The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-04-20
MACHINE RULE DOOMED
IN THE UNITED STATES
Legislatures All Over the Nation
Favor the Initiative and
Referendum.
Opposition of Breweries and Pin
Head Politicians Relegated
to Oblivion.


to Oblivion.
Without debate. without amendment.
and without a dissenting vote, the
Pennsylvania House of Representa-
tives has agreed to terminate machine
rule in cities and borougs, and the
bill now goes to the senate. The bill
Is for the immediate establishment of
a system whereby the people Of cities
and borougs can ballot direct on mu-
nic1pal questiOns-the initiative and
referendum.
Two weeks before this the house,
also by unanimous vote, adopted a
bill for popular election Of United
States senators.
Last year at a special session the
Pennsylvania Legislature amended the
ballot law and esta blished a direct
nomination system.
Verify we are witnessing the ter
mination of machine rule in Pennsyl-
vania. The final power as to legis-
lation, as we'll as to nominations, is
being transferred from the machine
to the people. The establishment Of
these direct vote systems places the
final power in the people. 1t is the
Peoples Rule.
Reports from Iowa.
This year Iowa Is making a record
for political reforms. The legislature
has framed and adopted a new and
improved system Of municipal govern
ment for cities, has devised new form
Of direct legislation for the state,
which system has received more than
a majority vote in the house, and the
legislature will doubtless provide for
popular election Of United States SEN
ators.
Reports From Maine.
The Maine legislature, by unanimous
vote, has submitted to the people of
the state the question of installing a
direct vote system for public questions
the initiative and referendum.
This is the fourth Of this years
states that have submitted a con-
stitutional amendment for the peoples
rule. The states Of Oklahoma, North
Dakota, Missouri and Maine. Nine
other states are we'll along In the
initiative and referendum movement.
namely: Massachusetts, Pennsylvania,
New Jersey, Delaware, Wisconsin,
Michigan, Minnesota. Iowa and Penn
sylvania Eight other states have the
direct vote system for public questions
or the people have adopted the system
or the legislature is pledged. The states
are Oregon, South Dakota, Montana,
Utah, Nevada, Illinois, Texas and
Ohio. The total number of these
states is Fl. Nationally 100 Of the 386
members of the national house are
pledged to the immediate establish
ment Of the advisory initiative for
eight topics. and Of the advisory re-
ferendum for all measures passed by
congress or by either house.
Delaware in Line.
The city of Wilmington, Delaware,
is the first Eastern city to possess
the initiative and referendum system.
This years legislature installed it and
the initiative is being used. A petition
signed by more than the required 10
per cent of the voters, has been filed
in the mayors office, requesting the
submission Of the following questions
at the June LIST election:
Shall the Mayor and Council rec
ommend the same system of assessing
property as is now in vogue in the
city Of New York and elsewhere,
whereby separate assessments are
made of property and the improve
ments thereon, instead Of the entire
property, as at present?
Shall the Mayor and Council rec
ommend that the city shall publish a
minute and comprehensive statement
from time to time of all moneys re-
ceived and expended by it?
Shall the Mayor and Council rec
ommend that assessors and collectors
be bonded by regularly authorized
bonding companies?
Shall the Mayor and Council rec
ommend that street railways be re-
quired to repair and maintain such
portions Of the streets as is now re-
quired by law, and also repair and
maintain their cars in manner tC
best cater to the convenience and COM
fort of the publc?'
In New York State.
The New York legislature with only
one dissenting vote has enacted law
establishing the optional referendum
for Chatauqua county, to apply tc
measures passed by the board of su-
pervisors authorizing the expenditure
Of more than s25,00O
The Grange proposed the bill and
organized labor backed it. This COM
bined action by the city and county
voters has Immediately succeeded
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