The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-11-17
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We have from time to time felt il
our duty to call the attention Of our
readers to glaring imperfections in our
economic conditions, from which the
| physician suffers more than his share.
The reasons r plain. Food, clothing
and shelter are first necessities, and
available funds will go for these pur
poses, to the neglect of the physicians
claims. The doctors bill is usually left
till the last, and in time of special
strjrgency it is not reached at all.
Hence the physician is specially inter
ested in the prosperity of the masses,
and practically in a Just distribution
Of products.
But it is not strange that physicians
in various parts Of the country write
Us: "What can we do7 We have given
our lives to the study of science, and
intrusted economical questions to
those who make a speciality Of them.
If they have made such a d~isgraceful
failure, what can we do9 If partisan
ship and corruption are the cause, are
not both the dominant parties equally
guilty7 hysicians in different parts
Of the country naturally have differ
ent political affiliations and attach
ments. We can do nothing without
uniting, and what can we unite upon9"
We are very glad to have the oppor-
tunity to answer the above. There liz
something that every physician and
every honest aud earnest citizens can
unite upon, whether be be a Republi
can, Democrat, Populist, Prohibition
ist, Socialist or Single Taxer.
Our Republican institutions, as good
as they are, are VIGOROUSLY imperfect.
CorruptiOns seems to be the diseas e of
republics. The Roman republic died
Of it. France and our own republic are
seriously tf1icted with it. But the
Oldest republic now in existence,
Switzerland, after long suffering, found
a remedy for it, and she now stands
forth purged and pure, an example to
her larger hut younger sisters.
Republics are governed by representa-
tives, elected usually for a specified
time. During this time they hold alb
soluts sway, without, as a rule, feeling
the responsibility felt by officers in
monarchies, who hold their positions
permanently. Hence these represent
atlves, temporary, but absolute for the
time being, are too frequently an easy
prey to scheming politicians, each
serving the others selfish interests.
One of our subscribers suggests that
it would be a good thing to "have a
string to our congressman" that is, to
have the power to I'm elect any Con
gresham when he fails to give salts
faction to his constituents. That would
be a good plan, but the Swiss plan is
better.
A feature was added to the Swiss
organic law requiring that all bills
above a certain degree of Importance,
and not being of Immediate urgency,
should be referred to the people for
Cnelr raGihca Glon OF rejection st the
next general election. Then the willy
politician sought pastures new, for his
occupation was gone. This is called
the Referendum.
But the Swiss people, ~suspecting their
representatives still further, retained
the privilege of initiating legislation.
| That ia a0V hill (ubioh epv uo%or non
propose), when endorsed by a certain
percentage of the voters, must be acted
upon by the government, and in turn
by the people at the next election, if
necessary. This is called the Initia-
tive. That is, the people claim for
Themselves the privilege of pr po ing
and determining legislation. This is
, called Direct Legislation; and it has