Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1913-10-16
National Popular Government
League With Committee Of
so, Launched at Capitol.
URGE POPULAR MEASURES
First Undertaking Will Be to Secure
Enactment of gateway" Amend
ment to Federal consti-
tuition.
BY JOHN sNuRE.

SdlliZeu campaign Tor In6 SO-Calleu
gateway amendment to the constitu-
ton, for the initiative, referendum, re-
call, direct nomination and election of
the president, direct primary, prefer
entail ballot, effective corrupt practice
acts, and other constitutional and legis-
lative measures to democratize politi-
cal machinery and establish popular
government was inaugurated this week
with Washington, D. c., as headquar-
tiers.
BY the inauguration of this campaign
the popular government movement in a
form which is at once conservative and
radical is now on a national basis.
league" and its committee of so we'll
known men, including senator's and
representatives of all parties, as well
as college professors, publicists and
other leaders In the popular govern
ment cause will direct the legislative
ton.
Reason for League.
The eason for the Inauguration Of
this movement is stated by its founders
to be that the great reforms which
are to be striven for ARE in the most
critical period OF their history" judi
son King, secretary of the league, and
for many years a writer and lecturer
on and lobbyist for popular govern
ment, puts the case this way:
IA most astute and successful cam
paign is being waged against these
great reforms. Where they cannot be
defeated outright they are being emas-
culated by ingenious jokers. If they
are not to be striped of their effec-
tiveness as they are adopted from now
on they must receive most powerful
support and expert guidance"
Owen Is Chairman.
At a meeting at the Cosmos club,
Senator Robert l.. Owen, democrat, of
Oklahoma, was chosen chairman Of the
committee of so" Representative
William Kent, of California, who be-
George w. Norris, of Nebraska, repub-
lican, and Senator Miles Poindexter, Of
Washington, progressive, were chosen
as vice chairmen. The other members
of the committee are as follows: SEN
ators Ashurst, of Arizona, democrat;
Bristow, of Kansas. republican: Robin
son, of Arkansas, democrat; Chamber
lain, of oregon, democrat; Clapp, Of
Minnesota, democrat; Hollis, of New
Hampshire, democrat: Lea, of Tennes-
see, democrat, and Myers. Of Montana,
democrat. Representatives Crosser, Of
Ohio. democrat; Heating, of Colorado,
democrat; Kelly, of Pennsylvania, pro-
crat; Lewis, of Maryland, democrat:
Manahan, of Minnesota, republican;
Mayor Baker, of Cleveland, Ohio;
President Barrett, of the National
Farmers union; Judge Becker, of In
diana; Herbert Bigelow. president of
the Ohio constitutional convention;
Mayor .CotteriIl, of Seattle; DR.. John
Haynes, president of the Direct Legis-
lation league; Prof. w. A. Henr, Of
Madison, Wis; Frederic c. Howe, di-
rector of the Peoples Institute; Regin-
aid Mopp Hull, CT Cambridge, Mass;
TD~~f r r. &c NJ ,,~,s
versity; Dean William Draper Lewis, of
the University Of Pennsylvania Law
school; Herbert Quick, editor of Farm
and Fireside; Prof. e. A.. Ross, of the
University of Wisconsin; DR.. Walter e.
Weyl; George Fred Williams, Of Bos-
ton; Prof. Charles Zueblin; DIR. Charles
Mccarthy, of the University Of Wis.,
consin, and a dozen or so others.
Outline Of Work.
The work of the new league is to
consist of three main branches. The
first is a bureau Of Information upon
all phases of the popular government
movement. This bureau has already
been established at Washington under
the direction of Judson King. 1t prom
Uses to furnish accurate data to legis-
%lators. speakers, editors and others.
Second, the league proposes, by means
Of a kind of legislative reference
bureau, to furnish standardized forms
of carefully prepared model bills, based
on intensive study of the practical
workings of popular government. Third,
propaganda work aiming to spread the
necessary facts for popular government
campaigns.
First Undertaking.
The first popular meas
ure which the league will press upon
congress is the so-called gateway
amendment to the federal constitution
Senators Owen and LaFollette in the
upper chamber, and Representative
Chandler, of New York, in the House,
have introduced this amendment. Ac-
cording to it's provisions, constitutional
amendments may be proposed by a ma
jority of both houses of congress-, or by
either house alone, in case the other
house twice rejects a proposal, or by
10 states. Proposed amendments to the
constitution would be submitted. moi
to the legislatures of the several states
but directly to the voters of the natioa
for approval or rejection at q general
election. An amendment would bt
adopted by a double lnajority"-thai
is to say, by a majority Of all the voter!
thereon in a majority Of the states. DR.
Charles Mccarthy, the we'll known di.
rector of the Wisconsin Legislativ Ref,
erence library. says of this amend.
ment:
Il think the gateway amendment i.
the greatest issue before the American
people; they need to be educated upof
the necessity of this great amendment
Without it they can never realize com.
plete liberty or the true purposes Of TIL,
constitution itself. Without it we ar,
In constant danger of having the guar.
antees which ave come down to u;
even from Magma Charta construed b,