The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-09-11
Movement Started As An
Aid to Adoption of Direct
Primaries
MUST GET TOGETHER
FOR ORGANIZATION
Edward J. Ward, Originator
of Idea, Backed by La
Toilette, Wilson and
Many Others


10 the adoption of direct primaries III
New York, a movement is to be start
ed here to establish Social Centres
by permitting neighborhood communt~
ties to have the use of pubic Scnool
buildings in which to meet and dis
cuss politics.
The idea originted several years ago,
and since that time has gained muSh
Roadway in the Western states. Cali
fornia and Oregon within the last year
have passed a law authorizing that
schoolnouses be heated and lighted at
public expense.
Sneh men as Governor Woodrow
Wilson, of New Jersey. and United
states Senator Robert Nj. La Fol-
iette are enthusiastic over the oppor-
tunity afforded by Social Centres for
free and open discussion OF political
questions. They will both speak a.
the first national conference Of So
cial Centres to be held in Madison,
Wis, in October.
Edward j. Ward, now connected
with the University Of Wisconsin, who
was the originator OF the idea In this
state before he moved from Roches-
ter, was asked to-day to telegraph To
the International News Service what
effect In his opinion, the establishing
OF +SUCfat Centres would haXe on
the movement fer the initiative, sef-
erendum and recall. Here Is what he
says:
BY Edward j. Ward.
| MADISON, WIS, Sept. 1o.--The
only way, that you can beat a bi-par-
tisan political machine Is by organ
| i1ing the citizenship OF a community
| into bipartisan, or, rather, an orn-
bipartisan political machine. That
means Social Centre organization, With
/ SaF1.e4haFt~,. NJ ia WrarkfnR 69
I The most important thing Ia our poll
/ ties We have forgotten, We have for
| gotten that We, the people, are the
| soserninent--not YOU nor l. but all o1
as together.
Ii We don't get together, govern
inent is not organized. only our ofti-
! Cials--our hired men.-are organized.
We have buildings for these hired men
| TO meet tn-the City Hall, state House
at Albany, Capitol at Washington. But
We have no buildings FOR the Amerl-
can government to meet in.
Government of Democracy.
The schoolhouse Social Centre" il
going to be the government OF Amerl-
can Democracy, the citizens common
fcounciI chamber; the hall of the
Am erfcan legislature, the suurnIne
court room.
Direct primaries, initiative. referen-
dunn and recall, are the instruments OF
/ Democracy. Give these Instruments
/ To the orchestra. They cannot play
unless tnej get together. And the or
chestra can't use Instruments to play
7 New tunes and produce good music
unless they practice. Even so the
citizens cant Use the instruments Of
Democracy and solve new problems
With them unless they practice to.
gather.
The Social Centre is the citizens
common council chamber for the
Initiative, the Americans legislative
hail for the referendum and the final
supreme court for the recall.
democracy is a task. 1t must Ie
| learned. 1t is an art. It must be
kpraeueed. t@3tixens nast gather, tre~
Iquently TO hear both sides OF public
Questions. They must discuss freely
They must understand how to decree
justly and Judge wisely.
Organization Is Necessary
The Social Centre Is Il means of
making the citizenship capable of
using the initiative, referendum anu
recall. Already it Is recognized in Ore
gon. for example, that citizenship or
ganization Is absolutely necessary az
a basis for the intelligent use Of init
iauve, referendum and recall There
Is strong movement in that State to
lorganize the citizenship-wtth school
houses as centres.
The need of Social Centres as the
basis for the initiative, referendum aud
recall is recognized by leaders in Wis
consin also. and is coming to be un.
derstood throughout the country. Peo-
PIE can't initiate laws intelligently
i without discussion any more than
their reptesentatives can.
If you Nafer questions to body for
decision; tNe body to which you re-
fer them must get together.
The people can't use the recall Just
ly IL they don't know their public
servants personally. Public servants
can't Set TO the people and be known
To them unless people get together.
What Others Say.
Senator La Toilette says:
Social Centre organization Will
make progress conservative and sure"
! Governor Wilson says;
/ 1T is essential to self government
Mayor Schubert. of Madison savs.
1T is necessary to the progress of
the cities
/ Councilman Wright. of Buffalo
says;
e"Tt1e interests set together arr or
ganize and they get things When
you citizens get together In social CEN
tres you will get thing~."
ATTrH VyTrsuVUA vAY