The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-27
Initiative and Referen-.
dunn Criticized in Rich
mond Speech. 4.
MEETS HUNDRED
AT DINNER TABLE
Probable Presidential Candidate
Guest Of M. c. Patterson.
Byrd Commends His Shun-
ming of False Gods" s
Other Speakers Add
to Occasion.

! Criticism of the initiative and refers
endum as principles of American gov-
eminent marked the after-dinner
speech of Representative Oscar w. I'm
derwood, of Alabama, at the Common
wealth Club last night. You cannot
tell me-" he said, "that tho people OF
| this country are more able to adopt
an honest measure than to select an
! honest man" i!b
Ills argument was directed toward
tho proposition that the people know
when n candidate is honest and Tan.
trust him to legislate, when they might
not master the intricacics of proposed
| Legislation. IN
One hundred guests OF Malvern c.
Patterson were seated at tho dinner
rendered Mr.. Underwood, who is chair
man OF tho Ways and Means Commit
too of tho House of Representatives
and q probable candidate Tor the pres-
idency of the United States Tho
gathering was representative ono
| OF tho men OF Richmond, and 1t was
the generally expressed opinion that
the impression made on them by Mr.
underwood was excellent. 4
| Petitions Easily Secured
The referendum itself was not sa
vicious. said Mr.. Underwood, and he
instanced tho fact that with safety.
state Constitutions and bond issues for
| PUBLIC improvements are referred 20
| the vote OF the people at large But
tho initiative. in his Judgment, was an
entirely different proposition. He eave
some examples out of his experience
with petitions. to Indicate how easy
1t would DO to get signatures for any
document which any ono might wiah
to have submitted, or for the nppoiIt-
ment of any individual, no matter
4 how unworthy E3El7 81
The burden OF HIS argument waa
that the principles of government
enunclated by Thomes Jefferson aro.
sound and basic; that no forceful ar
snment for the abrtdgment OF repre-
sentative government has ever come 10
itsht ana that such modern formulas
OF lewnalStnR az tho initiatiyei asro
dangerous and unnecessary. IT As ,v4th,,,
inc power of the people in a. rapubIio.
ne thought to accomplish anything
they may please at the polls, and thai
| they had as we'll try to breathe tbas
breath of lifc into dead body, 10 II,
| provide remedy for a condition ,ybic,2
is Intrinsic In themselves. }isi',. -
AS to the referendum. he told IS Oh
inc salmon fisheries on the Columbia
River in Oregon. where nets were ,,sed
In one section and water wheels In an.
other. BY the use Of legislation bv tbs
| people. instead OF by represen Ia tiyes
the followers of each method forbade
Inc use of the others devices. with tho
| result that the salmon Industry on the
! river was practically killed. ,l
iIns Avoided False Gods.
Mr.. underwoods position received
Endorsement from ct least one source
Richard Evelyn Byrd Speaker of tba
House OF Delegates, who was frss
presented by Toastmaster Eppa Hunton
Jr. MIR. Byrd complimented the Alos
pama ConGressmans clear voice in ops5
| position to the false gods of tho mi.
tiatiVe and referendum. He also COM.
mehded the vote OF the guest OF honor5
against the pension bill-"that assaults
upon the country at large" Mr.. Byrd
also referred TO the emigration OF men
OF brains from the South to the North,
| and spoke of Mr. Underwood as an ax-
| ample OF opportunities that exist TN 4
| this section. 80
AN especially warm reception was
given the speech of Rev. George W.
S m,l D. D.. OF the First Baptist
church. He made many clever allu-
slons. such as: "a Republican Is a fool
under restraint; a Democrat is a fool
ut large" DR.. Mcdaniel said that MIR
Underwood had reconstructed the DEM
ocratic party in the House of Repre-.
sentduves, and he praised his saSacity[
anu the qualities OF leadership which
need of conservatism in dealing with
the big problems OF tho day.
Keep Him In Congress.
senator Claude a. Swanson recallGu
me TACT that when he was In Congress-
the Birmingham district sent q new
man every two years, while in later
days II has kept Mr.. Underwood in Com
sftss--a tact equally complimentary to
the man and to Tbs district The prob
lem of tho day. said the junior SEN
ator, was the advances or predatory
wealth on the one hand and OF Social > 4
ISM or the other, the Democratic party,
standing between, c. ID. LanShorne
| spoke briefly. r TX
Mr. Underwood was the last speaker.
The progresslvencss in the Republi-
! can party OF to-day. said the Ala
hainian. is leading toward democracy
and hot beyond II. He described the
| Progressive Republican as one heading
toward democracy. 8 t9sgS
Mr.. Hunton read IL letter from Presi.E
dent Edwin a. Alderman. of the Uui.
versity of Virginia. regretting his IN
ability TO DE present. and speaking
Of Mr., Underwood as worthy son or
the university. s99.35fb
Tho following were among tho !.
guests: Il; 4< KS b
Oscar ", Underwood, Senator claud d 4
~. swanson, Mayor D. G. Richardson.
Licuterant- Governor J. Taylor Ellyson.s &
Rev. George w. Mcdaniel. D. d, Dr.
George Ben Johnston. Eppa Hunton.#
Jr.. George w. Stevens, NJ c. Branch,
John Kerr Branch. Speaker Richard !
Evelyn Byrd. Judge James Keith,A
John Lamb. f:ghert5G. Leigh. Jr John I
Stewart Bryan. Is. NJ Patterson. I'd.
ward ]. WINS, Joseph r. Willard. c.
D. Eanghorne, W. I'll. II aiiatoti; HI. Sc