The Washington herald., 1910-06-13
Rx WILLIS ]. ABRoTT.

/
proclaiming himself against Cannon and
the rules. but had hardly reached the
House Of Representatives when he be-
gan voting for the Speaker and all his
works. and has done so consistently ever
since
Throughout the nation. two years ago,
a great political party won a new lease
of power because It gave 10 the voters
the impression that II intended 10 revise
the tariff downward Straightway it pro-
ceeded 10 revise II upward. and chaI-
lenges its critics to find anything in the
official utterances Of the organization
specifying what kind of revision had been
promised
Individual and party instances like
these fix the mind of the Student of pub
lie affairs upon the need Of some ma
ehinery for putting on record explicitly
the promises Of candidates for public
Office. and insur'ng redress to the public
If the pledges be violated.
Circulated Among Democrats.
A plan 10 meet this need. within the
ranks OF the Democratic party. has been
carefully prepared by an advisory COM
mittee. and is being circulated among
members of that party.
The committee. which IS merely the
nucleus about which a nationwide or
ganizaton will be formed is composed
of United States Senator's Robert L.
owen. of Oklahoma; George z. Cham
beTlain, Of Oregon, and Francis G. New
lands, OF Nevada, and Representatives
William Sulzer of New York: Charles
ID. Carter and Scott Ferris, of Oklahoma:
Edwin A. Newman. Democratic national
committeeman for the District of Co
lumbia. and George H SHIRLEY. also of
Washington. whose indefaugable work in
| the Peoples Rule" is known By all
Democrats everywhere.
The tentative plan of the organization
is voiuminous. II has been sent TO lead
ers Of Democracy throughout the nation,
and copies may be had from any men,
Der of the committee or from the acting
secretary. Mr. SHIRLEY. Bliss Building
Washington.
Briefly, it proposes the organization
within the Democratic party Of a body OF
men willing to push the work Of making
public servants more Immediately respon-
sible 10 the public: Of establishing the
peoples rule in fact where Il now exists
too often only In theory.
The organization beginning with the
ward, district or county will be federated
into a national whole II viii be self
supporting through the payment OF dues.
It's officers viii be elected By the methods
| of proportional represer tation and subject
TO recall If their action 6ispleases a ma
jority Of the members. Finally the Sc
lection and disposition of measures
within the organization viii be by the
methods of he initiative and referen-
DUN; by postal vote. as now applied sue
cessfully in so many States or lesser
communities.
Some Issues Involved.
It is apparent to the advisory commit
tee that different issues viii appeal 10
the declarations in different States. On
this subject the proposal says:
I'm New England and in all the other
Eastern States the practically unanimous
demand is for direct nominations. includ-
ing the nomination OF candidates for the
United States Senate. In the Middle
West and West the insistent demand is
for Improvement in the existing system
of direct nominations and for the initia-
tive and referendum
Throughout the nation there is a
strong demand for publicity for campaign
funds before the election; that expend-
lures by candidates shall be limited;
that the corrupt practices act. the reg
istration system, and the Australian bal
lot shall be thoroughly up-to-date. as in
Oregon that The representatives in the na-
tional House shall be directly chosen
The people win readily agree TO the is
suance OF publicity pamphlets by the gov
eminent at their expense.
"In municipal affairs the Des Moines
plan OF city government. which includes
the initiative. referendum. and recall. is
sweeping the country.
1t is clear that in city. state. and na-
ton the voters are practically unanimous
in demanding certain improvements in
the system of government. What is need
ed is the establishment of an auxiliary
organization within the Democratic party
10 raise the needed peoples rule issue
and the people win protect their In
tereSts."
For Power Of People.
These issues. it will be noted. are all
along the line Of strengthening the power
OF the people over lawmakers and public
officials generally They might be called
matters of primary legislation intended
to make 1t more certain that the demands
OF the people. or a majority of the peo-
pie, shall be erystallized into ultimate
legislation.
Given an organization sufficiently strong
numerically, and with a proper system
of canvassing by mail. and every candi-
date for public Office from the prospective
delegate to.a nominating convention up 10
a nominee for Congress OF the United
States Senate can be put emphatically
on record on such issues as the Demo-
cratic federation may look upon as para
mount.
1t is idle. so the promoters of this fed
GRAFTON claim, TO urge that party plat
forms ill this need. There is sound phil
osophy in the well-worn joke that politi-
cal platforms, like those of railroad cars, |
are made TO get in on. not to stand on.
Under the ideal system, which the
Democratic federation hopes to put into
effect, every delegate to a pending con-
vention would be put on record as to his |
position on mooted questions. and the
declaration of principles of the party, |
either State or nation. accurately fore
cast weeks before the body meets
Ideal State Campaign.
Under this system the course of a state /
campaign would proceed somewhat in |
this fashion: Every Democrat seeking to /
become a delegate TO the convention /
would have to put on record his position [
on the questions declared by vote with /
in the federation to be the vital ones /
of the day Every Democratic candidate I
for nomination. either by convention or |
direct primaries. would likewise be cues
toned. and his answers made a mattes
of record.
With growing public recognition OF
the need for straightforward men in /
public life. effort to evade or ignore the
issue would prove more disastrous to the
candidate than a frank espousal Of even
the unpopular side. With the candidates
and issues Joined there would be pub l