The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1906-04-26
PARTY RULE A FAILURE
American Federation of Labor to Co.
operate With Organizations That
Favor Rule of People In
stead of Party.
stead of Party.

II
of Labor says: The publication
few days since of an outline of the
program whereby the American Fed
Grafton of Labor is cooperating with
referendum leagues, organized farm
ers, and other organized interests
that are opposed to machine rule
and private monopoly, to not only
elect congressman and senator's who
will represent the peoples interests
but also to Systematically question
all candidates SO as to secure, as the
result of this years campaign, the
establishment in the national house
which the voters can instruct their
representatives by direct ballot, is
creating unusual interest
''The owners of every private mo-
nnpoly in the land" continued Sec
rotary Morrison, ARE beginning to.
realize that a national battle for the
peoples rights, along new lines, has
opened. The program though it is
new to most of the monopolists and
to many of the politicians and news
paper men is really several years old,
and already has won great number
of victories, with promise of pro-
nounced victory this year, now that
the peoples revolt against machine
rult has spread SO thoroughly and
there is an increased interest in our
program. and the further fact that
there is no presidential campaign to
divert the popular interest"
When asked for details Mr. Nor
rison said: THE victories referred to
are those for the establishment in
the people of right to direct vote
on public questions-the initiative
and referendum and the advisory in
itiative and advisory referendum.
The establishment of the system
transfers the sovereign authority
from the party in power to the peo-
pie. The peoples rights to this fun
damental reform has been wrung from
the legislatures in Delaware, Illinois,
Texas, Oregon, South Dakota, Mon
tana and Utah, with the referendum
established in Nevada also with
three-fifths of the legislature pledged
in Ohio, and with vote in the Mas
sachusetts house of SO to 2, while
success this year is assured in Maine
and other states, besides the brilliant
prospects for the national campaign.
1.-The procedure whereby the peo
pies right to a direct ballot on pub
lie questions has been and is being
secured is primarily through non-par-
tisan organizations, such as trades
unions, referendum leagues, Oranges
and farmers unions. They are not
only demanding in general terms
that the peoples sovereignty be re-
established but are questioning the
nominees of the party machines and
are publishing their replies. This
raises the issue and gives it publicity
and the voters do the rest.
For example, last year in Ohio the
candidates for the legislature were
questioned and the democrats all
pledged favorably while most of the
republicans refused to pledge and the
result was that enough of the repub-
licans scratched their tickets toll
elect a democratic majority in the
senate and almost democratic ma
jority in the house. The democratic
representation in the senate was in
creased nearly ATS per cent.
This year, owing to the favorable
conditions | have outlined, there
should be unquestioned success I am
informed that representative men
among the business and professional
interests are organizing themselves
into referendum leagues by counties
and it is expected that every district
in the country will soon have its
league Farmers state organizations |