The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-04-07
STATE FEDERATION OF LABOR.
Pennsylvania Again Endorses the
Referendum System.

pennsylvania Again EHQofSeS the
Referendum System.
The Pennsylvania Federation of
Labor met in Philadelphia on March
l3 and again endorsed the non-par-
tlsan plan for securing the Initiative
and Referendum and will at the cleo
ton this fall question the candidates
OF all parties for congress and the
legislature if they will pledge them
selves to support the necessary leg
1slat1on to secure the Referendum
System. Steps will be taken to unite
all the members Of the labor unions
on those candidates whose names will
be published as having replied favor
ably and to defeat those candidates
who refuse or neglect to reply.
The annual address of President E.
E. Greenwalt reported the following
recommendation on the Initiative and
Referendum: 1.-THE last state con-
vention took advanced ground upon
the question of establishing in the
people direct, the sovereign power of
government through the Initiative
and Referendum in general law MAX
ing. Considerable progress has been
made in familiarizing the voters of
our state with the principles of direct
legislation. During the year with the
assistance and cooperation of the
Peoples Sovereignty League, whose
headquarters are Washington, D. c.,
We have been able to distribute a
large amount of literature bearing
upon this subject not only in Penn
sylVania, but in every state in the
union
with assistance from the same
source We are able to be represented
at the conventions of the New Jersey
and New York state declarations,
and they fell into line with our plan
of campaign with the establishment
of majority rule through the initia-
time and referendum.
''1n our state I personally visited
a number of cities, and urged the
central labor unions to actively take
up the work of installing an advis-
DRY system of instructing city eoun-
Gil men upon proposed municipal leg
,islation, and also for the installation
of desirable measures. This effort
is bearing fruit in the following cit
les, and in some of them ordinances
have been introduced providing for
the establishment of the system, Ian
caster, York, Wilkesbarre, Allen
town, Easton, Lebanon, Erie. The
first attempt in none of these cities
has proven successful, but in all we
have succeeded in bringing the ques-
ton before the people and, all that
is. necessary is to continue the agi-
tation and success is sure to come.
"A movement has been started in
Pittsburg to establish a referendum
party to nominate candidates on a
separate ticket upon a platform de-
claring for the Initiative and Ref
erendum. We have been asked to
cooperate with this movement, and
in declining replied, that 5our best
Judgment led us to believe that great
err progress can be made upon a
non-partisan program.
eve also caused to be introduced
at the last session of the legislature
several bills for state legislation
upon the lines laid down by the
Williamsport convention, but all thu
bills died in committee.
II believe we should continue our
agitation for the establishment of
this principle of law making, and
also to continue cooperating with
non-partisan organizations striving
for the same ends"