The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1903-10-01
Continued From Last Week.
REINFORCEMENT FROM ORGAN
lied FARMERS.

lied FARMERS.
l. The grange is working for ma
jcrity rule
The people of Oregon have adopted
a constitutional amendment for peo-
pies veto and direct initiative. The
state grange helped to install the sys-
tenn, which was approved, also, by the
political parties in the state, and the
vote was eleven to practically
unanimous.
In neighboring Washington the
state grange at it's annual meeting
last June 1902) adopted the follow
ing resolution:
BE it Resolved, That our worthy
master of the Washington state grange
be requested to appoint grange COM
mittee in each county where there is
an organized grange. The duties OF
said committee shall be to interview
the various legislative candidates and
to persuade them to use their best eff
forts, if elected to the legislature, to
secure the passage of bill to amend
the state constitution providing for
direct legislation (the referendum and
iritiative), which shall be submitted
to the people, as required by the state
constitution"
Since last December six more state
oranges have demanded majority rule
the referendum and initiative-Illi-
nois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, West Vir-
ginia, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island,
and in the other grange states hosts OF
county and local organizations are de-
claring for the system. 1t is suggested
that. each Pomona and subordinate
grange adopt resolution somewhat
as follows:
Whereas, The Intellectual control OF
trusts by congress and the domination
OF special interests in the legislatures
of. the country demonstrate the need
for an improvement in our representa-
tive system of legislation Tin the
words of Governor Roosevelt in a
message to the New York legislature,
January 4, 1899: I invite the atten-
ton of the legislature particularly to
the evils of overlegislatiOn. The ten
dency to pass laws which are utterly
unnecessary, even when not pernicious,
or which are enacted purely to favor
certain special private interests, seems
to grow instead of diminish. - adj
wise that an investigation be made OF
the methods employed in other repre-
sentative bodies for getting rid OF the
evil.) And,
"Wheeras, The needed improvement
has long been developing, namely,
peoples veto through the optional ref
erendum and direct initiative Tin the
~. nf
kota, where the system has been in
operation for several years: Since
the referendum law has been part OF
our constitution we have had no char
ter mongers or railway spectators, no
wildcat schemes submitted to our leg
islature. Formerly our time was occu-
pied by speculative schemes OF one
kind or another; but since the refer
erdum has been made a part of the
constitution these people do not press
their schemes on the legislature, and
hence there is no necessity for hav-
inc recourse to the referendum And,
Whereas, This improved system OF
representative government has been
adopted by the people of Oergon, with
the active cooperation of the grange;
has been adopted by the people OF
Utah; has been approved by five-to-
one vote of the people of Illinois,
where the grange is fully committed to
it, is demanded by the grange Of the
state of Washington, which last year
questioned the candidates for the leg
isIature as to whether, If elected, they
would vote to submit constitutional
amendment for the improved system;
and since last November has been in
dorsed by six state granges-lllinois,
Wisconsin, West Virginia, Minnesota,
Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island-as
well as by many Pomona and subordi-
rate oranges in other states; and,
whereas, Candidates for the next
legislature in our state are soon to be
nominated and voted upon; therefore,
Resolved, That 49,. grange No. .
OF (name of state) heartily indorses
the movement for improving the rep
resentative system of legislation by
adding to our legislatures and congress