Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1899-06-04
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- A Preacher -
= Among the People. x
..WHEN pOCToRs DITFER. :

main door of the old state house that
was built in 1914 and destroyed by fire
in 1852 On chat stone is the follow
ing interesting inscription: General
good the object of Legislation perfect
ed by knowledge of mans wants and
natures aboundlng means applied by
establishing principles opposed to
monopoly"
The inscription sounds much like
some of our very modern platform ut
terances, and l presume majority of
those who stop to read it endorse the
sentiment expressed.
However that may be, there are
many people who now contend that we
need legislation, the principles of
which are opposed to monopoly. But
just how to secure it is a difficult mat
ter to determine. Later in the day
through the kindness of friend, l
secured a seat in large and beauti-
fully decorated auditorium in which
the delegates Of a great political party
were assembled in state convention.
Able men were there and strong
speeches were made Listening to
those speeches, a stranger to our party
methods would no doubt have con-
cluded that the only thing necessary
to secure legislation that would con-
Germ the real interests of every man,
woman and child in the land would be
to vote that party's ticket And as
far as this feature Of the convention
was concerned, fancy 1t would have
been just the same had it been anoth-
er great party assembled in state con-
vention. The partisan argues that the
greatest good to the largest number
can be most completely and quickly
secured through his party.
But in the evning l attended anoth-
er large meeting in different part of
the city. 1t was meeting of those
who toll with their hands, and they
had assembled to listen to one
who has become famous because
at the end of the nineteenth cen
tury of the Christian relig-
ion he began urging a practical appli-
cation of the golden rule to all bust
ness affairs. He was received with as
hearty applause as that which greeted
any of the political speakers | heard
in the afternoon; but he had not spok-
en- long until he declared that the
methods by which the people are try
ing to effect reforms have been proven
failures. He said that no permanent
reform could be effected until the COM
petative system is abolished, and poll
| tical parties destroyed. His slogan
was from every man according to his
ability; to every man according to his
needs"
This he said was in keeping with the
golden rule; but utterly opposed to the
comparative method. Then he urged
that the people should rid themselves
Of political parties and through the
initiative and referendum actually
legislate for themselves. This meth
cd of legislation has in one form or
another been in vogue in Switzerland
for many years.
According to ]. NJ. Vincent, an au-
thority on State and Federal govern
ment, the method of procedure is about
as follows: 'Those who are interest
ed in the passage of new law, prepare
either a full draft OF such bill or
petition containing the points desired
to be covered, with the reasons for its
enactment, then bring the matter be-
fore the public for the purpose of OBJ
tanning signatures" If the measure
receives popular endorsement it Is
carried to the legislature of the canton
This body must take the matter into
consideration within a specified time
1.-TWO months) and prepare a complete
draft in accordance with the request
1t may also at he same time prepare
an alternate proposition which eX-
pressed its own ideas of the matter, so
that voters may take their choice. In
any case the legislature gives an Opin-
ion on the project as to its desirable
ity or propriety, and the public has
thus a report from its own select COM
mittee for guidance The bill is then
submitted to the voters, and on re-
ceiving the assent of a majority, and
having been promulgated by the exec
utive authority, becomes a law of the
land"
That our party method offers the
demagouge a great opportunity, which
he is not slow to improve, and that
we have over much vicious legislation,
are facts about which all who have
carefully studied the fruits of our
state and national polity are agreed.
Because of these facts, there are many
able and conscientious men in the
United States who are earnestly ad-
vocating the adoption of the initiative
and referendum in this country. But
that change in method will result in
permanent and visible improvement
Others, equally able and conscientious,
seriously doubt.
Some of those who have studied the
operation of this method in Switzer-
land contend: THAT the Swiss voters
are not deeply interested in the refer