The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-06-08
PARTY LINES DRAWN
AGAINST DIRECT RULE
In Most States Republicans 0p.
pose Adoption of Initiative
and Referendum.
Organized Movement Against the
Nomination of William
. J. Bryan.

In the contests in the following leg
islatures during the past few months
the Republican party has defeated the
establishment Of direct-vote system
for public questions, while the DEM
ocratic members have noted for the
system almost unanimously.
Massachusetts,, Rhode Island, Con-
necticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
Delaware, West Virginia, Indiana,
Montana, Washington, California,
Nevada, Utah, Colorado and lows.
In Ohio the legislature met last year
and the situation is the same as in
the above named states.
Oklahoma Is Progressive.
In Oklahoma the constitutional con-
vention has proposed the initiative and
referendum and the Republicans are
fighting it. President Roosevelts aid
has been solicited by Congressman
Watson Of Indiana and others, and
shortly afterwards in speech at
jamestown the president declared that
he was opposed to government by
mob," and he added: God willing,
this great republic shall remain what
our fathers who founed it meant it
to be- This is Federalst doctrine and
is squarely in line with Mr.. Roosevelts
sentiments as expressed in his books
Senator Lodge voiced the same idea in
a public speech last year at Brook
line, Mass carefully particularizing
that representatives should not be
mere agents.
In Maine. where the legislature has
submitted a constitutional amendment
for the initiative and referendum, it
is stated in the press of the state
that only two'Republican daily papers
favor the proposed system.
Mr.. Bryan Always True.
Nationally there is the same funda-
mental difference between the part
les. Mr.. Bryan's splendid advocacy
of improvements in the system Of gov
ernment so that the people shall rule
is meeting with determined opposi-
ton by the Republicans. In the con-
gressional districts there is the same
alignment, for the Democrats are fav-
oring majority rule in national, state
and municipal affairs and nearly all
the Republican leaders are opposing
it. The national platforms, too, are
exactly opposite. The Democrat tic
platform Of 1904 Declares: "Absolute
acquiescence--in the will of. the ma
jority, the vital principle o. republics.
This, and other fundamental principles
are doctrines which Democracy has
stablished as proverbs of the nation
and they should be constantly invok-
ed, preached, resorted to and enforced" !"
Within the Democratic party there
is an organized movement to defeat
the nomination of Mr.. Bryan, chiefly
ration of majority rule-a complete
and fundamental change in the ruling
class.
The trust interests are endeavoring,
also. to keep the initiative anu refer
endum out of the Democratic platform.
But in no case can the issue be side
tracked as in the past, for the new
system of politics known as question:
ing of candidates will prevent an eva
sion of the issue, and the voters will
do the best-they will take their peu-
ellis and scratch from their tick IS tho
names of those who refuse to pledge
for the restoration of final power in
the voters. The people will vote for
themselves. They will do this at the
primaries and on election day. This
they have already done in Ohio and
Oklahoma.
In New Jersey the Republicans de-
feated all the bills for the initiative
and referendum. 1t was enormously
reported by a New Jersey newspaper
that the Republicans had passed a bill
and that the governor had signed it.
In Delaware the legislature after it
had granted to the city of Whining
ton the initiative and referendum re-
fused to provide the state with the
advisory system, as the voters had in
structed for.