The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1917-04-27

llllnOlS IlOuSc OF Representatives OH
endum bill. The speech brought for
was one OF the most telling ones de
1t is moral question, because back
of this question is the very heart, the
very seat of half of the crimes that
are committed in this state. ZAP
plause). Back of this question, gen.
tlemen, of the House, lies the reason
for the building of our jails, our peni-
<tentiarics, our aims houses and our
asylums. (Applause). Think of all
these things and then say that this is
not serious question, social, eco
nomic and moral question. 1t is more,
gentlemen of the House, than either
of these. 1t is question involving a
principle which is the very founda-
tion of all democratic governments.
1t is not limited to localities; 1t affects
the entire state.
In my remarks at this time, | want
to direct myself for few moments
to the members of this side of the
House, the members of the Demo-
cratic party, and will endeavor to
show you that this is the very prn-
ciple for which our party stood for a
number of years. (Applause).
Appeals to Fellow Democrats
! do this for two reasons, one of
which is that have learned from ex-
41,,o hat
do not have very much influence on
the other side of the House, and the
other is, because our party has for
years advocated the principle of the
Initiative and referendum. Gap
plause). It has been in our party
platform, time and again, and we
have urged it upon our people, and
urged our people to support our
platform, because we were primarily
party who went to the people to
find out what they wanted, and then
would try to put it into effect and
force. | want to say to you that this
principle of the referendum has been
advocated by Our party for years and
we are each day applying that very
principle in the transaction Of the bus
mess of the House; scarcely day
passes but some gentleman--even
some who have spoken against this
measure, will rise in the committee
and say that before voting upon this
measure, we want to know how Our
constituents will stand upon it--not
bnly do we want it, but we want to
find out how our people stand; that
is the principle of referendum and
that is the principle that is involved
here today.
Scarcely an indebtedness can be
created against a municipality or
against the state without vote OF
the people. Every proposition re-
quring the expenditure of any con-
siderable amount of money is first
submitted to a vote of the people to
find out whether or not they want it
and then only does the legislative
body act, and it acts in accordance
with the wishes oil the people. NAT
is the principle of the referendum;
that is the question that is before us
today.
| represent district representing
practically 125,000 people, men, wo-
men and children. | do not under
stand that / represent all the wisdom
OF that district. / do not understand
that bound up in me and my two col
fAagues, is all the wisdom of the dis
trict with reference to questions aft
fecting that district, or affecting the
state, but am willing to go to that
district, and willing to go to the state,
to find out how they want this ques-
ton decided. (Applause). | went
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