The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-11-24
A NEW DECLARATION OF INDIE
PENDENCE.

build a boulevard in Philadelphia, from
the new City Hall to Paramount Park,
an air line distance of about a mile and
ahalf. 1t would cut diagonally through
a well built-up and valuable portion of
the city, destroying many valuable
buildings Ia it's course, and leave por
tiOns Of blocks cut into odd shapes and
sizes. The city treasury being depleted
at the time, it was proposed to put the
city six Or seven millions of dollars
further in debt 0t would have meant
ten or twelve millions before the work
would be completely for the purpose of
carrying out this unnecessary and ex-
travagant scheme. At the same time
! there were about ten thousand children
in Philadelphia out Of echo0l for want
OF school room Recommendations, not to
mention many other pressing public
needs. 1t was generally understood
that certain contractors saw in this
boulevard scheme q number of tempt.
ing jobs" These contractors were il
high favor with the poii5icians-indeed
they themselves were prominent and
successful politicians 1t was generally
thought that these gentlemen had much
to do with the bill passing Common
Council by a safe majority. The bill
then went to Select Council. Il seemed
to me that while many children were
out Of school for want of room, it Yves
very unwise for the city to go deeper
into de6t to build an expensive andlux-
urious driveway to the Park for the
carriages Of the rich. So, being very
anxious for the defeat of the bill, I went
one afternoon to Select Council (apoio-
gies for the use of the word ''solect") to
watch the course Of the bill. | found
that body divided into two factions, 10
| against the boulevard and 30 in favor
OF it. Very reasonable amendments
were proposed and ably advocated by
members Of the Is faction; the 30 said
not a word, but stolidiy voted no" to
every amendment offered. l remeGn-
Der that one amendment provided that
the bill should not become operative
until referred to q vote OF the people
at the next election. To my astopish
ment the 20 voted "no" on this propo.
sitioo. Here g body Of 20 men were
endeavoring to take elk or sever mil
lions of dollars from the people for a
purpose of doubtful expectancy without
their CONSENT! Not only without their
! consent, but they voted to deny the
people the privilege of voting on the
question! This seemed so preposterous
TO ne that I could hardly believe my
eyes and ears. The Councils then met
in the Ole State House. and Select Coun-
Gil net in the chamber Immediately
above the hall in which the Declare
ton of independence was signed in
1875. Liberty Bell was not many feet
away. The day happened to be the
third day Of July-tbe day before the
anniversary of liberty throughout the
land" And here in this very building |
% men voted to deny the right OF the
people to vote on the question Of 20
expenditure of their own money! q
felt that it was time for q new declara-
tioE of independence. o. what eide !
would these r1an have been in 17762 !
Ga King Georges side if the doodle"
had been on that side. Whist do such !
men care for the people, or for liberty ? !
Yet they had a legal right to do as they !
did, and only the vote Of a patriotic
Mayor saved the city from so unwise a
measure. I left that building thorough
~ convinced that the people must have
what is called the "Referendum" be
fore they will really have selt'govern-
men5.
The Referendum means that proposed
bills be referred to q direct vote of the
people Casually al the next regular cleo
uiOp) before they become laws. This
simple procedure has purified the once
corrupt politics of Switzerland. There
are W forms of the Referendum. One
requires that every bill above a certain
degree Of Importance shall be referred
to a vote of the people for it's ratifca-
ton or re- lection this is the compulsory
or obligatory Referendum. The other,
the optional Referendum, provides that
upon petition of a certain per cent. Of
the voters, say five OR ten PSF cent, the
referring of any bill may be demanded.
In this way the vast majority of bills
would become laws, as at present, with
out q direct vote of the people; yet the
privilege of demanding a direct vote of
the people would be a constant safe
guard and q constant menace to cor