simply legislate.
sThat some men must propose a law and
the majority must decide upon the law" said
Mr.. Sullivan, lis the principle of our move
I ment.n
Having uttered this sentence, Mr.. Sullivan
| pounded on Secretary Tait's books and de-
| clared twice over that the above principle
was none other than Democracy pure and
simple, every other body to the contrary
| Notwithstanding.
MI, Sullivan then chartered about matches,
/ Atlantic cable, gas, steamboats,, telephones,
with an incidental free advertisement for
| the Bell telephone), Chinese exclusions, web
| presses, railroads, bankruptcy and half a
| score of other heterogeneous subjects leaving
| the members OF the Board of Trade in a
pleasing state of confusion as to the range of
| this wonderful scheme of the Direct Legisla-
lation League.
Mr.. Sullivan claimed that the large num-
Der of telephones, telegraphs n newspapers
in Zurich in Switzerland, is due to the fact
/ that the institutions Of Switzerland adopt
| the Direct Legislation League. From the
| DT6S6uD obdU6 u oW1DLcl ldlQ, u ~ AL Fdi4
argued that the United States, in adopting
| the League method, would become as perfect
as that mountainous republic In Republican
and Democratic government.
Mr.. Samuel Gompers then took the floor
| to clinch the eloquent and most convincing
| arguments of Mr.. Sullivan. He stated that
| the forcible reasons Of his friend Sullivan
laid down the principle hat the people has
| the right to direct the government Of itself.
The adoptionp of the foregoing amendments
| is the entering wedge of the government Of
the people by the people. Mr.. Gompers
| carefully explained that the League is not
composed of ssland animals, . sschimericals'
/ or ~ssEisionaries,p but beings of common
sense"
COMPLIMENTS FOR OUR PROGRESS.
The House Of Lords of that etfete England
occupied Mr.. Gonapers' attention next, and
he rang the changes upo John Moriey's
famous saying at the Newcastle meeting,
1.-THE Lords must be men6ed or ended"
Here followed a long quotation from Her
bert Spencer as to reforfners, which led MIR.
Gompers 10 the conclusion that our progress
| Carlylels atrabilious statements were lugged
in to show that s'half the world is mad and
| the other half mostly fools"
By degrees Mr.. Genpers descended from
! such aerid regions to the realms OF direct
4 legislation, and insisted that none other hut
\ it could achieve the sum total OF human
/ happiness-perfect democratic government.
AT a length, which threatened to be tire
| some, be diiated upon the beautiful system,
the perfect wisdom, the marvellous govern
ment and miraculous organization OF the
1 Cigarnmakers' Union. but how the adminis-
tration of this donbtlesslY- worthy body of