The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-09-01
The Referendum" Aeain
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The Referendum Is of interest. be- cause Mr' Bryan has recently said that
 1T it is good for state 1t is good in
 that larger fieid--the nation. And he
 wants it embodied in the platform of 1908 as a principle of Government. What Is the Referendum? This is now an important question. MT. Watson. in his magazine, August
 number says; By Referendum is meant the right of the people to have submitted to them, for their approval, any proposed law before the Legisla- tnre shall adopt 1t. Refer 1t to us say the people to their legislative rep resentatives. That is the Referen- dum.'
 Yes. that is it.
 By the 1nitiative.' Mir watson says, is simply meant the beginning by the people themselves of such laws as they suppose themselves to need"
 Yes, that Is it. So we have it from the national leader of the Populist Party what the initiative" and the Referendum" signify. Of course ref erence is had to these in their national application. With their national im- port this article deais.
 How to Begin.
 How do you apply the 'TnitiativeT What is the beginning processY How do you begin?
 Mir. Bryan, in his New York World article, says you begin by petition" to Congress. Petition by any respect able number of citizens, color not men, tioned. These citizens embody what they desire tosbe the law of the land in petition" It becomes the im- perative duty of Congress to then "re- fer" to the people of the nation for their approval the said petition.
 When so referred 1t becomes then the Referendum. The legislative repre- sentatives in Congress become the me- alum. They receive "the petition. the application for the new law. Congress can enact 1t into new law of them selves. but if not. the petition must be referred to the people en masse to be determined by the popular vote of the people Of the nation. A majority of the votes cast, by white and black, determines thes fate of the matter re- ferred. A majority approving, 1t be- comes the duty of Congress to enact it into national law. The people at large in body become the law-making pow CT, and the representatives in Congress act as convenient agencies for putt legal form. The Congressmen become a sort of Government stamp and seal to legalize the performance.
 And under the Referendum" in the absence of . petition, Congress can shirk the responsibility of legislative action, and refer any measure to the people. Had the Referendum" been 2 law, Congress would have Nreferred the Harrison force bill to the people at large, and with what result we of the South shudder to contemplate. Hap. 1 pily for us, the West and East got iio i whack at us at that time when North | srn sentiment was so radical and SO bitter.
 The Thad Stevens Referendum.
 Thad Stevens, as Chairman of the House Committee on Reconstruction, I reported his bill. But John sherman | had passed the sherman bill in the sem | ate which followed Lincoin's plan and | put the reconstructed States in statu | quo ante-belluIn, with the franchise I where 1t was before the war. But l rhad stevens and Sawyer, of wisconl l sin. and Charles Sumner effected q fIi- | buster with the Democrats, promising | them a much better bill after the 4th | ,f March. Sentiment was with the l Senate. haiiing the Sherman bill as a measure of paciAeation and restoration. But Stevens finally defeated the Sher- man bill in the House.
 Then what did he do3
 He took his reconstruction bill to he people.
 He instructed the freedmen's bureau n the South to get at "optrages" bs. wesn whites and blaeks--to put the outrage mill" to work on fuii time,