The Stamford American., 1906-10-11
UNION INDEPENDENCE LEAGUE.
New Political Body Formed by
 Bridgeport Labor Unions.

l lnSm DorSn1p ana pldCIOrm or the 1 Union Independence League recent 1 ly formed in Bridgeport to further l the political interest of the working 1 classes in that city. It is the pur- pose of the League to form a league l in every city in the state if possible:
 Preamble.
 Believing that the organized labor CTS, by reason of the very fact that i they are present organized, are the most competent to look after the po- litical interests of the working class, and believing that without such or ganization these interests will be ig- nored by the lawmaking powers in the future as they have in the past, the Central Labor Union of Bridgeport, Conn, acting under the guidance oi the American Federation of Labor, does hereby organize the Union h. dependence League, to be composed exclusively of the members of the var ious labor organizations of this city.
 Membership.
 Every member of this organization must also be a member in good stand ing of a labor union and must pledge himself to champion the principles of the Union Independence League and give political support to the candidates nominated or endorsed by it. | Every member must be willing to show his working card as evidence of his good standing in his union when called upon to do so by the body, upon two weeks from the time it is demanded.
 Upon evidence of any member giv- ing political support to any candidate opposed to the candidates supported by this body, or of any member an tagonizing it's principles, he shall be expelled.
 To maintain in the City of Bridge port a permanent political OrganiZa- tion. composed of union men who are , willing to place the interests, not of organized workingmen alone, but of the entire working class, above all other political party affiliations which they may have: men who consider the call of this political organization as g imperative, and are willing to sacTl- fee all other political connections when such connections conflict with 6 the purpose of this organization.
 To support the platform adopted ana n carry on a campaign to make 1t ef- fective: to endorse such candidates as ;, best represent our principles and at , the same time have a reasonable chance of election; to nominate candi-
 
 destroy the custom of blind old party fealty among workingmen and pull down from leadership in trades unions v the political labor fallirs" who never e bolt their party no matter who Ii nominates.
 Platform.
 l. The members of the Union 1ndepen- dence League believe that the follow 'f ing platform represents the principles ] which if enacted into law would be fol o the best interests especially of those l., citizens of Bridgeport who have only their labor to sell, and also for the
 best interests of the general public F., as the working class is the most mum u erous class in the community: r We are in favor of the representa-
 tive principle in government. Division a of labor and expert service are valu
 able in legislation as in other things. IS But in order to eliminate the evil O
 corporation control which now attaches
 to representative government we favo if the immediate passage of statut'
 providing for the initiative and refer
 endum.
 By this means Aldermen and legis Il lators may be elected just as they arr "a now, with the exception that no ac
 not necessary for the immediate pres e ervation of the public peace, health O
 safety, shall go into effect except with er in fifty days after it's passage if cit. d ordinance, and within ninety days i N it is a State law.
 d If within said time 5 per cent. O
 the voters require such act or ordin le ance to be submitted to the voters i
 shall be so submitted, and shall no
 be a law unless a majority of tn n voters voting in said election shall ia
 vor it.
 d And be 1t further provided that l
 any council or Legislature shall refus ;e to take action upon any matter as tn
 people shall desire, that upon peti
 ton signed by 5 per cent. of the le s gal voters of any city, or of the Stat
 if the matter concerns the State, Sal, 7, proposed law shall be submitted to tn . people, and shall become law upol l, the approval of the majority of tn ', persons voting upon such measure.
 By this means the State will retail
 the advantages of representative gov
 ernment, united with the advantage re of the New England town meeting L. which has produced results so splendi y in the history of our country. ar We are opposed in principle to tn
 existing system of representation, an in shall not cease our efforts for consti
 tutional reform until the State is gov a erned by its manhood, one vote fo
 one man, and each mans vote as goo
 as the vote of any other man. h. We demand the passage of a la'
 permitting actions for damage to b ld heard by a jury upon the petition
 either party in a case. We denounc as the denial of this right, as barbarou:
 unknown to the other States of thi
 Union, and as a blot upon the fai 1t name of our State.
 ,. We demand home rule for cite: H. within their sphere, believing that eac :, city should be it's own judge as t 'd whether it will do it's own proper bus