The herald., 1898-02-16
woMAN's REFORM LEAGUE
"Direct Legislation" the Subject of
DR.. Moore's Lecture

The woman's department OF the Union
Reform league met as usual in Guild hall
OF St. Pauls church yesterday after
noon, with large attendance. Dr. Moore,
| recently of Santa Barbara. delivered the
lecture in the absence of Mr.. Bliss, on "Di-
rect Legislation
Economic questions. said the speaker,
are no longer question between the em-
ployer and employed as TO wages, but
of non-partisan politics. Political corrup-
tion extends beyond party limits. From
time to time the people have sought for
remedies by trying various changes in
municipal government.
The city of New York broke up the
Tweed ring and thought the municipal
government would remain good and pure
but the Sharp ring was found to be work.
ing the city for its own end. Then came
the revival of the old corrupt Tweed ring.
The people thought the government of the
city was at fault, and they formed new
charter. investing the power in one SUI
preme head. Good men thought the
remedy was found IN this Thev said: !:
Let us have one head, and we will know
who is responsible" But they made the
mistake of supposing that they could elect
their own men. They failed in the last
election, and new New York City has a
mediocre man at the head of its affairs,
with more power than many of the crowned
heads of Europe. This is a departure from
republican principles, and a return toward
monarchy.
DR.. Moore reviewed briefly the history of
civil government. tracing it through the
monarchcal form to limited and constitu-
tional monarchy. and then to the republic.
1t was the accepted belief. he said, after
the war of the Revolution. that the
United States was going to have a govern
ment of the people, but the founders had
been trained in constitutional govern
ment and they followed very much along
the lines the English had drawn. They
thought they could protect the people by
certain constitutional enactments, and d.
vided the government into three depart
ments, legislative. judiciary and executive.
The males were given the franchise. which
was great step forward. Half of the
citizens were excluded from participation
IN government, and only one person saw
the injustice done. Abigail Adams wrote
a protest to her husband against this
measure in a government supposed to be
popular.
For time things worked well, as 1t has
N every instance where the people have
revolted against existing conditions. The
time has come again when it is necessary
to take another step in tile progress of
civil government. No one will pretend to
say that every citizen has an equal
for the fact that some men have more
influence than others. 1t is not for lack
of character that our people have become
corrupt. Men can be found who are r-
reproachab.e, but they cannot be elected
to responsible offices. What is wrong with
the system? Why does the system bring
so much corruption to the surface?
Direct legislation is a remedy that will
remove the cause. When man is elected to
office we practically say to him: You
attend to these things" and the people be-
come practically slaves. If we voluntar-
lily go into slavery, that does not make the
principle right and this is coming to be
recognized We must look to the people,
not the rulers, for political reform
The New England town meeting OF the
early days was an example of direct
the government of clubs is an
other instance. Switzerland is leading
every other country in popular govern
ment. Direct legislation enormously sim
plifes legislation: last year in Switzerland
there were but SIX laws passed. while in
the New York Legislature there were 49,
The Swiss form of government in the in
itiative and referendum was cited, where
in all the people have a voice in pub
lie affairs. 1t has come TO this, you can
not trust anybody to do what you can do
for yourself, and no one must do what you
con do, is what direct legislation means. |
Until we can do that we are not a govern
ment of the people by the people
The lecture next week will be on public |
ownership, by DR.. Moore.