Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1897-10-29
REPORTS PROGRESS.
ELTWEED POMEROY ON DIRECT
LEGISLATION.
4 Friendly Report viii He Made In
the United States Senate-Senator
pettigrew's BlI-Letter from Senator
Butler.

Eltweed Pomeroy, president of the
National Direct Legislation League,
| and member of the Populist national
committee from New Jersey, makes the
following interesting and encouraging
| report:
Senator Butler writes recently:
LAS you know, have been trying Tor
some time to pass a resolution provid-
ing for the appointment of a special
committee to inquire into the Feasibility
of applying the initiative and referen-
dunn to federal legislation, but there
is considerable prejudice in the senate
against creating special committees,
especially when the object in view Is
one to which the senate is not espe-
cially friendly. The cry is always
raised that regular committee OF the
senate should make the Investigations
| have never been able to get my reso-
luton reported by the committee on
contingent expenses.
Recently l have made a new move
by wording the resolution so that 1t
would not have to go under the rules
to that committee, and the new resolu-
ton instructs the committee on privi-
leges and elections to make this in
vestigation. | succeeded in getting 1t
to vote on June 23 and passing 1t
through the senate. Senator Allen Is
member of this committee, and prom
ised me before l passed the resolution
in this shape that he would see the
matter investigated and report made.
He will. of course, have the power to
make a minority report, covering the
whole question. even if the majority
of the committee is unfriendly. By
this resolution the committee is posi-
lively instructed to make this investi-
cation and report. 1t is very probable
that there will be majority and NIL
nority report, and that the majority
will report against us, but that is i'm
material, so that we get report.
Il had intended to speak at some
length on the resolution, but those who
were managing the tariff bill, seeing
that l was determined to press this
matter, agreed to interpose no objection
to the passage of the resolution il l
would not take up time to discuss it.
OF course, readily agreed to this, for
l prefer to make my speech on this
question at the regular session of con-
gress, after the reports have been
made"
This matter is now In good shape,
u nt,1y % iii
work. 1t is a pity that he is not on
this committee to carry on the work,
but readers are urged to write to Sen
ator William V. Allen at his home,
Madison, Neb., urging him to make a
strong report, and giving him such
information as will help him in this.
Senator Pettigrew's bill to submit to
referendum at the congressional cleo
tions of 1898 the questions of the free
coinage Of silver and of election Of
senators and president by the direct
vote of the people, has caused quite
little stir in congress and among the
reform papers, in which last place it
is universally commended. Uncle Ham,
a Democratic paper in Maryland, says
of it: Submit these questions to the
people? Well, We'll be jinged! What
do we pay congress for, anyhow? How
on earth will our president ever get
rich if the people make the laws? Sen
ator Peetigrew must be crazy. l want
to see both these questions adopted by
the people, but these SLY senators want
us to do the work, while they draw
the salary. Besides, this would be put
ting the initiative and referendum in
operation, and that, we all know, is
anarchy"
The Sunfield (Mich.) Sentinel says:
"The passage of this bill would be the
practice of direct legislation, which the
people are beginning to demand all
along the line"