The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1899-04-28
BUFFALO CONFERENCE.
FROM FIRST PAGE.

ity OF people in favor of it, they
were unable to secure its enactment
into law, or even to retain what
law they had in its favor. The
same condition will apply to every
reform measure. | sincerity be-
lieve that if thirds of the people
were in favor OF the government
ownership of railroads it would be
impossible for them to secure the
enactment OF laws that would bring
about that result.
The reason is plain. Under our
representative GU system the
people do not rule. Parties and
men take precedence OF measures.
All measures are subol dinated
to party success. The people do
not vote for measures so much as
for party. Hence, in 1896, thou
| sands of free silver Republicans
voted for Mckinley, and their
votes counted for the gold standard
Experience has shown that it is
impossible to unite all the people
of one belief into one political party
for there are other things on which
they do not agree. What we can
do, however. is to unite them all
on measures, permitting the m
to remain with the party of their
choice, to vote for its candidates.
This system is called Direct
Legislation or the initiative and
referendum. The Buffalo confer
ence can work along this line and
do much good. Unless the reform
parties already in existance can be
successfully united into one com.
! act organization, | am not
favorably impressed with the idea
of forming new party. There
ars too many reform parties in the
country now. But | do see the
way clear to unite all on the princi-
pie Of Direct Legislation, because
in my opinion not one Of The i'm
portant reform measures can be
secured without we first have to
vote upon the measure itself, re-
CARELESS Of our party utilization.
When we once incorporate Direct
Legislation into our economic
system all measures then become
a matter of education, and if the
PEOPLE can lie trusted with self
government they will adopt such
as are right as fast as they learn
that they are right. 1t is impossi-
bic to organize political party
for every measure, and it is inn
possible to get majority of the
people into one organization that
agree unon half dozen issues.
But if the Declaration Of Inde-
pendence is living truth instead
Of glazing lie it is possible to
have a majority of people to vote
for Direct Legislation-a govern.
meat Of, for and by the people.
Ii the Buffalo conference can see
its way clearly to come out boldly
for the principles of the Declar-
alton of Independence, that "all
just powers of government are de-
rived from the consent of the
governed" and will declare ex-
plicitly and emphaticaliy for
Direct Legislation-the right of
the people to make and approve
their own laws, and then recon-
mend that the work of education
be vigorously pushed along the
other lines of economic reform,
with a view to ultimately submit
ting such measures to direct vote
OF the people, it woald be the
strongest platform that ever
appealed to the support of the
people.
OF course the conference would
have no power to bind any political
party, but the plan could be sub
mitted to the different political
parties in the states for their ap-
proval or rejection, and when