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

W 41dl liz VSA ~ ~ al J a
out any resort to force or violeno.
FOR INITIATIVE
AND REFERENDUM
This leads me to consider a yerv
fundamental proposition. l d. NJ,
know whether you have CONSIDERED
down here to any extent what
known as the Initiative and referer-
dunn You see I annot keep track
Of everything done in all the States.
and l have. l think, gotten more be
lind in h hast two years than any
previous two years. because l hava
| had less time 70 read the papers since
| March 4th. 1913, than | have had be.
fore in Is years. l suppose | cannot
now spend more than an average ID.
Is minutes a day reading the papers.
but, my friends, what l nave to say is
just as good whether You are ad-
vanced or behind in consideration u
the question TO which l now ask your
attention, and to me it is immater.al
what you think on h subject, for l
have long since passed the point
where l try to make what ! say pleas
ing to those to whom | talk. l owe
so nue. to the American people, and
in the course of nature have so little
time to pay back the debt. that ] am
trying to do my duty and not trying
to court favor or TO make friends,
and besides, do not want any friends
that have to be made by pervertine
the truth or cOncealing what / believe
to be an important principle, Cap
plause.)
Il AVE been an advocate Of the lni-
tiative and referendum now for nearly
10 years. The convention which sent
me to the Chicago convention as d
delegate, adopted a platform declar-
ing its favor of the initiative and the
referendum, and | have been in favor
OF the initiative and referendum.
therefore, for more than 18 years.
Adopted by Many States.
i was chairman Of the committee
that in 1896 reported to the Nebraska
convention a plank in favor Of the in
~itiative and referendum. I believed
in it then and 1t that time we did
not have SO much encouragement as
we have now. Since that time il has
been adopted in many States and il
has been adopted in States north and
States south, States east and States
west, SO that it cannot how be called
a sectional issue, and there is nothing
in it that would make it a sectional
issue at any time, because there is not
. a principle involved in the plans that
. is not just as applicable to one part
: OF this country as to another.
J Il have found people who did no,
know what the initiative and refer.
$780,, ~1A 1Ia>
I When in the Summer or spring OF
: 1895 We adopted a platform with the
$ initiative and referendum in it the
!, Republican paper of my home town
: made fun OF it, and would you like
to know just what kind OF humor We
: were subjected to Then I will give
: it to you as near as ] can. The papeI
r said next morning, When Mr.. Bryan
read that plank about the initiative
t and referendum the delegates looked
at each other in surprise, and one del
t egate said to another what's that "
h The other delegate said, That &
t new kind of Democratic drink" and
t the paper said it went through IN
~animously. Laughter.)
Republican Paper Converted.
q Now that's h way the LEADING
paper Of my home SPOKE
Of the initiative and referendum, tn.
y first time we put it in the Democrats
platform in Nebraska, but / lived Z
see that same Republican
four a ago last summer endors'
the Initiative and referendum ant
y lead the fight for it in the Republican
party. | saw every convention II
Nebraska endorse it that year ant
saw 1T made a part of the constitu
: ton or the State of Nebraska as a re
suit of the action Of the convention
n submitting it to h people OF Ne
'e braska. / have seen the doctrine be
J. come a part of the constitution 0
le Oregon and Washington in the ives
and OF Maine in the east; / have Seel
s. 1t adopted as far as Montana and Da
kota IN the north, and as Tar sout
D as Arkansas; n there IS nothing j
1T it that ought TO make it sectional, an
"a the only question that people have t
Is | ask fhomSolJaC in CnnClfoT1nQ m