The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1898-02-18
Legislation is the Working
Mans Issue.
A GREAT REFORM
That Must Have q Place in the Plat
form of the People.


tury and destined in the twentieth
century to have fuller scope,
grander mission, than mere politics.
Educate in literature and book
knowledge, polish and varnish a
mar to the highest point, and you
are apt to refine the human out of
him and center his sympathies on
himself ana his class. But down
among the common people, of whom
| the great Lincoln said: "God must
have loved them; he made so many
of them" burns the inextinguishable
flame of sympathy and human love.
Oft it is dimmed by ignorance or
hidden under rough exterior. At
times it blazes violently forth scorch-
ing and injuring the frame work of
society. And again it sinks encrust-
ed and dim to a feeble glimmer and
the scientist, perched on some dizzy
height of knowledge, says it is out
because forsooth he cannot see it or
feel it in his rarefied altitude. But
all the time, little recognized, it is
giving warmth and light and hope
| to the masses of mankind.
Direct legislation is the political
! ultimathule of democracy, the farth-
est point to which it can go in purely
political methods. 1t has it's roots
in the dim past; in the agora or mar
ket-place of the Greek and Latin
Icities; where the citizens assem-
! bled to transact their business, each
with an equal voice and vote, and in
| the opeh-air Landesgemeinde of ear
| ly Teutonic times, of which Tacitus
says: "The cLiefs assemble, except
in cases of sudden emergency, on
certain fixed days. When the multi
tude think proper they sit down
armed. Silence is proclaimed by the
priests, who have, on these occasions,
the right of keeping order. Then
the king or chief, according to age
birth distinction or eloquence, is
heard, more because he has influence
to persuade than because he has
power to command. If his senti-
ments disp!ease them they reject
them with murmurs; if they are sat
isfied they brandish their spears.'
1t has howered out in the New
England town meeting, the United
States Constitution, with its proyis-
ions for amendment by referendum,
in Switzerland and in many other
places and forms. 1t is as easy to un-
derstand as the simplest parliament
tary forms and as workable. Where
a body of men meet to deliberate and
act, some one man rises and says:
81 move so and so.n And another
seconds the motion. That is the in-
itiative under which a reasonable
minority of the people, perhaps five
per cent, say, by a suitable signed
petition, "We move so and so." Per-
haps in this body of men the motion
is referred to a committee with pow
er to act or directing them to report
after further investigation. That i
sending the matter to the Legislature
and if the legislature doesn't pass 1t
it goes to a vote of the people, whicl
is the referendum. Or suppose th'
legislature takes some action, thu
! people don't like, then suitable
minority, perhaps 5 per cent, say
, by n signed petition, 1--WE want thi
matter referred to the people," and ;
7 referendum is had on il. Direc
Legislation is simply carrying out OF
Il larger scale, and by the use OF peti
tion the common-sense parliamen
tary methods In use in almost ever,
, body of men. 1t is a method Of get
! ting democracy.
Wendell Phillips says: "No re
? form, moral or intellectual, eve
o. came from the upper class of society
This reform did not start in Bostor
c the Athens Of America, where ou
! isms first see light. 1t was not cor
4 cocted secretly in some committe
room for the benefit of some politics
party, Il conspiracy against the CON
/ mon veal. 1t has not been pushe
u " II syndicate of newspapers work
I, ing in the interests of some great CO.
If 2oration to blind the peoples eye
a against legaliZed stealing. 1t hi
, not behind it a secret and oath-boun
. organization, appealing to elth'
' sectional or religious prejudice I
u pride. 1t has not behind it any trao
r or business interest which it wi
j, benefit at the expense of the peopl
K 1t does not come from one section
II our broad land as n geographic
l. measure. 1t is not sad and bitt
-, legacy of the civil war. 1t com
:. from the people--the great comm'
. people, who are greater than al
cult, or party, or syndicate. or sec
= ion, or prejudice. This is its prese
" weakness, but its future gre
:" strength. If there was a job in it,
" some office or pay in it for some mi
- or set of men, 1t would be widely il
-. vocated in the blatant manner tn
~ paid advocates use. There Is
~ money in 1t for any man. And I
Ie people have been slowly but sure
is making up their minds on it. Th
=, DO not all know of yet. The nam