The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1906-06-25
SENATE OBSTRUCTS.
PLANS or LABOR TO SuRMoUNT
OBSTACLE TO PROGRESS.
All Reformerx to Cooperate For Adj
visory Initiative and Pledged Menu
beers of LcEislaturc-why the Move
mcnt should Succeed.

y
vssory Initiative and Pledged Mems
beers of LcHisIature-Why the Move
mcnt should Succeed.
The political programme Of organized
labor Is an absorbing topic. The dra-
matte demand of the American FEEDER
alton Of Labor for the passage Of labor
bills has had far reaching effect One
instance that can DO mentioned il tile
passage in the house Of an employers
liability measure. The party managers
put it through under suspension Of the
rules
Brit the proposed Increase of liability
Of employers cannot become law until
concurred IN by the senate aud BY the
president The senate Is not at all like
ly TO concur, and therefore the action
In the house simply places the mem
beFs Ia a better light before their labor
constituents without increasing the
probability Of labor legislation. A ma
jority vote Ia tue senate Is absolutely
necessary. How can 1t be secured?
In studying the situation particular
attention should be paid to the pro-
gramme of the American Federation
Of Labor. Its programme Is that in ma
tlonal affairs there be Installed the adj
yisory initiative which viii require on
~ majority vote IN the ST te aud
the required vote is TO lie secured as
the result OF the coming campaign
namely, the pledging OF candidates for
the legislature, the pledges TO be, first.
TO vote only for such candidates for
the United States senate as pledge for
the immediate establishment of the ad-
visory initiative and, second. to vote TO
Instruct the hold over senator's
IL this plan is assured on election
day, then initiative bills for anti-iniunc-
ton and other labor measures are to
be circulated for signatures during
November and December, filed with
congress and afterward put TO direct
ballot OF the people. The peoples ver-
diet in each district viii be an instruc-
tion and one which senators will be
pledged to obey. This, II is said, will
insure success. The president of the
United States Is elected by pledged
presidential electors, and not one elect
or has broken bis pledge. The people
will not stand for it. In Chicago the
use OF the advisory initiative and the
pledging of aldermanie candidates to
obey instructions has prevented the ex-
tension OF the street railway franchises.
1t Is claimed tina; fhe United States
senate can be hauaied by pledging ITS
members
Such a programme. 1t Ia claimed. is
the only possible one that can bring in
the immediate future favorable labor
legislation nationally 1t ought to
bring success because the demand for
initiative and referendum principle in
nation. state and city will bring to-
gether the combined support OF every
citizen and organization that Is oppos-
ell to machine rule, and then ma.
jority of the voters will doubtless in
dorse the bills for the restoration Of
jury trial and other needed reforms.
oftdHIHtNfoHN tHti VIII WIN WI tht
initiative and referendum principle In
cIude all the trades unions, many OF tn
oranges. farmers unions and clubs;
also referendum leagues. woman's suf-
frage associations and all other pro-
gressive organizations
These facts are appreciated by the
executive council OF the American Fed
Grafton OF Labor. At its recent meet
ing in Washington II announced the
following after memorializlng the par
ty IN power for redress OF griev-
nnceS
"The American Federation OF La
boris policy of interrogating candidates
for public Office upon questions affect
ing the interests Of labor and OF the
people generally viii be continued and
more aggscssiyely prosecuted"
This declaration for questioning In
the interest Of "the people generally
means that the advisory initiative pro-
gramme outlined above Is to be "con-
linucd and more aggressively prosecut-
ed The possibilities In this years
campaign nre truly wonderful.
--------------------------
Farmers FrnternnI Progress.