The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-05-19

| with their four United States senators,
| have been pledged to their support. All
| the labor organizations in the United
! States are earnest in tn advocacy for
a reform in representative govern
! ment.
Resolutions have been introduced in
| the support of these measures in the
Legislature Of Florida, but failed to
pass. If the people of Florida desire
to take part with the great army of
citizens arrayed to restore sovereignty
! to the people it should be made known
! to their fellow citizens, who are en-
| Enthusiastically engaged in this work."
Progress In Kansas.
In Kansas the recent state conven-
ton Of the Democratic party declared:
I'VE declare in favor OF the Initiative
and Referendum to the end that log
| ical selfgovernment may be realized
and the government brought close to
the people in all matters of import
| ance."
| The Initiative and Referendum, as
| matter of fact, is the essence of Demo-
| cracy. 1t opens the way for giving the
people a direct voice In all important
| legislation. We do not mean by this,
nor does the referendum apply, that all
| laws enacted by the legislature must
| first be passed on by a direct vote OF
the people before going into effect, but
that all important legislation, involv-
ing matters in which all the people are
| vitally interested, may, If a certain
number wish, be submitted to direct
vote for adoption or rejection.
The Referendum permits the peo-
| pie to sculpture their own ideals out
| of the clay of modern governments
of law.-(Crookston, Mimi, Journal.>
In Oklahoma and Indian territory
there, is widespread effort that is rea-
| sonably sure Of success, 1t Is said, to
| place the Initiative and Referendum in
| the system of government when the
| twin territories shall be admitted as q
state Z The Observation-Disclosures power In
a few politicians is creating a. change
of sentiment that calls for more direct
representation for the people. Hon.
! Selwyn Douglass, of Oklahoma City,
| says:
| There can be no objection to this
measure If it be conceded that the peo-
pie have the right to govern them
selves. Self government is the prin-
| ciple upon which the American states
are all founded. However, up to this
time, we have had little OF 1T in the
| Twin Territories Our legislatures
| have been corrupted and we have been
! corrupted and we have been constant
ly at the mercy OF the jobbers and
! lobbyists. By the adoption of this
| provision in our constitution and laws,
! we Will no longer be at their mercy
| and the lobby will disappear The de-
struction of the lobby of itself is suf-
fcient to justify the adoption of the
provision"
| Advices from Maine Indicate, says
the Peoples Sovereignty League, that
both the Republican and Democratic
parties will at their next conventions,
insert planks, pledging themselves to
| the Initiative and Referendum. The
action of the last legislature in defeat
ing the proposal has aroused the peo-
pie and alarmed the POLITICIANS. The
candidates for legislative office are De-
ing "questioned' by their constituents
all over the state, and most of them are
coming out flat footed for majority
rule and readily make the desired
pledges.
Commenting on the Recall recently
installed in the Seattle city charter,
the Seattle Post Intelligencer remarks !:
1T is certain that the councilman who
desires to hold his job will consult no
other masters that the people, and~ he
can acknowledge no other boss"
That is as it should be. No business
concern would select foreman or any
other employee whom they could not
discharge however unsatisfactory to
his behavior. VIII yshould q NUM-
cipality select mayor or a council
man or any other officer who cannot
be discharged for cause?
new application Of the referendum
is being made. The Erie Railway has
taken a vote of It's commuters into New
York City asking them whether they
prefer to use the chambers or the
Twenty-third Street ferry. The pur-
pose Is to get the wishes Of the people
to be considered in re-arranging some
terminal problems.
The fifteen senators Of sthe Mass
| achusetts legislature who voted
against the advisory initiative for use
| by the public In state and municipal
questions need not be surprised If the
voters defeat their reelection. The
man who said the public be damned"
is long since dead and his philosophy
has death rattle in its throat
In a considerable number of Texas
counties, petitions are being widely
sign ed asking that the questions Of the
Initiative and Referendum be passed on
by the the voters at the coming Demo-
cratic primaries lin July. I II suf-
ficient number OF counties instruct
their delegation to Nhe state conven-
tion. the principles will likely be adopt
ed and enacted into law, as there are
not many opponents Of the system in
Texas. $ssss