Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1908-03-17
THE REAL FATHER
OF REFERENDUM
Max BurghOIzer Best Entitled To That OnOr'-ln Far
merS Alliance PIatfOrm--StOry Of Who's WhO and
Why? By One Who Knows From MOalla--River of
Many Sources

| haps nearest deserves the title. and
whose writings most influenced the
Swiss legislators. was Martin Rit-
tinahausen. a German social refor-
mer, who published in Paris. in 1850,
that series Of articles entitled "Di-
rect Legislation by the People" :"
which, published in book form, stand
today as models of literary and eco
nomic merit. But | wander from
ahe text. Come to our own state,
s~ho was the pioneer OF the Oregon
movement? Was II w. s. U'Ren. or
Alfred LuellIng. or l.. II. McMahan,
or w. 8. vanderberg3 None OF these.
although each, as we'll as dozens OF
others too numerous 10 mention, rem
dered valuable service No real
Father of the referendum In Ore
gon; who made the FIRST clearly de-
fined effort 10 popularIze the Swiss
system" preceding these others near
az a year and whose name should al
ways be held in greatfnl remem-
brrnce rs Max Burgholzer, formerly
og Buxton. Washington county. now
OF Eugene. Proof? Plenty. The
files of the ~. w. Reform Journal"
published In Portland by T. II. Nc
ON, arc evidence that Max Burg
holzer antedated by a pear those who
received their inspiration from J. w
sunlvan's "Direct Legislation" tnot
published tlll 1S92). and made the
hrst systematic agitation OF the DEM
ocratlc form OF government In Ore
gon.
A sketch OF the Swiss system In a
California labor paper first set him
these lines and he began
began "hrmmering away" az nc ex-
pressed Il. on his new hobby; sub
acrlbing for Swiss periodicals, traus-
lating and adapting To Oregon condi-
tions. one of his hrst articles. the
ealiest that I have. was Defects in
Oar Constitution" published In the
Reform Journal" OF May 2. 1891.
july 90. same year. argument for
Incorporating direct legislation In
state platform OF Farmers Alliance.
also suggestion for equal suffrage,
with educational test for voters.
August i5 letter ON money question
August 20. one on "Reierendum. "
September g. another Referendum" "
letter, giving some Swiss political
history, also showing uselessneas OF
our institution OF state senates and
nrglng abolition OF same April
1899. letter on Land Loans" clos
Ing with direct legislation argument
aud urging his readers 20 send Tor
suliyans book Gust published)
July "a. iS9a. letter on Banks and
Taxes" Augusl 20. same year. be-
gah series Of articles on Initiative
ana Referendum. running for sew.
eral months. Later he wrote for the
"Hnlsboro Democrat. then the
Missouri World" and other Popu-
lisl papers. ALSO the Capital Jour
nal" (Col. Hofer's paperl. whore he
punctured Dr. Driver, who was talk
ing against direct legislation, But
his efforts have not been confined TO
writiRg by any means, for instance
In the campaign OF 1899 he made a
house-to-holse canvas OF his county
Washington distributing literature
and talking direct legislation. So
that Oregon was pormealed TO some
extent with dlreci legislation ideas
before Sahlyans hook was ever pub
iished 10 such an eNien, that, am
informed. was OWING to the influence
OF the oregon delegation and Nathan
Pierce ia particular that direct lysYs-
lasion Was recognised ln the Omaha,
platform OF July, iSss.
So much for Max nurgholfer's
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