The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-11-14
Living Issues.
DIRECT


BY z tweed Pomeroy. President Of the National
Direct Legislation League.
Direct legislation concerns only one
Of the three departments of govern
meut, the drafting and enacting of
Ia 8 In one sense it has nothing TO
do with the duty ot the executive.
which ia the administration OF the
laws, or with the duty OF the judiciary,
which is the judging under toe lave;
but inssmucn as simple AMI proper
laws are easy both TO execute and to
Judge under, il direct legislation will
produce strong, atmple ara &c laws, it
will be a reform that Will have a great
effect on both the other departments OF
governments. And inasmuch a. the
executive only executes the laws which
the legislative makes and the Judiciary
only judges under them, bogn these
other departments are secoodar- to
the legislative. In thss3 senses
direct legislation ls a primary and r."
damental reform.
Direct legislation ia Law enacring BY
the electors. as distinguished from law
enacting by representative, or by
some arts socratic body, or 0y d single
ruler, such as a king, emperor or car.
In small communities this Ia accomp-
lished by the electors meeting together
and voting on every law or ordinance
by which they are TO bs governed
This is done IN b New England TO IN
meeting, the Swiss ar d TeutonIc Lard
gemeinde, the Russian MIR, the early
Grecian and Italian Agora or market
meeting, aud in fact in all SIMPLE and
early communities. OF the New lR
land town meetings Jefferson said over
q century ago that they we're, ''tue
Wisest invention ever devised bY the
Wit OF man for the perfect exercise OF
self government and its perperuasIon."
And Charles Sumner said: The co vas
Of Massachusetts,, like the munIcIpali-
ties Of Switzerland, have been the
schools and nurseries of freedom In
these small bodies, men we're early dis
ciplined in those primal duties of citI
zenship which, on a RraUdar scale, are
made the foundation OF our vnola DO
litical system. Toe true glory Of he
towns then vas that they we're organ
lied on the principle of SELF Cover IN Mt
when that principle was not g~ena~altt
recognized, that each litsie tn~n Oy II
self was a little republic Wnrr- n
hole body of the freemen we're voters
tth powers of local leguslstion, 94xt
ton and admiuistraE ZION And Pr (
James Bryce, in his America. Com
mon wealth" says: The town m g.
pg has been the most perfect cao o
government ID any modern nuu
ANY other suth0rities could be CRED
D the satisfactory RESULTS # dur, C
Station 10 small communities. Ou
e three are typical, OaInR over n
ury apart and from representative
of whom was not reared
ngsE such communities. inside
them AMI one OF than ga a for
her. WHAT are the resu ts IT direct
i%slation9 In the rursi par OF Nav
land th4re are better roads, better
Ia, more free llorRries, nor quo
terworks IN fact more OF all that
make life e. y able, and less
her per capita or per acre, tnan
rural parts OF the rest OF the
States YsE the cities of Nav
suff4r under bad government.
other cities of our country
town meeting is 80 f1rml,
country New England, thai
inks OF opposing it or even OF
3 a change, and it ID spread
er States
muuiGIes too widespread or
rous for the voters TO meet
and decide on the laws by
are TO be governed, dIrect
is accomplished by the use
tive petitions, through what
as the initiative and referen.
g right of petition for the re
grievances, is an old, highly
nd nos largely usel ga Anglo
ght IL is stated 10 the N 4goa
Ind every other bill and dec a
rights since tina time Ordi
titions are nov so largely dis
that this ancient right has be
little use. Direct legislation
is ancient right of petition
nd valuable
initiative, a reasonable minor
voters by signing a petition
can force the council, legisla
pgress or parliament to CON
vote on the proposed Law;
Ices not pass as pstItioned for,