East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-03-21

public will be interested In reading
the following article from George
Ogle OF Molalla, to show It was the
offspring of Max Burgholzer OF
Washington county, says the Salem
Journal:
Seeking to answer the question,
"Who Is the father Of the referen-
DUMP" one IL reminded of the obser"
vatipn of Alexander Del Mar, that
Searching for the beginning OF q
custom is like tracing river to its
source; we soon discover that It has
not one source, but many
A like difficulty is encountered in
definitely marking the boundaries Of
credit to be assigned TO the so-called
dcoverers Of great scientific or eco
nomic truths, for as Robert River La
None has recently pointed out and
termed "the law Of double or multi
pie discovery" that, When the con-
ditiops are ripe, the new idea always
occurs 10 moro than one man, that is
the same upon different minds" and
cities as instances, the simultaneous
independent discovery of the theory
of natural selection" by Alfred Rus
sell Wallace and Charles Darwin, and
also the discovery or recognition Of
the three basic theories Of scientific"
socialism by Kary Marx and Freder-
lex Engels.
Although il is questioable II this
theory Of multiple discovery" can be
elevated to the dignity OF a law. GER
tain II is that direct legislation is not
the product of one mans brain, but
is rather a growth not invented by
anyone but aided and directed by
many.
While having existed In more or
less form from the earliest antiquity
in the German states and probably
I'm Greece and Rome: direct legisla-
ton as now understood and applied
is Of comparatively modern origin
for even In Switzerland, the so-called
home OF the referendum, the federal
referendums date only from 1874 and
the federal initiative from 1891.
True, the practice was applied
somewhat earlier IN many of the can
tons. or states but as late as 1860 only
about one-third of the Swiss possess
ed the referendum.
Who was the Father OF the REFER
endum?" Hard to tell, because there
were so many, but the one who per-
haps nearest deserves the title. and
whose writings most Influenced the
Swiss legislators, was Martin Ritting
house. a German social reformer, who
published In Paris. in 1850, that series
of articles entitled "Direct Legisla-
tion by the People" which published
in book form. stand today as models
OF literary and economic merit
The Referendum In Oregon.
But I wander from the text. Come
10 our own state, who was the pio'
neer of the Oregon movement? Was
II w, S. U'Ren, or Alfred Luelling, oI
]. II. McMahan. or w. S. Vanderberg
None OF these, although each, as wei
as dozens of others too numerous TO
mention. rendered valuable service.
No real "Father OF the referendum
in Oregon: who made the first clar-
ly defined effort to popularize the
"Swiss system" preceding these 9TH
ers nearly a year and whose name
should always be held in greatful re-
membrance. is Max Burgholzer, for
merly of Buxton, Washington coun-
", now OF Eugene.
Proof? Plenty. The files of the
IN. w. Reform Journal" published
in Portland by r. II. McGill, are evil
dence that Max BurgholZer antedatec
by a year those who received theii
inspiration from ]. w. Sullivan's "Di'
rect Legislation" mot published til
1892, and made the first systematic
agitation of the democratic form o.
government in Oregon.
A sketch of the Swiss system In
California labor paper first set hin
thinking these lines and he begar
"hammering away" as he expressed
It, on his new hobby; subscribing FOL
Swiss periodicals. translating ant
adapting to oregon conditions.
One of his first articles, the earlies
that have, was Defect in Our Con
stitutlon," published in the Reform
Journal" of May 2, 1891. July 25
same year, argument for incorporat
ing direct legislation IN state plat
form OF Farmers Alliance, also sug
gesting for equal suffrage, with edu
catlonal test for voters. August Is
letter on money question August 29
one on Referendum" September
another Referendum" letter. glvin
some Swiss political history, ais
showing uselessness of our institu
tion of state senates and urging abo
lltlon of same.
April, 1892, letter of Land Loans,
closing with direct legislation argu
ment and urging his readers to sen
for Sullivan's book Gust published)
July 81, 1893, letter on Banks an
Taxes" August 25, same year, bega
series OF articles on Initiative an
Referendum" running for sewers
months.
Later he write for the "Hillsbor
Democrat" then the "Missoul
World" and other populist paper
also the Capital Journal" (Col Hot
er's paper), where he punctured d
Driver, who was talking against d
rect legislation. But his efforts hay
not been confined to writing by an
means, for instance, in the campaig
of 1900 he made a house-to-hous
canvass of his county (Washingtor
distributing literature and talking d
rect legislation.