The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1905-03-30
THE REFERENDUM IN ENGLAND
How the Voters of Manchester, Eng
land Control Its Business and
Direct Its Policies.
THERE THE PEOPLE RULE
A City Government Run by the Peo-
pie, for the People, and the
Boodler Is Unknown

In all save outer form the cities OF
Great Britain are much more demo-
cratic in their methods Of government
than are ours. With them the citizen
exercises a direct interest IN pubic
affairs. The city council is truly the
representative of the mass Of the cleo
torate. 1t is impossible for the MEM
bers of council to go far astray even
il they were so disposed. The manner
in which they do these things on the
other side may best be illustrated by
an instance which came under my per-
sonal observation.
The city of Manchester owns and op-
crates it's street railways, and it is also
a large stOckholder in the Manchester
Ship Canal company. For some time
it has been deemed necessary to raise
more money for the enlargement and
improvement of both Of these great en-
terprises, and for months prior to my
visit to Manchester special committees
OF the council had been working on
ways and means to authorize and CON-
plete these improvements. A bill was
finally drawn petitioning parliament
for power to issue bonds amounting to
q total of about $7,500,000 to raise
funds for these purposes. The council
adopted the measure. My attention
was first directed to the matter by
reading huge posters displayed in vari-
GUS parts of the city announcing a
town meeting of the free voters OF
Manchester for the purpose OF taking
final action in the matter OF the pro-
posed bond issue.
It was then that ] learned that in
this, as in all other important matters,
the voters had the right of referen-
dunn. Williams Henry Talbot, for a
generation the town clerk of Manches-
ter. invited me to seat on the plat
form, and had opportunity to witness
the workings of a democracy in a
country classed as monarchy.
The huge gothic hall in which the
Manchester assembled to pass on the
free and Independent burgesseS OF
recommendations of their common
council is capable of seating four or
five thousand persons, but it was not
half filled when we entered. To the
right of the platform was large map
of Manchester and Stafford showing the
plan of the proposed street railway ex-
tensions and the enlargement of the
docking facilities.
Suppose / asked Town Clerk Tai
bot, ''that majority of those present
vote against this measure. Does that
defeat all chance of it's passage?'
s.It would for the time being" re-
IT. h0 aS1
would hesitate to broach the matter
again, for long while at least"
rs there any decided opposition to
the bill?" I asked. "Are there no pri-
vate interests whose profits will be i'm
periled by the passage of this act?"
Certainly there are" was the reply.
"It authorizes the construction OF ten
enment houses and cottages which will
compete with those owned by members
Of the landlords association, and some
of them are here, and others are repre-
sented by their attorneys. Then many
rate payers are opposed to the build
ing of more trans or improving the
ship canal. They are here and will be
heard"
There are more than 100000 voters
in Manchester, and not more than 3,0O0
of them were in the hall when Lord
Mayor Sham took his chair and ad-
iusted the official chain which was sus-
pended around his neck. / was mys-
titled by the lack Of attendance on the
part of the electorate of Manchester.
"What is there to prevent the oppos-
ing interests to this bill from packing
the hall with their partisans?" / asked,
my mind wandering back to Chicago,
New York and other centers of civili-
zation with which l was familiar.
eNo one would dare attempt such a
thing" said the astounded and doubt
full town clerk.
''But suppose they dared do it and
succeeded ] insisted. what would
happen then?"
"There would be a bloody riot, don't
you know" said Mr.. Talbot, with a