The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1912-12-21

everywhere should be thoroughly
alive to this danger and not content
| themselves with merely the election
! Of candidates pledged to the "prin-
ciples'' of direct legislation: Before
every. member of the legislature leaves
his home to take up the duties OF
state it should be put squarely up to
him whether or not he will work and
vote for an honest amendment. He
should be waited upon by committees
and individuals and questioned upon
the vital features. Everywhere he
| should be confronted with the fact
that the people want an instrument
they can use-not one filed with
deadly "jokers:'
II the member of the legislature
says he is mot familiar with Details"
he should be instructed: at once, by
men who know the subject.
The grave danger the whole move
ment is in. from amen .@"who> are not
familiar with, the Details" may be
understood from the astounding fact
tnat-- In the states which actually
have adopted some form of direct Leg
1slat1on In state affairs, seven states
have provisions which render the In
it1at1ve and referendum of little or
I no value to the people. In seven
states which voted last month upon
the adoption Of an Initiative and Ref
| ernendum system submitted to the
people thereof. six voted on amend
ments which have wicked jokers or
incomplete or are worse than MOTH
Is our present record and standing!
The real fight from now on will be
to get workable amendments to the
| present constitution of Minnesota.
The big interests cannot stop our
progress; but they can sidetrack this
movement, unless great care is taken,
and this is exactly what they are sue
ceeding In doing.
The special question which should
be put to all members of the legis-
lature are these:
/. Do you favor applying the In
ttiative to Constitutional amendments?
2. Are you in favor Of the stand
ard per cents on petition. s per cent
for the Referendum and 8 per cent
tor the Initiative, like Oregon and
California. or do you want more than
this. and IL 50, what?
:. DO you. favor a loose or we'll
protected emergency clause?
:. Do you favor. the. adoption .of
measures by a majority Of the vote
cast thereon" or do you demand a
majority Of "all votes cast in the elec-s
| tom"
s. Will you. work for a modern,
| up-to-date and efficient method Of
Informing the voters concerning meas
ures to be voted upon. like the Ore-;
son publicity, pamphlet system. and
give the people Opportunity. to Ale
are ume nts for, and against measures?
Study the; results. Of the actual
working OF. the Initiative and Refer.
endum, or travel in those states which
have had sad experience" with :':jek-
ers." and you will discover that every
| one Of these questions are Of the ut
| most importance-provided you want
| an amendment with which the people:
can do things. ..:
Perhaps our most deplorable dan
ger 10 from real friends Of the nove-r
ment who are willing to compromise
on details in order Ito get something
done." not knowing the fatal char
acter Of their concessions. A bad
amendment is worse than none at all.
Remember that because a man calls
himself progressive" Republican,
Democrat or what not, proves moth.
Ing. Many OF the "progressives'' in
the last sessions Of the legislatures Of
Kanas, Illinois, Nebraska, Wfcontn,
Minnesota, California and other states
| wanted Is per cent petition %, and
many other unreasonable things. The
"progressive' legislature Of wyoming
passed an amendment providing for
Is per cent petitions and two other
"jokers," any one Of which kill the
| value of the amendment. The Initia-
tive and Referendum is now in the
| hands of the politicians-it is time
for its friends to watch what is done
to tt. "1 r '>r.