The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-11-25
FIGHT AGAINST GRAFT
ONLY IN ITS INFANCY
Direct Legislation Movement
Holds That Struggle Is Just
Oomencing Against Graft.
Movement Will Spread to
Every City in Land Some
Recent History Is Revived.


headquarters Of the Initiative and Ref
erendum movement, located In this city,
declares that the revolution in this
country against machine rule and pr1-
vate monopoly Is as yet only COM
menced, also that recent developments
in political methods have swept aside
the machines power to sidetrack the
dominant issues, G. II. Shibley, presi-
dent Of the league says:
while it is admitted on all sides that
the election returns show a tidal wave
of popular Indignation against boss rule
and private monopoly, few seem to voice
the fact which every thinking 1ndi-
vidual must admit. that the peaceful
revolution for better political and indus
trial liberty have only just commenced.
Only the first steps toward political and
industrial liberty have been taken. The
replacing of one set Of machine rulers
with another, az is the case in Phila-
delphia and Pennsylvania, is not the re-
establishment Of liberty-giving insti-
tutions. 1t IL simply the installation of
better set Of rulers. But in Buffalo.
Cincinnati and in the states Of Ohio
and Massachusetts the initiative and
referendum program is triumphant,
which means the establishment in the
people of q right to direct vote on
public questions-the peoples sover-
eignty-to be followed, Of course, by
the termination of private monopoly.
TN Cincinnati all the members of the
legislature are pledged to vote to sub
init a constitutional amendment for the
initiative and referendum. The defeat
ed Republicans refused to answer. or
they evaded the issue, declares Mr.. Kie-
fer, representative of the Cincinnati
Referendum league,
In the Ohio legislature the required
three-f1fths vote will unquestionably be
secured, for all tho Democratic men,
bers are pledged. likewise a few of the
Republicans, and no one in public office
dares to openly refuse to vote to sub
NIT to the people the question Of
whether they desire to terminate ma
chine: rule by establishing their own
kovereignty. In the Montana legisla-
turs Of one year ago the vote was -unan-'
imous. x
...In@ Massaehutts last ysar the house
passed a-sbill for the ssstahlishxnent pf
the advisory II ersntf flm system, and It.
passed sScotid reading in the Senate. but
on third reading the naonopolists rallied
their forces and defeated It. This year
the recently established Mas ssa chussetts
Referendum league questioned all the
plies were published in the<leading pa
pers Of the state. In the legislature
now elected doubtless the required ma
jority vote will be secured.
"At Buffalo, N. T., the advisory ref
erendum, established by act of the city
council, has been used twice. thereby
educating the people to its advantages.
This years vote. for municipal owner
ship and operation Of an electric light
and power plant was s to 1. The prin-
cipal owner Of the city monopolies is a
Republican who ls said to control tho
Republican political machine. This
year the Democratic candidate for may
or who stood strongly for referendum.
was elected by a vote of 36,472 as
against 26.3s7. whereas last year the
Republican vote Tor president was 3s,-
4o1 as against 2S,s71. In other words
10000 citizens out Of $1,000 voted in
dependently and for the referendum
candidate.
1T is clear from the above and othee
election returns. concludes Mr.. Shib-
Icy, that the: referendum and num-
cipal ownership are winning and are
doing so wherever the questions are
brought to vote. Furthermore, these
Issues are being brought forward by
the systematic questioning Of candi-
dates. as we have seen while the ad-
visory vote system is being established
by mere majority vote in the legislature
or city council. 1t follows that the ris-
ing tide Of sentiment against machine
rule and private monopoly will advance
and with giant strides. The party ma
chimes can no longer sidetrack these
dominant issues"