Milford chronicle., 1906-08-03
Progress of the Referendum.

Progress vi thO NOAOA
The progress of the American
Federation of Labor and OF the re-
fereudum leagues to install the ini-
tiative and referendum principle IN
national affairs as the result OF this
vear's campaign is rapidly bearing
fruit. Former United States Sena,
for Call of Florida, who represented
tbe state at the National Capital
for eighteen years, has issued to the
citizens of the State ringing au-
dress in which he describes the cen
tralization of political and econo,
mic power and declares the total
inadequacy and failure of party gov
ernment to prevent and remedy these
conditions. =" Tke Senator adds tnat
this condition has produced a VIDE
spread public opinion that repre-
sentative government tremDles IL
the scales between violent revolt
tion with all its wild and cruel ana
misguided excesses, as in france
during the French revolution ana
some remedy for its successful,
practical and conservative reforms
The remedy, declares Senator
Call. which the great body OF public
opinion believes in is the re-estao-
1ishment of a system whereby the
voters may ballot directly on public
ouestions-the initiative and rete-
Tendum-to be used along with
representative government. Inc
venerable statesman continues:
"Citizens who favor reform IN
Government and the initiative and
referendum as a means of restoring
sovereignty over the powers OF
Government to the people quallhed
under a capable electorate are IN
vited to send their name and address
to me and Join in appointing COM
mittees to organize movements 10
carry these measures into practical
effect by requiring candidates tor
Office to pledge themselves to theiT
support. Missouri, Colorado, Calf
fornia, North Dakota, Massachusetts
aud Illinois, by majority vote'
have recommended these measures.
Nine Congressmen from Missouri
and Illinois, with their four United
States Senators, have been pledged
to their support. All the labor Or
oanizations in the United States
are earnest in the advocacy for a
reform in representative govern
ment. Resolutions have been in
troduced in support Of these mea'
sures in the State Legislature oi
Florida, but failed to pass. Ii the
people of Florida desire to take part
with the great army of citizens ar
raved to restore sovereignty to the
people it should be made known tc
their fellow-citizens, who are enthu
siastically engaged in this work.
Similarly the good work goes or
elsewhere. In Kansas, for instance
the recent state convention OF th'
Democratic party adopted a plat
form containing this plank:
eve declare in favor OF the lni
tiative and referendum to the enc
that local self-government may b.
realized and the government brough
close to the people in all matters o
importance.
The initiative and referendum, a
a matter of fact, is the essence o
democracy. 1t opens the way TO
giving the people direct voice il
all important legislation. We d'
not mean by this, nor does the re
ferendum imply, that all laws en-
acted by the legislature must hrs
be passed on by a direct vote o
the people before going into effect
but that all important legislation
involving matters in which all tn
people are vitality interested, may
If a certain number wish, be sub
mitted to a direct vote for adoption
or rejection. In the language
appropriate metaphor, the referen
dun permits the people to mode
their own ideals out of the clay c
modern governments and law
: Morning News.