Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-02-26
SIXTEEN PAGES
SUNDAY. FEBRUARY &c. 1899.
THE GREAT REFERENDUM.

BY birth, education and breeding we
are self governing people. and in
constitution, law fact and reason, the
government at Washington, from Pres
ident, down, and everywhere it may
extend. in any form or person, is our
3 servant, trustee, representative and
% agent. 1t has no powers not delegated
by us, and its solemnly sworn duty is to
execute our will. Yet, see how it acts!
The divine right of Kings is Il humble
and modest pretension compared with
the devil-demved tenure by which our
public servants hold mastery over us.
They have bought us. and paid the
money! What if it was our money? So
much smarter and better the transac-
ton!
Yet we have one recourse left-the
Quadrennial Referendum. That has long
been called the Grand Popular Inquest;
but it is really the great referendum,
to which our constitution and laws
every four years refer men, measures
and parties and their policies to the
judgment of the people. We have no In
itiative, nor check except public opin-
ion, which is but the idle wind. which
they regard not. to the men ana powers
that dominate at Washington But on
the first Tuesday after The first Mon
day in November. 1900 Mext year,.
comes our great referendum: our grand
popular inquest on public men and af-
fairs since the election of 1896
In his single ballot every voter can
then say what he thinks of men and
things: the whole Federal administers
tion of four years past ana for four
years to come is before him for his true
will and opinion-his best and most pa
triotc judgment. as to men, parties.
measures and policies. Wars OF con
quest and of forcible annexation or
criminal aggression; colonization by
armed troops of distant and semi-bar-
barous islands: n standing army of 100
600 men, with all its costs in taxes. and
all it implies and threatens. abroad
and at home; an imperial policy of gov
eminent, domestic and foreign. a weak
and vacilating President, in the hands
of an INSCRIPTIONS cabal. represented
by Hanna and his gang; u war depart
ment, at war With our victorious mill
tia, and demanding u standing army of
slaves and mercenaries; Alger and his
contractors dealing death among our
heroes who conquered the Spaniards in
their front, but could not protect nor
defend themselves from these treach-
erouS enemies in the rear and at home.
in authority; subjugation and conquest
made n policy of government; the
standing national debt increaSino nv
the hundreds of millions, even in peace:
the Nicaragua canal to be abandoned
10 enable us to spend millions TO buy
Malays and carry on wars of extermi-
natlon ana enslavement; trusts fostered
ana monopoly rapidly engrossing all
business, industry ana enterprise: Fed
eral supremacy in all things without
regard to law or constitution: thc
treasury mere adjunct of favored
private parties; scandals in every de-
partment of government: n complete
reversal of our dearest principles in all
things; money usurpng every public
function, and cupidity running amuck
IN all our affairs. public and private:
ana d base rule of housekeeping, es-
pionage, menace and terror, not ONLY
creeping into ali branches OF govern
ment service, but sneaking among the
people, preparatory to a domiciliary SUI
pervision and subsection of everybody
with suppression of all free speech, as
well as all honest testimony.
1t is horrible as it is: but we are rush
Ing to a Niagara plunge into q hell of