The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-08-12
TRAITOR ALI THROUGn.
Owen Opposed to the Initiative and
Referendum In the Committee
on Platform at St. Louis.
A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE
SO TESTIFIES.

We showed In our last issue tnat
the plank, in the Peoples Party Ma
tional Platform, relating to the Initi-
alive and Referendum, was 50 gem
eralized as to be meaningless. There
was nothing to show whether it was to
be applied to townships, (where we al
ready have it), or municipal affairs, or
the states, or the nation: and it also
demanded proper constitutional
safeguard" against the people max
Ing their own laws!
This was so Owenesque that we at
tributed it to the great constitution
al trimmer Of the Northwest; but we
did him an injustice. 1t seems he
was not willing to support even this
headless, tailless and limbless abor-
ton.
We have just received letter from
delegate to the St. Louis conven-
tion, from a western state, who was a
member Of the committee on plat
form, and who writes us:
"In the scholc committee ION platform)
Queen opposed the Lnitsative and Retere''-
duns-EvEN SPEAKING AGAINST IT!
Use this, (but not my name Of
course), as you like. II he denies it I
will prove it,"
There you have it, workmen!
This is the progressive statesma
you propose to send to Washington to
make laws for you!
Lord! How he would knife you in
the darkness Of the committee rooms!
And. feed you on taffy in the open ses-
sionsl
He came to the Minnesota delega-
tion, while the convention was In ses-
sion, and asked them to advise him on
the Initiative and Referendum. They
silenced his halfway cackling and
told him to stand by it, first last and
all the time. He rent buck to the COM
,nit'ee and made speech against It.
Think of that, Populists! And then
vote for him II you dare.
Our legislation has become so cor
rupt that free institutions are a
farce. And when the reformers ask
that the legislative function be
brought closer to the people. by giving
them the right to initiate good laws
and veto bad ones. S. NJ. Owen crowds
a Radical of the committee on Plat
form, and proceeds to speak against the
Initiative and Referemdum!Y
How do you like 1t, brethren?
The same member of the committee
on platform who writes us, as above,
was member Of the subcommittee
on railroads, of which Mr.. Owen was
also a member, and he informs us
that
1.-THE only clause written by Owen
was this:-'such ownership (of rail-
roads, Is to be accomplished gradually,
in q manner consistent with sound
public policy"
Our correspondent adds: ''Isn't that
| typical OF the man,
How ''gradually" is it to be done:
Shall 1t be in one year. or five years, or
fifty years or THOUSAND years? Speak
up, oh learned Cadi, and tell US what
that platitude means. And what ID
the ''sound public policy that you in.
woke?
We understand tina: S. M. Owen has
prepared an amendment to the Lords
Prayer, and when he makes his daily
duplication to Divinity he says:
"Our Father who art in heaven, hal.
lowed be thy name, thy kingdom come
thy will be done on earth as it is
heavenly slow and gradual pro-
cesses, under proper constitutional
safeguards, and in such way as not
to give otfense to the devil, or any
other influential member of the
Plutocratic Party"