The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1906-08-22
VOTE FOR WORKERS
MAIN LINES or ACTION IN LA6oR's
POLITICAL PROGRAMME.
Plan or Campaign Recommended by
American Federation - Important
Questions For Members of Unions
TO Consider

american EeaeEMttOn - ASsPs'A $50 -
Questions For Members of Unions
to Consider.
The political programme Of the
American Federation Of Labor, form
ally issued Monday, July 70, should be
studied carefully and promptly acted
upon.
Three main lines Of action for organ
izea labor nre proposed -the election
Of congress that win be favorable 70
labor's cause, the holding Of a labor
convention III each state and the piac-
ing Of labor candidates In the field on
III where they can be elected OF where
both the leading parties ignore labors
demands.
This is a sensible plan. The central
idea Is ITO arouse the citizenship of
our common country Interested in good
government to the apathy or hostility
Of the party in power to the real I'M
terest of the people
The term party In power" applies
to the national government. I'm state
affairs the Democratic party in the
south must be defeated, the same as
the Republican party in the northern
states.
A subject Of ON ershadowing lmpor~
lance Is, What issues shall be declared
for iii the several statesg Very prop
erly that question is 10 be decided in
each state at convention. I'VE RECON-
mend says the American Federation
Of Labor. .that central bodies and lo-
cal unions proceed without delay by
the election OF delegates to meet In
conference, or convention, to further
the interests OF this movement, and in
accordance with the plan herein out
lined at the proper time and In the
proper manner nominate candidates
who will unquestionably stand for the
enactment into law of labor and pro-
gressIve measures. AS the present OBJ
iects Of this movement are purely in
the line Of Legislation all efforts should
be concentrated upon the election OF
members of congress and various state
legislatures
What issues shall the candidates for
the legislature be pledged to? That
II the most important question before
the nnionsl In reaching decision the
history of the reform movement should
carefully be examined.
From the point Of view OF the Ameri.
can Federation Of Labor the initiative
and referendum are needed. In other
words. there Is an evolution in the sys-
tenn Of representative government. the
same as in other Institutions, and 10
states where machine rule has not yet
been terminated the next step should
be the establishment OF a system in
which the voters can ballot direct on
public questions--the initiative and ref
erendnm or the advisory initiative and
advisory referendum Under the latter
system the candidates for the legisla-
ture while up for Office are pledged
TO obey instructions when given by ref
erendum vote.
The peoples verdict, delivered by
means OF the referendum vote, would
be effective, for the plan contemplates
that at the time the referendum vote is
taken the candidates for the legisla-
ture are TO be pledged IN writing to
carry out the VIII Of their constituents
when expressed by referendum vote.
It was through this system that Chi
eago managed to get an ordinance for
public ownership Of her street rail-
ways and should the system be estab-
lished in other states the pledged mem.
bers OF the legislatures win unquestlon-
ably heed their agreements. because a
united public opinion win demand II.