The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1903-07-04
Direct Legislation.

said. "You can trust all of the
people great deal more than you
can trust part of the people
Under thepresent representative
form Of government the people
elect into office q few politicians
who have been nominated by the
leaders of the great political
parties The issues upon which
the different pa rties hope to elect
their respective candidates are
determined, not by majority OF
the people, but by a few individ-
uals, who hope to gain advantages
for themselves Every plank in
serted into the platform of either
party is for the benefit of a par
ticuIar class. All questions are
so enveloped in mystery, that the
common classes are unable to I'm
derstand them, and when the
different political speakers talk to
the people, they each endeavor to
prove that their position on the
question in debate is the only
right one, and if their particular
nominees are not elected, the
country must go TO the dogs.
1t is certainly very strange that
the masses of the people cannot
perceive that there is only one
real contest between the old par.
ties, and that IS to decide which
set of politicians shall obtain con
troll of the government and every
issue Is put before the people for
the sole purpose of attaining this
end. Is it any wonder that the
conditions of the masses continue
to grow wOrsei How can the
masses hope to be benefited, when
the government is conducted in
the interest of the representatives
and their political friendsF We
have trusted our representatives
who are only part of the peo
ple--instead of trusting ourselves:
Thomas Jefferson said that "Some
times it is said that man cannot
be trusted with the government of
himself. Can he then be trusted
with the government Of otht rsf
Or have we found angles in the
form Of kings and representatives
to govern himi Let history answer
the question"
The people must be trusted.
and in so far as they have been
deprived of a share in civic af-
fairs, to that extent have they
suffered. IL we are republic
and democracy, we must return
to that principle from which we
have been straying.
In order to accomplish this end,
We must adopt . form of Direct
Legislation. First by the Initia-
tive by which a certain number
(say 8 per ct Of the voters, can by
petition compel the submitting to
themselves Of any new legislation
they may desire, Second by the
Referendum, meaning that upon
the demand of a certain number
(say 8 per ct) Of the voters in the
district affected by any measure
passed by the law-lnaking body;
such measures shall be submitted
to the direct vote of the people,
for enactment or rejection, at the
next election.
And third, by the Imperative
Mandate which will give to the
people the power to compel their
representatives to act in unision
with the will of their cons tituents
by removing them from office
when they fail to be faithful to
their trust.
Direct Legislation is needed in
order to restore majority rules to
the voters. In theory we have
majority rule today, through our
representatives; but in practice,
we are governed by aggressive
mlnorities, who cooperate more or
less closely with party bosses, bad
laws and ordinances are constant.
~ being passed, and much needed
laws and ordinances as constantly
fail of enactment; and the people
seem helpless in either case.
Under the present system al |
most the only hope Of making pro.
gress in legislation, or securing
any raform il fhro,,rL tha ,,c,&..