The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1914-06-01
Farmers Union Will Oppose
Initiative Measures
Tri-County Organizations of Southeastern Washington
Against All But the Prohibition Bill
twalla walla Bulletin, Sunday, May ~

to all of the proposed seven sisters
and all other initiative bills with the
exception of the one relative to pro-
hibition, delegates from farmers
Unions of Walla Walla, Columbia
and Garfield Counties in quarterly
session at Waitsburg yesterday, fired
the first gun of the battle which will
be made by that organization upon
the bills.
There was a large attendance at
the Waitsburg meeting, many OF
Walla Walla Farmer Union members
and also members from other organi-
cations in the county being present.
The resolutions adopted read as fol-
lows:
To the District Meeting of the
Farmers Educational and Co-Opera-
tive Union of America:
Gentlemen:-We, your committee,
appointed to consider and report at
this meeting upon the advisability of
supporting, as an organization, GER
tain initiative measures, numbered
from 6 to II inclusive, commonly
known as the "Seven Sisters" re-
spectfully submit the following re-
port:
Your committee has endeavored to
Law aside all questions of politics and
policy and view these questions from
the standpoint of the farmer and it's
effect upon him and his calling in the
practical every day operation OF his
business. 1t is not time for theories
or experiments because the farmer is
confronted by a condition which calls
for the closest scrutiny of pending leg
islation and the exercise of good Judg-
ment in his capacity as voter at the
coming election or the farmer will
assist, unknowingly, in his own down
fall. :,
Your committee has considered
these measures from the four differ
ent angles which represent the farmer
in the four different roles of employer
of labor, producer, consumer, and last,
but not least, as taxpayer.
We object to the submission OF these
measures at this time an account OF
the cost of the election to determine
they shall become laws or not. The
last legislature appropriated the sum
of $4,000 to pay the states part OF
the expense but the printing and cir
culating of petitions, the obtaining OF
signatures, checking, etc., will bring
the entire cost, to the state ana lndl-
viduals, of passing upon these ques-
dollars. A tenth of the sum would
paw for session of the legislature. 1t
is the opinion of your committee that
the initiative and referendum is in no
way proper instrument to displace
the legislature as part of the state
government but that all measures
should be first submitted to the leg
islature and, if rejected by the legis-
lature, should then be introduced by
the initiative only as last resort and
when it was found impossible in any
other way.
Blue Sky Law
Initiative Measure No. 6, the first
of the ''Seven Sisters is commonly
known as the "Blue Sky" law and is
intended to control the advertising
and selling of bonds, stocks, Sc
curities, lands, ETC., so as to prevent
fraud. Your committee regard the
enactment of properly drawn blue
sky law, that would eliminate fraud
upon the part of both buyer and
seller, as highly desirable in this
state. A measure of this character
would also be welcomed IN the
financial circles of the state, but it
must have information available for
the intending investor. which the
present bill does not provide, and it
must not impose too rigid conditions
upon legitimate business enterprises
desiring to locate in this state. The
prosperity of our commonwealth de-