The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1905-04-20

10 IL ifOWCu tut lCSlSidtufC III dp
propriate municipal funds without the
consent Of the municipality for a
worthy purpose. 1t gave more power
to the legislature under cloak OF a
worthy form of pension. The second
was the direct legislation amendment
which we hoped would pass though
It was purposely drawn in such a
way that it would be almost impOs-
sible to use it. The smallest total
vote was cast on this second amend
ment and it had the next smallest
adverse majority but was only 800
over the third amendments adverse
majority. The third one was short,
clear and good except that it made
the providing for free text books
obligatory on every part of the state,
taking away its local decision. 1t was
distinctly centralizing in its tendency,
for good purpose. 1t had the larg-
est total vote and the smallest adj
verse majority. The fourth seems
like very good provision but it went
down in the wreck Of all the amend
ments with the largest adverse majo-
rity. Of course it gave the members
of the legislature a privilege legally
which they have had for years extra
legally il not Illegally as we all know
that every member of the legislature
gets what free passes he wants from
the railroads. The last one meant
probably a capitol building job and
there was q large majority against it.
The charge has been made that
those who did not vote, were counted
as voting no on the amendments and
they were defeated in that way. A
study of the returns proves that this
was true in some cases, but it was not
generally true as no amendment re-
ceived half of the vote cast for cleo
tors or for any state officer. If all
of those not voting on the amend
ments had been counted against them,
majorities against them would have
been much larger. But the facts make
1t look as if this was done in enough
cases to materially affect the results.
AS the votes can not by law, be can
vassed again, this point can never be
determined.
DIR. Hill says of these votings but
more particularly of the vote on the
direct legislation amendment: "We
carried or came near carrying every
center of enlightenment and civiliza-
ton where there was no active cam
paign against us. If we add the re-
turns from all the large cities we
have a substantial majority, nearly
5000. 1t was the ignorant, backwoods
counties where the people probably
never heard Of the referendum, that
showed us under. We have ourselves
only to blame for the result /, my
self, felt too confident and the direct
legislationists all over the country left
us entirely alone to fight the battle
and we we're very few"
do not agree with. DR.. Hill. II
personally know how few there were
who worked for direct legislation in
Missouri and how nobly these few
worked and that they were confident
the amendment would be passed. I'm
der any ordinary circumstances, their
efforts would have been successful
But much greater efforts than they
were able to make, would not have
overcome obstacles this time The
people were down on the legislature
and suspicious of, anything they had
done. There were. certainly no jobs
In the second, third and fourth amend
ments, and only a bad centralizing
tendency in the first amendment, the
last one was the, only one that had |
= job in it.; yet ali were defeated. |
The people to show their disapproval
Of legislative rottenness. elected Folk
and the republicans and further dis
approved of all legislative acts they
could. Ordinarily at least three of
.hese amendments would have been
carried.
AS DR.. Hill says later in the same
etter: "The only thing left now, is
o gather our forces for another effort
Ind the experience gained in this cam
,aign will show JUS where to work
lext time" It really may be very
rood thing that this direct legislative
was defeated as 1t was
'uch a poor one and it might have
,een hard to change it, whereas now if
me is gotten, it will be sure to be
much better one.
Another View of the Missouri Situa-
ton.
(By George HI. Shibly.)
On the face Of the returns the Ini-