The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-02-19
BROTHER LONGS VIEWS.
The Initiative and Referendum.

BROTHER LONGS VIEWS.
The Initiative and Referendum.
Editor Representatives:
After reading the call and platform of
principles of the silver convention, / feel
in my bones that the day of jubilee is
coming l have always fought shy. OF the
silver men as long as they had only the
one issue but now when they proclaim
for government paper money we Know
they are no longer the friends of Nam
mon, but are with us in the one great
underlying fundamental principle OF the
Peoples Party. I have been denounced
for years because I was radical ana Iought
for every plank in the Omaha platform
but reflection and study has led me to
believe that we should not try to accom-
plish too much; that we lose everything.
In our last campaign in this state we leI'
out the subtreasury and gained votes oy
doing So With all difference to the WIS
dom and honesty of Mr. Donnelly, l can
not help but agree with DR.. johnson that
the platform of resolutions as offered by
the committee to the State League was
entitled to endorsement. l was melloel
of that committee and l know we put III
half day of hard work. Ihe resolu-
tions were discussed calmly and d1spas-
sionately" from all standpoints, and a
very short time has elapsed when we are
endorsed by the great silver convention,
with a platform Identical with what we
offered, with the exception of the inltla-
tive and referendum, which we endorsed
[ am sure we all endorse the Omaha plat
form in it's entirety, and FOR one Wouio
be willing to go further. In theory De-
lieve socialism is the correct form or gov
eminent I would like to see the world
evolved to that high state OF clViilza-
ton and brotherhood Of man as outlined
in Bellamy's plan, but l know that Wnlle
we are losing time dreaming of these hlgh
| ideals we are losing our liberties, anu
therefore 1 contend that if there is any
wav whereby we can once more put the
control of government into the hands OF
| the people it is our duty to do so. even
| if we are obliged to let go some of our
| cherished principles for the present.
| Besides my argument has not Deen re-
| futed, that with the Initiative and REFER
| endum our platform is still intact. l am
| only a common clod-hopper, but l have
| learned a few things by experience. MY
| campaign in 1894 was made on the money
| question and initiative and referendum,
| and when you take into consideration the
| fact that this has been the stronghold OF
Republicanism, l think you will concede
| the result was satisfactory, as compared
| with other districts
A few weeks ago there was an article
on the first page of The Representative.
taken from the Lyon County Leader, crit,
| icising my letter, in which I said | would
make my fight on the initiative and ref
erendum; on which the editor said that,
while we would be getting it into force
| the bondholders would ruin us, etc. Ana
| also that we should not quarrel while
| crossing a stream full of snags Now l
| for one, do not quarrel with any of the
! brethren in the household of faith, and
when the national convention gives us
| our platform, l shall do my best for the
cause. 1 agree with the Leader that the
! first thing is to get control Of the govern
| ment but how are we going to do so un-
| less we have a platform which will COM
| mand the respect and confidence OF the
people whose votes we must have to put
us in control? 1 claim the l. and r. is
! the surest way to success. am not cap
tious or dictatorial and only offer these
suggestions to create discussion, that we
may arrive at a safe conclusion through
the combined wisdom of all.
To obtain control we must have the
votes of all Populists. Socialists, single
takers and Prohibitionists. and to get all
| these honest but antagOnistic refOrmerS
to vote for the same candidates, you must
put their pet theories in your platform,
or have the one plank, the /. and r.. under
the provisions of which they can vote dl-
rectly on their propositions A few weeks
ago Senator Stewart in the Silver Knight
said that if we elected the right kind of
men, it was no matter whether we had
any platform or not And l think ne is
right. But the question is to get the right
kind of men upon whom all the difterent
refOrmers could be induced to unite To
elect men without platform we would
have to nominate leading men of all the
above mentioned societies. Suppose we
do so and give them full authority to right
the wrongs of humanity according to
their own best Judgment Suppose we
elect everything; Congress assemblies and
proceeds to business. The Populists US
ing their own judgment in regard to what
shall be done, arise to address the repre-
sentatves Of the mighty hosts who have
entrusted to them their all. They say
usury has been the curse of the world; it
has made us nation Of paupers and mil
liOnaires-mostly paupers; this has been
made possible by using the images of the
sun and moon worshippers of barbarc
times as money; therefore we will de-
monetze both gold and silver and substi-
tute government paper money and the
usurer will be destroyed forever. The
single-taxer takes the floor; he says the
money question is all right as it is; abol-
sh the monopoly in land, destroy the pow
err of the landlord and the world will be
happy and rich. The Socialist says moth
ing will remedy matters except govern
ment ownership of all means Of produc-
ton and distribution. The Prohibitions
SAYS IL you abolish intoxicating liquor
from the world all other evils will right
themselves l have conversed with the
leaders of all the different societies, ano
I find they have one hobby to which they
cling, and in substance fepuulate the RESI-
of their own platform but with direct
legislation they can see way for the
, final solution Of every question under the
sun.
Now 1 wish to call your attention to ar
, article on the referendum. on first page OF
Representative Of JAM 22d. Please note
that in Switzerland they have as many
{ dialects and religions as they have states
and AN ancient aristocracy Instead of {
, democracy, that in 1853 only one man il
four had a vote; that from every point o.
| view the political. industrial and socia
mechanism of Switzerland was not adap
) | ted to direct legislation, and yet, unde