The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-07-06
FEDERATION OF LABOR +
DOMINANT IN montana
Initiative and Referendum Meas
ure Passed by Legislature
of That State.
Its Provisions Apply to Statute
Law and All City
Ordinances.

as ordered by the voters last Novem-
Der. At the November election the
people adopted constitutional
amendment for the initiative and ref
erendum, the majority being to i.
Recently the legislature installed the
system by the passage of two bills,
which the governor has signed. The
people's-rule system applies to statute
law and to ordinances for cities and
towns, except that the referendum
does not apply to appropriations by
the legislature.
Secrecy Associated Press.
Notice Of the passage of these bills
was not sent out by the Associated
Press. The new had to travel through
the mails. A letter by the president
Of the Montana Federation of Labor,
Mr.. Alexander Fa1rgrieve, announces
the passage Of the bills and copies
were enclosed. He states that the
bills were prepared by the State Fed
Grafton of Labor and passd without
alteration. The System for the state
is patterned after the Oregon plan,
while the municipal system has sew
eral new and progressive features.
Federation Of Labor Triumph.
There were several attempts to
side-track the bills but without sue
cess because the Federation. Of Labor
was behind them
This is the second time that the
Montana Federation Of Labor has been
the dominant political power in the
state. The first time was when it
secured the passage of the constitu-
tional amendment for the initiative
and referendum. The start was made
in 1902. The executive council of the
State Federation issued circular let
ter to each of the central and local
| unions In the state requesting them
10 at once appoint two committees,
| one to call upon the legislative candi-
dates and request them to pledge that
| If elected they would vote to submit
a constitutional amendment for the in
itative and referendum, the other COM
| mittee to circulate for signatures
| among the electors an agreement to
| vote only for such candidates as should
| pledge to vote for a restoration Of ma
! jority rule. After election day, petit
| ton to the legislature were printed
| and circulated throughout the state,
| and during the session when the initi-
alive and referendum amendment was
up for consideration seven to fifteen
| petitions were read daily. This was
continued twenty days, and the house
passed the bill, but the senate refused
it the necessary: two-thtrds; but this
so aroused the voters of the state that
in the next campaign the y political
leaders. Wed with each other In de-
claring for the initiative and referen-
dunn, the state conventions Of both the
leading parties declared for the meas
ure, and the next legislature submitted
it. Now the legislature has installed
the system.
Questioning Of Candidates Commended
| Thus in Montana the non-partisan
system Of questioning candidates for
the restoration of the peoples rule has
| succeeded. The next step is to use
the newly acquired political power.
| Organized labor can be depended upon
to continue to do its part. and the
farmers will assist In proportion as
they organize themselves into oranges
or farmers unions. Women suffra-
gists, too, can be depended upon.
! In 1902 the executive council Of the
Montana Federation of Labor prophe-
| sled success for the initiative and ref
erendum when it started the move
n1ent for questioning candidates. The
closing paragraph of the first circular
| letter to the local unions In the state
| is as follows:
| 1--WE urge you to put your shoulder
to the wheel, and to leave nothing un-
done that will lead to success. United
and unflagging effort will accomplish
our end, and then all the else will be
easy, and Me credit will 60, not to any
one political party, but to organized
labor Of Montana
Movement In Other States.
| Montana is the third state to pos
sess the initiative and referendum.
The South Dakota system became OPP
erative, March, 1898, and that of
Oregon in 1902. Nevada has the ref
ererdum, and I'm 1900 the people of
Utah adopted constitutional amend
ment for the initiative and referen-
dunn, which three legislatures have re-
fused to put into operation. The leg
1slatures in two other states, Missouri
and Maine, have recently submitted a
constitutional amendment for the initi-
alive and referendum. In North Da-
kota, too the legislature that recetly
adjourned, submitted to the next leg
islature the question of submitting to
the voters a constitutional amendment
for the initiative and referendum. H.
linois and Texas possess tho advisory
initiative. In Ohio the legislature Is
pledged to submit constitutional
amendment for the Initiative and ref
erendum. It will meet next January
The Delaware legislature has granted
to the people of Wilmington, it's prin.
cipal city, the initiative and referen-
dunn. The Idaho legislature has in
stalled in the city Of Lewiston, the in
itiative, referendum and recall. In
Pennsylvania the lower house, BY
unanimous Vote, passed a bill for the
Initiative and referendum for cities
and boroughs. In New Jersey a sim,
liar bill lacked but four votes in the
house.. In Washington the lowe,
I