The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1902-05-10
IPOMEROY
ON THE
|. REFERENDUM
He FaVOrS Trade
Unions
Address Made Before Economic
League at Spokane
Referendum Will Not Cure
All Ills, but Beyond a
Doubt it will Help
Some"

National Direct Legislation league.
who is a large manufacturer of New
ark, N. j., delivered an address on
the initiative and referendum system
of legislation before the economic
league at Spokane last week, and we
give our readers a part of his dis.
course:
tie emancipation of the working
people must come from the working
! people. There is one reason why
believe in trades unions-in their com.
ing together to help themselves For
years and years people have been con
tent to send representatives to legis-
late for them, and the result has been
that the people have had attempts at
legislation. j. w. Sullivan is the faith
er of this movement for direct legis-
lation in this country, and he is at
present working at his trade as proof
| reader on a New York newspaper
Direct legislation did not begin in
! Boston, the literary center of this
country, and the place of 'isms;"
nor in New York City, the money cen
] ter of the world; nor in Washington.
| ID. c., the sink of national politics.
The call for its adoption did not come
from behind closed doors; Il came
from all parts of the country. It's gen.
esis springs from the people. Trades
unions and labor organizations have
made 1t one of their issues. There is
no money in il, nor scheme for office.
"One hundred years ago we had a
system of oX-carts for transportation
across the plains. We have made great
! advances since then I'm the conditions
surrounding our lives, but there have
been no improvements in our political
machinery. Direct legislation is an
improvement in our political machin-
cry. IL is an endeavor 70 get at the
will Of the people. But wealth is in
creasing and wealth rules. We have
allowed the growth of an industrial
system In this country until II has be-
come a great monster crushing out
! life. In the smaller towns of New
England thew have the town meeting
where the people come together two
or three times a year 10 decide the
manner in which they shall govern
themselves, but in the larger cities of
New England we meet with the corrupt
political system of bosses and rings.
Many of the people living I'm the small
er towns have refused to allow their
towns TO become cities because they
wish to retain direct legislation. To
remedy a wrong you can petition, Of
course; but that is an old and almost
useless method. | remember on one
occasion a certain petition was sent
to the legislature OF New Jersey and
the Legislators made the petition into
paper balls and tossed them at each
other
Direct legislation gives the people
power to end a bad law, and 10 make
good one. Only the people should
have the right to make and unmake
laws, and the y betray their trust Do
you know that in Greater New York
the citizen is ruled by 10000 laws,
and that ignorance Of those laws is
no excuse for breaking them? In AL
states legislative sessions were held
in the year beginning October l.. 1900
and ending September 80, 1901. These
occupied 3,494 days, or an average OF
sion was in Pennsylvania. Of 179 days
and by all accounts the most corrupt
The shortest regular session was In
Washington, OF 20 days Three other
states had extra sessions, and Michi-
gan endured two extra sessions.
These legislative sessions passed
~, 425 laws and 1923 resolutions. with
349 in Virginia and 29S in New Hamp-
shire, unclassihed, making a total OF
1880. OF an average 10 each state Of
322 laws.
North Carolina passed the largest
number, with 1865 20 her credit In Sc
days, or nearly IS laws a day, and Ala
bama came next with 1882 laws in ll3I
days. or 10 a day Michigan called its
legislature for a second extra session
and they sat for IL days, but did not
pass a single Law. Oklahoma passed
20 laws in SO days OF regular session.
AS the sessions are rarely more than
four hours In length. and often much
shorter. this probably means an hour
for a law. This simple statement oil
facts Is proof that the great mass Of
laws are not thoroughly considered
and digested before they are passed.
In a certain legislature you could
buy Populists for $50 and Republicans
for SO. There is farmer In the New
Jersey legislature Who went there be-
cause be had heavy mortgage on his
farm You and have no right 10
plaee the men We elect under strong