The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1901-01-17
REFORMERs MEET.


REFoRHERs MEET.
south Dakota AntiA Prepared to. In
yoke tAesRsferendan.
HURON. 8. D.. Jan. LA fair represen-
tation of the leaders Of the reform forces
OF the state gathered hare in response to
call issued by Thomas H. Ayres. presi
dent Of the Reform Press Associations. The
object was to arrange for invoking the ini
tiative and referendum in the event the
Incoming legislature attempts to pass laws
not in harmony with the views of the re-
form party. An otgah4zation was perfected
to be known as,othe Direct Legislation
League. w. e. Kidd, Of Aberdeen. is presi
dent; William A. Thompson, Of Huron. vice.
president: Thomas H. Ayres, Pierre. Sec
rotary; Mahis Taylor. Of Huron, treasurer
The president was authorized to appoint an
executive committee consisting Of one from
each judicial district and one at large. to
have supervision of the general work of
the league.
All over the country reformers are
getting together with direct legislation
as their password. Nothing in the
above press dispatch indicates whether
these men in South Dakota met as
Midroad Populists. plain Populists
Bryanites or Socialists.
If they were, in fact, Midroaders, it
does not appear that they hoisted any
banner inscribed with the words Mid
road Populists, none others admitted"
No red flag was flung in the face of the
bull of partisan prejudice. Whatever
may have been the previous party affili-
atoms of these men. we find them here
at Huron invoking the non-partisan
principle of the initiative and referen-
dunn.
No political candidates were in the
field to overshadow the vastly more i'm
portant matters of legislation. They
were preparing to deal with questions
of measures and not with questions, OF
party or party candidates.
Every earnest reformer in this coun-
try, without regard to his party prefer
ences, should today be actuated by these
same considerations.
There are honest reformers in the
ranks of the Republican party. There
are still alive devout followers of Lin
coin who believe in government of the
people, for the people and by the peo-
pie Thousands OF these Republicans
are dissatisfied with our present gov
eminent of the people for the trusts, and
by Mark Hanna, and all these Republic
roo6y IN yiUo pnncidoro finn Tn
direct legislation. Thousands of these
Republicans are ready to cooperate with
Populists and Socialists for the fullest
measure of the initiative and referen-
dunn, If not compelled to do SO under
some Socialist flag Of peculiar blood
red hue, or under the narrow banner of
some bitterly partisan faction with more
dynamite than cohesion in it's general
makeup.
Thousands Of Bryan Democrats are
ready for direct legislation, but they
have no time for any reform not wear
ing the Democratic label, and yet it
was this Democratic label that beat
Bryan and many are beginning to see
this fact. Labels and flags and banners
are going out of; fashion. We were
pleased to note when 10 A. Parker is
sued the call for. convention of re-
formers at st. Louis, Dec. 20, that he
had the good sense and judgment to adj
NIT that Midroad Populism did not con-
stitute all of reform.
He did this by implication when he
invited outsiders.
Socialists, also, are staunch advo-
Gates of direct legislation and loudly
profess their readiness to submit their
claims to a popular verdict.
We earnestly hope they may soon have
this opportunity, and we sincerely be-
lieve that they will on many questions
suffer defeat and disappointment, that
some of their conceit will take sorry
tumble.
When all refOrmers are ready for
direct legislation, there would seem to
be no good reason for delay. Hence
forth it will be the corner stone upon
which we shall build up the Represer-
tative.
The demands of the Omaha platform
can never be crystallized into laws UNI
til the people get chance to vote for
those demands directly. We welcome
all conferences among reformers look
ing to this end. E. A. T.