The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1906-06-27
PLEDGE CANDIDATES.
GOOD RESULTS or THIS PLAN IN
ACTUAL PRACTICE.

without Changing the Constitution.
Present Programme For the Res
toration Of Popu1ar Sovereignty.
TO secure desirable changes in the
laws Of the nation as the result Of
this years campaign Is the object OF
the American Federation Of Labor, ref
erendum leagues and other nonpartisan
organizations. The programme Is
along two principal lines namely, an
effort to secure legislation through the
existing system OF machine rule, and
an effort 20 change the system by re-
establishing In the voters an opportu-
nifty to ballot direct on public ques-
tons.
10 change the system requires no
amendment Of the constitution, for ma
chine rule came into being without
even line Of statute law. The basis
Of machine rule is the delegate con
yention and the failure of the voters
to reserve to themselves system
whereby they can instruct by direct
vote. Previous to the use Of the con-
vention system, some seventy years
ago, the voters possessed direct veto
system. At town meetings where that
system existed, and elsewhere at mass
meetings, the voters instructed by d.
rect ballot and the representatives
usually obeyed. And, besides, the rep
resentatives were pledged to issues BY
the voters in each district and not by
machine ruled state and national con-
ventions.
The establishment of a system
whereby the voters can instruct by d.
rect vote will re-establish the voters
sovereignty. for through the direct vote
system the voters can secure other
changes in the system OF government
And while this is taking place the
-otcrs can also secure the needed leg
slation. Details OF the programme
ire set forth in the American Fedora
ZIONIST or July rs. 1904, an extra num-
Der; Pennsylvania Grange News Of
September. 1904; Referendum News,
April, 1906, and soon to be published
again by the American Federation Of
Labor
In 1902 the candidates for congress
In Missouri were questioned as to this
programme by the chairman of the
State Federation of Labor, and Of the
sixteen congressman elected nine were
pledged. Two years later, 1904, the
number was increased one-third, and it
would have been unanimous had the
candidates in the rural districts been
questioned by the farmers.
This year, 1906, organized labor and
organized farmers, also the business
interests in the competitive field. real
ize that the senate is controlled by the
giant monopolies. The most effective
way TO get relief from the machine
ruled senate, say the American Fed
Grafton OF Labor, the referendum
leagues, the Pennsylvania oranges and
some OF the woman suffrage associa-
tons, Is to elect legislatures that will
be pledged, first, TO vote only for such
senatorial candidates as are pledged to
install the proposed system Of direct
voting by the people, and, second. to
vote TO instruct the holdover senators.
Thus a majority vote can be secured
for system whereby the voters can
instruct by direct ballot, A majority
vote in the house can readily be OBJ
tanned. as the Missouri experience
demonstrates.
To carry out this programme simply
requires that il shall receive publicity.
for publicity Will cause considerable
number of voters to scratch their tick
cts il candidate refuses TO pledge.
In Ohio, for example. last year, the
questioning Of candidates by the State
Federation OF Labor, State Referen-
dun league, the Ohio Woman Suf-
frage association and by some OF the
locals OF these organizations gave suf-
ficient publicity TO the issue to defeat
many Of the Republicans, who had re-
fused TO pledge, and elect so many Of
the Democratic candidates, all Of
whom had pledged, that the Democrat
ic representation was increased nearly
AIS per cent In the state senate and
almost as much in the house. Two
thirds the members of each house were
pledged. and the senate has carried out
its pledge, while the vote in the house
il to be taken at the next session.
To help give publicity in the cities
this year the trades unions and referen-
dun leagues are to question candi-
dates, publish the replies and take such
other action as will defeat such can
dldates as refuse TO pledge. In the
rural districts the farmers In each
county can be represented by county
referendum league. Seven citizens are
sufficient to start league, and the
mere starting, followed by questioning
OF candidates for congress and the
legislature, accompanied with a firm
determination TO publish the replies
and take such other nonpartisan ac-
ton as will secure the desired result,
win bring immediate success, for no
candidate Will be elected who Is gem
orally known TO be opposed to an in
crease OF power in the voters, but who
Is working for The continuation OF SEN
ute rule and machine politics.
GEORGE IT. SHELLEY.
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