The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-07-22
LABOR NOTES or
vide INTEREST

The initiative, referendum and recall
as applied TO the administration of pub
lie affairs, and for which organized la
Dor has always commended, is constant
ly growing in favor, and the truly pro
gressiye element of every political part I,
have accepted this doctrine as a govern
ing principle. The agents OF special priv
ilege are, OF course, bitter in their de.
nunneation of the proposal to enlarge
the peoples power in legislative mat
tiers. The average politician is very
practical fellow when it comes to max
ing the best of good thing that the
other fellow pays for. Like the kings
and mobiles of old, the political manipula
tors of the present age, among them
selves, simply say, We've got this gov
eminent in our grip, and we'll not take
the people into the gang" The plain
| English of the whole proposition is that
instead of a democracy, we are being
governed by an elective aristocraey, In
stead of popular sovereignty, and gov.
eminent of, by and for the people. we
have government by few for the leg
/ islators and the Hobbies, bosses, rings,
trusts, monopolies and the particular
party leaders who control the whole
|
government is fettered and from which
the soul of liberty has flown.
| The solution of these governmental
| ills lies in a representative system guard
! ed by provisions for popular initiative,
adoption and veto of laws, and the re-
call of officials who fail to carry ont
the will of the people as expressed in
the approved laws. The initiative and
referendum is therefore an indispensable
safeguard in the making Of laws. Thr
initiative enables the people to propose
and adopt measures that the legislature
may refuse TO enact, and the referendum
places an effectual check upon the final
ity of a representatives acts.
The recall does not appeal to the
spells hungerng office seeker, to whom
the division of political plumber is the
height OF patriotism, nor to the bene-
fieiary of special privilege, who takes
particular exception to applying the re-
call to the judiciary. which they in
dignantly refer to as legal terrorism
Impeachment they hold is the proper
way to dispose Of dishonest judge.
However, the people themselves are the
ones directly concerned. and they should
have the right to employ and discharge
for reasons that seem sufficient to them.
Judges must learn that they are but
servants. and not masters Of the people.
No honest Judge need or does fear the
recall. It is only terrifying to those
who elect to safeguard special interests.
Judicial usurpation is the greatest men
ace to our liberties. Let us therefore
take heed and apply the remedy in
1,r h. - So
peaceful solution for impending ills NAV
60 by. and we shall be confronted with
the need for more heroic, yet less de-
sirable, methods.
The city school board OF Aberdeen,
Washington, has inaugurated night
school for the purpose of giving those
who are not familiar with the English
language an opportunity to study Eng
lish and also to secure information
through this medium At the first ges-
sion of the school, 81 applicants pre-
scented themselves, and at the end of
the first eight DAYS, 2S6 names had been
placed upon the roster. The applicants
range in age from 10 to go years and
include Swedish, Finnish Polish, Ger
man, Norwegian. Italian, Russian, Aus
trian. Greek and Bohemian races. All
attending the school are deeply inter
ested and the action of the school board
will undoubtedly be crowned with gem
erous results.
A recent Issue Of The Artizan, labor
paper OF Hoyoke, Mass, states that
the Regal Shoe company of Whitman,
Mass, has ben added to the list of !
union stamp factories by the boot end |
shoe workers unioh. For number OF
years efforts have been made by officers |
OF the boot and shoe workers union to
enter into contractural relations with
the Regal company As result, an
agreement has been secured and the |
factory will operate as union factory |
henceforth.
The unions Of the city OF Salem, Ore,
have succeeded in having the city coun-
ell pass an ordinance providing that |
resident laborers shall be given the pref |
erenee over non-residents with contrac-
tors on public work. At the last elec
tion, the city charter was amended to
the effect that resident laborers should |
have the preference and the ordinance /
carries the amendment into effect,
No greater tribute can be paid to the /
labor movement than to re-
count its meritorious and self sacrificing
deeds. In the city of Portland. Oregon,
an incident occurred that shows /
not only fidelity to principle, but plain
ly emphasizes the altruistic spirit per-
vading the membership of our unions.
Several years ago Mrs. Eva Shaffcr
was left widow with five children to
She was without means and
was compelled to exercise the most /
rigid economy to support her children
and keep them at school. With COM
persistence she struggled on,
but. as misfortune seldom confines It's
operations to any prescribed area. the
brave woman was met with further re-
verses. Her little home was DESTROYED
BY fire. thus making her struggle doubly
hard But the good Samaritan did not
iail to put in an appearance this time
The carpenters local union took immedi-
lte action and secured donations of lum-
Der from the lumber yards and mum
Der of union carpenters volunteered TO
-ebuild the little home, which has been
completed and without costs to the I'M
fortunate widow. IT is deeds of this
,haracter that make for the imperish-
Utility of the unions of labor.
The Passing Years.