Evening journal., 1907-05-28
Wilmington, May 2s.
Question Devoid of Politics.


Question Devoid of Politics.
Editor The Evening Journal.
Every thoughtful citizen recognizes
the powerful hold that party loyalty
maintains on the average man; hence
it is that tho machines" and bosses
shrewdly play on that string. When
ever they desire TO confuse voters at
election time; whenever It is to the
interest of the 'machnes" and the
bosses" to defeat a measure, they
sing the song-"The Party."-A few
moments serious reflection should con-
vince the honist voter, the citizen, the
taxpayer. who Is interested IN good
government. that the mere fact that
machine politicians" and political
bosses" are against measure, is o
powerful argument why the honest
voter, the well meaning citizen, should
be for that particular measure.
on Saturday June I. we citizens OF
Wilmington are TO vote on five im-
that the BOSSES" the machines" and
special privilege in general are against
every step in the progress OF the
Initiative and Referendum; not open
ly so. for in the face Of the almost
unanimous vote in favor Of the RE
ferendum" last fall. those gentlemen
are too foxy to openly oppose. But
they are whispering. throwing out in
situations; the one set Of "machinists
are whispering "it's q Democratic
scheme;" the other sets Of "machln
lists" murmur Its a Republican
scheme" Fortunately. those who keen
records of passing events in the max
ing of history are able to make clear
that the marvellous growth Of the
Initiative and Referendum" is a spon-
taneous movement on the part OF the
people. that has forced itself TO the
machines. the bosses" i'm both par
ties. The delegates to the National
Democratic Convention seven years
ago favored the Referendum" in
spite OF the bosses" In Nebraska ter
years ago the representatives, Of the
people in the Democratic state Con-
vention favored the Referendum" in
spite Of the bosses" In Buffalo, n
Y, the people Of both parties forced the
Referendum" in spite Of the bosses
Of both machines" In Republican
Cincinnati the people have forced the
issue in spite of tho bitter antagonism
of both machines" In that rock-rib-
bed Republican State Of Maine tho
work goes on. forced by the people
despite all the protests of bosses" Ir
our own State of Delaware the voic'
of the people last fall was so power
nj n
Republican Legislature and executive
obeyed the demand of the people OF
Wilmington for the advisory ''referen'
dunn" The American Federation OF
Labor declared for the Referendum
in 1905; the State Grange of Pennsyl'
'Vania endorsed the Referendum" IN
1908. In New Jersey AN act provid'
ing for the Initiative and Referendum
was passed by a Democratic House o.
Representatives. IL was concurred IL
by the Republican Senate. and signet
by Governor Stokes, a Republican
Henceforth machine rule" In th'
cities of New Jersey is dead; the fina
power in municipal affairs rests viii
the voters. In Massachusetts a ma
jority OF both houses Is pledged to es
tablish the advisory Initiative in stat'
affairs.
Herbert s. Bigelow Of the city o
Cincinnati recently published a lettei
containing an account OF q most strilS
ing example OF the tremendous beue
nt Of the Referendum" TO the peopli
OF any community. The city OF Cincin
natl is the owner Of q steam railway
In 1896 the politicians. the machines,
devised a scheme 10 sell that valuable
property. The State Legislature an,
the City Council obedientiy "dxed'
tnlngs; an the preliminaries were vom
plete. and the splendid property wal
20 go for a song lowell, somebody
but it CHANGED that some wise mem