TaÌˆgliche Omaha tribuÌˆne. [volume] (Omaha, Nebr.) 1912-1926, 1917-02-28

voice, before they are plunged
into war by any vote Of yours
Therefore, we most earnestly
urge that you Senators and Re
presentatives order a referen-
dunn Of these questions to the
people themselves, and that the
majority of the votes cast in
that election be considered
binding upon you when you act
I'm YOUR OFFICIAL CAPA-
CITY upon the questions SO
submitted to the peoples de-
cision.
That you have the power to
go to the country for an express
sion of the peoples will is
beyond the question.
The Constitution both by inn
plication and by direction, gives
you the power to order and to
regulate elections OF all kinds.
The Constitution also ex-
pressly recognizes THE PEO-
PIE as the fountain Of all
power, including the power of
deciding to make war or peace.
The Tenth Amendment reads F:
THE powers not LEG
ED to the United States by the
Constitution, nor prohibited by
it to the States, are reserved to
the States respectively, OR TO
THE PEOPLE"
The Tenth Amendment was
rated in 1871, SO that it is
practically an integral part Of
the original Constitution.
The Declaration Of Independ-
ence and the Constitution are
rightly construed to recognize
the inherent, inalienable right
OF the American People to in
struct their Government to do
the will Of the people and,
even in emergencies grave
enough to justify such an ex-
IRENE measure, to unite in con-
vention or by referendum to
change the forms and the per,
sonnet OF their Government
sovereign right which will me-
yer be exercised as long as
their representatives truly re-
present them and maintain the
time-tried Constitution in its
original force.
Il has been urged that the
Constitution prescribes no form
of holding a referendum cleo
ton. But that is an ignorant
objection.
The Constitutional grant Of
POWER TO the Congress to
do any act presupposes the
power Of Congress to prescribe
the llethod OF performing the
act; and the. recognition Of the
reserved sovereignty Of the peo-
pie presupposes the right to
prescribe a method of ascertain
ing the sovereign will.
You have, Senators and Re-
representatives., the undoubted
power to take the suffrages of
the American people as a guide
to your representative action
in this troubled and trying
time-and we think that you
should do that very thing, both
to find sure guidance in your.
own perplexities, and to exhibit
to a world being slaughtered
and wasted by governmental
folly and wickedness a noble
example Of what free govern
ment and representative rule
can do for a free people.
If the people, by their ballots,
claim protection as peaceful
merchantmen; il they decide
that Americans who 60 abroad
and into dangers zones must be
protected even at the cost Of
war; if they decide that this
nation should interfere in for
eign wars and prescribe the
methods by which belligerents
may carry on war; if they de-
eide that on these accounts we
should declare war upon either
belligerent group-why, then,
the voice of the majority set
those matters, and we will
all make ready for war and go
to war, united and willing to
our best.
And on the other hand, If the
of the people say nay
TO these propositions, then we
should NOT declare war and
should not insist upon the
Tor captures and the
Of "felonies on
the high seas and offenses
against the law Of nations"
Mr.. Lansing has formu-
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