The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-09-22
NOM PARTISAN LEAGUE -
FOR THE INITIATIVE
Strong National: Organization
is Formed to Secure Initia-
. tive and Referendum.
Issues Strong Address to the
American People by Great
Progressive Body.
Especial to the Labor World

Washington, D. c., Sept. 10, 1906
1t has been made public today that
certain non-partisan organizations
have united upon questions to cam
didates for Congress, United States
Senate, Legislatures and Governor
ships concerning the establishment OF
a national d1rect-vote system for GER
tain public questions, having no less
an ambition in view than the destruc-
ton of machine rule.
The organizations that have entered
into this agreement are the American
Federation of Labor and the National
Federation for Peoples Rule The
latter is composed largely Of state
referendum: leagues, with vice-presid.
ents representing the Grange, Farmers
Union, Farmers National Congress-
immigration Restriction League and
other national partisan organiza-
= lions.
An address has been issued by the
National Federation setting forth the
questions, followed by a certificate by
the Labor Representation Committee
OF the American Federation of Labor
that the questions have been endorsed
by the American Federation Of Labor
and approved by the undersigned"
And the comittee adds: The A. F. of
L. compaign has for it's purpose i'm
mediate relief from wrong and in
Justice, and the establishment of the
initiative and referendum principle in
the political affairs of our country"
The address by the National Fedora
ton for Peoples Rule is in two parts,
the first Of which only is given out
today and is as follows:
To the American Peoples:
The undersigned, representing farm
ers, business men, wage earners, and
professional people, invites you to CO.
operate in non-partisan way to i'm
med1ately terminate the Rule of the
Few. Machine Rule must be termin-
ated. The Peoples Rule-your own
rule-must be re- established. In the
days of Washington and Of jefferson
our forefathers were the supreme
earthly power in this country, and it
is high time that we Of today should
establish our sovereignty.
Machine Rule, which we invite YOU
to help terminate, is the rule Of the
few through the convention system.
We, the people, vote but do not rule
The trick is that while the conven-
ton system IS so manipulated that we
are m1srepresented, we have been in
duced to refrain from re- establishing
directvote system for public cues
lions. If we realize this we can quick
ly and easily regain our sovereignty. .
Convention System: is Extra Legal.
The first step is to realize that the
convention system was gradually
established during the years 1921 to
1882, and that this was accom- plished
without any change in the constitution
Of the state or nation and without a
line Of statute law. And today there
Is little law on the subject except pro-
visions for voting at the primaries.
Each party controls it's own conven-
tons, and the successful party con-
trolls the constitutional government:
that is, 1t controls Congress, the Pres
idency, and the Supreme Court. 1t is
an unquestioned fact that the real
system Of government in this country
is extra legal. 1t is entirely outside
the constitution. It is machine rule.
The organization within. the dominant
party is the ruling machine.
The Fathers Aimed to Prevent Ma
chine Rule.
The trainers Of the constitution did
their utmost to prevent the establish
ment of machine rule This is evid-
enced by the provision for presidential
electors, and, until 1904, the require
ment that the president Of the
United States should be he who re-
ceived the second highest vote for
President. Under this system WASH
1ngton was elected to the head of the
Government without party controversy,
and he invited into his cabinet the
leaders Of the opposing factions
Majority Rule, 1900 Until Rise Of Con-
vention System.
But during Washington's term the
people ranged themselves into oppos-
ing parties, and before presidential
electors were chosen In 1896 each party
placed nominees in the field, the can
didates for presidential celebrates
being pledged that If elected they