The Louisiana populist., 1895-12-06
Is NOT A REPUBLIC.
EFERENDUM INDISPENSIB
TO A REAL DEMOCRACY.
- u Republic, hut in Fact. l:erprescnt-
ative Government Is Not u Republic
The Alpine Republic

la theory, a representative govern
nent is a republic; in fact, repre-
sentative government is not "A repub.
lic-Or at least it does not long re-
main one aftef its founders have
passed away Every representative
republic OF the past has perished from
of the earth.
The little Alpine republic OF Switz-
erland was upon the same road that
led so many OF its predecessors TO
ruin: but. nearing the rocks, il
changed Its course. adopted direct
legislation. and is to-day the health
lest as well as the oldest republic in
existence.
| Perhaps our own country is the
most striking example ofthe complete
failure of the representative system.
The people never get the laws they
desire. but get plenty which they
dislike. IL "a measure good for the
people be introduced ia legislative
body. the final product is "a badly dis
| figured as a man who has run an In
dian gauntlet.
Even our constitution fails us
Made more than century ago, its
trainers saw not the embryonic but
tremendous forces lying in ambush,
to finally crush the liberties of the
people; and they needed not the
warning voice OF the eloquent Patrick
Henry, who plead in vain for bill
OF rights for the people. They turned
deaf ear to the admonition OF that
embodiment OF fstatesmanship. Thomas
Jefferson, who. from beyond the sea-
dcplored the absence of bill OF
rights. OF this defective document
James Monroe said: II see in it no real
checks upOn the government" (See
Bancroft's History of the constitu-
tiOn," page 42S.)
The people have, for many years,
been clamoring for the poor little
privilege OF themselves eecting their
United States senators. But even
this is denied them. The cnthroned
corporations prefer senators of their
own choosing.
The history OF legislation in this
country for the century now closing
should convince every one that it is
waste of time and energy to work for
reform under the present system Of
lawmaking. All efforts for free coin
age, prohibition. single tax. restric-
tion OF immigration. government con-
troll. ETC., will fail in the future, as
they have in the past There is al
ways some power other than divinity
tina: shapes all the ends Of legislation.
The initiative and referendum con-
stitute direct legislation by the peo-
pie. 1t is Democracy ia its purity;
it is Rcpublicanism 10 its simplicity.
1t is, in itself, not so much of u re-
form as it is means of obtaining re-
forms. 1t will throw wide open the
gates which have so long barred the
people from their God-given rights.
1t will relegate to the rear all the po-
litical crooks. the heelers, gangsters,
sbysters. parasites. etc., which have
so long been a.curse and disgrace to
our country. Hypocrites aud fawn-
ers. too, will have tn take back seats.
With direct legislation. the briber1
and the lobbyist could not ply their
vocation, and tie reckless partisan,
the oily politician and the heartless
demagogue would be as helpless for
harm as would be a lot of wild beasts
after their claws and fangs had been
extracted With the imperative
mandate and the veto In the hands OF
the people, there would be no heed OF
drilling Sunday school boys in the
arts of war, for the people would re-
spect and obey laws enacted by them
selves. Instead of being nominated
freemen. but real slaves of the poll
ticians as now. the people would all
be, in reality, freemen. George X.
Young in American Nonconformist.