Evening journal., 1911-02-11
INITIATIVE And
REFERENDUM
Necessity Of Such a Law
Urged in Behalf Of Repre-
sentative Government

Editor Of TEE EVENING JOURNAL.
AS we learn tho influence OF big
business in moulding Che laws oi
land the necessity for the initiative
and the referendum in support Of
rep ~esentative government becomes
more and more apparent In shaping
legislation special interests alone are
active, while The great mass OF the
people are at home working for
living The shrewdest representa-
tives that trusts can employ are busy
at every law making centre. When
Congress is in session every trust has
its ablest lobbyist at Washington,
every minute chat any legislation af-
fecting the interests is under. con-
sideration. but there are no mechan-
les, no farmers no Gle ks, no miners
lobbying there for their interests.
A recent Investigation in the Leg
islature at Albany has brought u
light that one lobbyist representirs
half dozen corporations. absolutely
dictated every bill of consequence
that was passed II is a notorious
fact that not one bill affecting the
system is passed in the Pennsylvania
Legislature without the approval Of
Boies Penrose The Guggenheims
WELD the same power in Colorado.
The corruption fund controlled the
Legislature Of Illinois. Similar pow-
er is at work in eve-y other Legisla-
ture. Lobbyists use the most plausi-
bic arguments their fertile minds can
devise to influence Legislatures. III
they cannot convince By slick argu-
ments they bribe If they cannot in
huence by argument or bribe they
telegraph the corporation they repre-
sent TO warn obstinate legislators
that unless they get in lire thew w1l
not return at the next election. After
the lobbyists pull their strings bills
are almost certain to go through in
the shape the interests want them.
Years of such One-sided nre~sura 0p
legislators give US convincing PROOF
of the necessity for the initiative 10
compel action on stihe1 le
and the referendum to allow the peo-
pie, as well as the trusts to put their
approval on bills The peonle are
ginning to realize this. This accounts
for the wonderful p 'ogress OF the
initiative and referendum i'm powi-
larity They are weapons which i'm
sure fair legislation for the many. Ths
people cannot afford to lobby, but
they can and are determined to be
rep -esented right on questions that
vitality concern them One of our
evening papers tells us that VIC
should hold fast to our present system
Of representative government So we
shal, but it must be representative
VIII this naper please evniaf"
/ the Legislature of Illinois elected
Lorimer to the Senate? Did it ren-
resent the people Of Illinois2 Was
it. the people Of New Jersey that gave
Governor Wilson such a hard fight
90 elect MARITIME? or was IT the i'm
terests? Is it the averaFs woter that
is creating the corruption fund to
buy the votes Of his fellow voter? Or
is II the special interests that wish
TO control the Legislature that they
may get such laws passed that they
may plunder the people? le n u
the interests Of the people that the
corporation attorney is kept at Dover
or Is It I'm the interest of their special
p pivilege?r DO the people have a lob
byist at Dover in their interest? Does
the paper which opposes this reform
inform the people of the intent of tina
corrupt bills that are presented by
the corporate interests? On the con
! trary does it not rush to the aid 1f
corporation and heap abuse on anyone
who does inform the people? We
need and must have the initiative and
| referendum. otherwise we cannot
have true representative government.
Yours truly,
Observer
Wilmington, Del, Feb. 10.