The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-08-12
The Voice of
The People
A REPLY TO MR.. MILLAR.

Editor Providence News:
I quote from Mr.. j. 8. Millar's letter
of Ars. O.: "a representative govern
ment is liable to abuse no matter what
methods we adopt"
II certainly IL. and for that very reason
I advocate the constitutional initiative
so that will change representative gov
ernmsnt to government by the people.
Now his belief that government Of
the people is Just as liable to abuse as
representative government Is proven to
be erroneous by all history. ancient and
modern, and by common sense-at least
such is my belief. and / will try to
prove t.
He asks. How does II happen that the
legislature can be bought7"
The answer Is simple: because II has
something TO sell. To give an instance.
some years ago the city OF Providence
sold. or rather leased for a term OF 20
years a strip OF land a great many miles
In length, and but a few feet I'm width.
This strip OF land belonged TO the people.
but the people could only sell IL through
their representatives, ana were obliged TO
accept the price agreed on by those rep
resentatives. The successful bidder
was the Union railroad.
for value received7 i wish TO put that
question TO Mr.. J. 8. Milar. Does he
think the Union railroad paid full value
for value received? IL he does he Is In
the minority: II he does not how much
would IL have taken 10 buy his vote 10
give his property for less than II was
worth? IL is evident that Mr.. Millar,
as man OF intelligence, would not sell
dollars worth OF value for a nickel.
or even for % cents. AS an intelligent
Legislator Mr.. Millar might. Why? Be
cause a legislator sells not only his own
property (his own equal right TO use all
parts OF the public strests). but the rights
OF several thousand. Mr.. Millar would
lose money selling one dollars WORTH
OF value In that particular transaction
for any sum less than one dollar. where
as a legislator might make money SELL
ing a dollars worth OF It's value for half
a dime
Mr.. Millar's argument is that the ref
erendum would be no Improvement on
our present mode OF government because
of the fact that politicians being able
TO buy enough votes to elect themselves.
the Union railroad could also brtbe the
voters to sell their franchise for the same
price as the legislators did.
To bring this thing right home. would
Mr.. Miller consider that he was offered
a bribe II a capitalist or a number Of
Will you sell your share in the streets
Of Providence forY I certainly should
not and X sold my share for less than
II was worth that was because 1 did
not myself know what 1t was worth.
My first question would be. What is
IL WORTH" Now see how different IL
might sound IL Mr.. Millar was a legis-
lator. and a capitalist or . bunch OF
capitalists should say to him; Mr.. NIL
lar, what can I Cor wei get a lease of
the streets OF the city OF Providence for
for purposes Of transportation for 70
years2" and MT. Millar should answer:
What Is IL worthT'
In tho case OF the citizen II would be
a pure business proposition II couldn't
possibly be anything else. Imagine Mr..
Millar the citizen. becoming indignant,
and accusing the capitalist OF bribing
him. Wouldn't II be rfdiculous7 Wouldn't
II be absurd? How different II would be
II. instead Of II being Mr.. Millar. citizen.
1t was Mr.. Millar, legislator.
The constitutional initiative will not
make men more honest. but IL will change
conditions. Had II been adopted before
the franchise was practically given TO the
Union railroad. the Legislators would not
have had 30 very much TO sell. and 1 ask
Mr.. Millar II he thinks the Union RAIL-
road or rather the men who were look
ing for the franchise In our streets for
twenty years, would have made such q
good bargain. i certainly do not. Why2
Because the terms Of the contract would
be submitted to the people. Publicity.
with the power Of veto. Is, In my opin-
ion, a vast Improvement on what We
have. Mr.. Mfllar is afraid II VIII not
promise. He says politicians can buy
corrupt voters, and that the franchise
grabbers could bribe the electors. This
Is equivalent to saying that II 10 Just as
cheap. just as easy. TO brtbe majority
- artf fy af hA
resentatives of the public Everything
else being equal. that Is the same as say
ing that II Is as easy to buy several
hundred citizens as one oftisen. But ev-
erything else would not be equal
The constitutional initiative provides
that 5000 voters can initiate amendments
to the constitution OF the state, and when
so initiated. suoh amendment must go
before the entire number OF electors for
their approval or veto Can Mr. Mfllnr
ima gine the successor OF the Union rail-
road bribing 5000 voters 10 initiate con-
tinuance OF their Franchise for 26 years.,
and then bribIng the entire electorate to
approve itY The proposition u absurdly
ridiculous on the face OF II. But Is II not
a fact that IL is q fear OF the righteous
Indignation OF the voters. corruptng.
even. as conditions now are. that pre-
vents adding 25 years to the present
franchise 10 the Rhode Island company.
Inc people can DC trus,oo, 'Hcy S'p u0
trusted every time. Remember. Mr. MIL
lar. you are one of the people yourself.
This constitutional Initiative will allow
your voice to be heard In political AFFAIRS.
L. Il better that your voice should not be
heardY I don't think so. VIII trust
you. FOR your interests and mine are the
same. but the franchise srabbers inter-
ests and our representatives interests
may be adverse TO yours and mine.
Then let us work for the constitutional
initiative and work for II with right
rood will