The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-02-02

di .Iat the man had occasion 70
70 10 .hlcago and SO he said TO the
n 4'o -. 1ou mentioned the subject
Vi transportation recently. could
use a pass now But the lobbyist
SAID You voted against our bill, The
representative replied Do Won mean |
20 say Q expected to purchase me
with q pass? Well the other re-
plied. We expect our friends to be
friendly. l am not permitted 70 olive
the balance of the conversational
doesn't look we'll in print: but that
was an instance.
Keep Tab On Him.
Another mar went to another road
and said he wanted a pass. and the
man there in the lobby looked over
a list he a and at the list Of the
votes on the bill affecting his railroad.
and he said to the Representative
You voted against US and we cannot
glve you a pass Two great railroads
centering in Washington expected the
pass to influence the votes.
M friends the pass does influence
votes; uncOnsciously possibly. but it
influences.
w had a case out in Nebraska
k this: Il man had a case before the
Supreme Court and he met on of the
judges n day and said TO him Judge,
you nave a pass on a certain railroad
which has litigation before you The
judge replied Yes Then said the
other. How much do you suppose it is
worth to you in the curse of a year?
Well replied the judge, I don't live
far from here, and 1 do not suppose it
saves me over $100 a year" Then the
man took 500 from his pocketbook
and handed it to the judge md said,
Please take this, for I want you to
feel as friendly to me as you do to the
railroad (Laughter.)
Illustrates Influence.
Now L only mention these things
to show you how influences are
brought to bear on the legislators to
win them away from the representa-
ton of their constituents. You can
afford to relieve yourselves Of tempta-
ton, you can afford to stand out repre-
senting our people. and if o ann
represent them you can afford to re-
sign and let somebody else represent
them n trust to time for your vim
dicatiOn. and if you have the initiative
and referendum you will be relieved
to a large extent, of the temptation
that o are subjected to when you
do not have the initiative and referen.
dunn.
Supports Popular Government.
: Il believe that the initiative AND
. referendum is the most powerful in
: huence that we have invented in re
9 cent years to support popular govern
ment and to avoid the destruction o
popular government; it perfects popu
: lar government and when you hav'
the initiative and referendum you
drive the lobbyists from the capital.
Let me show you how the initiative
and referendum principle operates
Suppose that a bill is presented her
e which is not wanted by the lobbyists
e Under this system where you have n
= s-sA ok.r0 @~ 49,
O acts Of the Legislature are conclusive
there is a powerful temptation on tn
part of the lobbyist to keep the Legis
lature from passing q bill he does nc
n want passed. But suppose you hay
q the initiative and referendum; the
le If the lobbyist comes to a legislator tn
= legislator tells him, Tt is no use, tn
a people want this bill and if we don
Re pass it they will pass it themselves
Y it won't help you for us to kill it, bl
le it will kill u.s.
20 sIt puts h interest of the 1egisla
ne tor or the side of the people and give
OF the people a power to enforce the
. will and so if you want to kill q. hi
&c you have the power to do it. IF the
o. people who have a special interest
VS. legislation secure the passage OF
1t measure the people can veto it; al
1t why shouldn't they?
lie Veto Power of Governor.
1s Il don't know whether in this Sta
re your Governor has the veto powe
at Someone informs me that he has nc
b = at all. Well, in some States the Co
Nv ernor has the veto power. In son
We States it requires a twO-thirds m
.ir iority to pass a bill over the veto
id the Governor.
st asked the question as to yor
State, because the argument has mo
force ever If the Governor has n
rs. the veto. The question is if the Go
he ernor ought to have the right to We
es, that which the Legislature passs
ur why should not the people who elect
it, both the Governor and the Legisl
he ture have a right to veto hat viii
lat their representatives have one
GU cit all goes back to faith in t
people, and if you nave the faith
the people, that I believe democra
requires, you will let the people ha