Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-10-29

! perform But when the men thus
delegated fail to perform their duty
then ii should be In the power Oh the
| people themselves TO perform IL
And President Wilson in his Kansas
/ City address on MAY g. lSll. SAID
/ If We felt We had genuine representa-
! tive government in our state leglsla'
lures, no one would propose the initia-
/ tive and referendum. They are being
| proposed now as means OF bringing
our representatives back 10 the con
sciousness that what they are bound
to do is to represent the sovereign
people, whom they profess 10 serve,
and not the private interests which
creep in by way OF machine orders
and committee conferences. might
here quote the views OF the twenty
two governors of the above named
states all OF whom have highly
praised the Initiative and ReIeren'
dun. The City OF Ottawa Is under the
commission form OF municipal govern
ment and as such the Initiative ana
Referendum has been in force there
for nearly nine years. In all those
years neither the Initiative or Reler-
endum had to be invoked even once.
They acted as the guardians OF the
peoples sentinels or policemen
on duty. ASK the citizens OF Ottawa
whether they would abandon those
measures.
1t is only the obscuranist and tn"
reactionary who are opposed 10 these
measures and by that ! do not meal
the Better Farmers Association, but
rather those who have misled them,
Bernard J. STANLEY ana myself are
in favor of the Initiative and Referen-
dunn and Gateway Amendment.
Charles f. Woodward and William J.
Seaman are opposed 20 H. Mr., Shan
ley and myself are pledged to support
the Initiative, Referendum and Gate
way Attachment il Il majority Of the
voters so instruct us by their votes
on November 4. Mr. Woodward and
Mr.. Seaman refuse 10 vote for these
measures, no matter whether the ma
JUrity or the voters vote IN favor or
those measures or not We leave il
TO the voters to say whose positions
are fair in this matter. | have made
some speeches in support of these
questions in different parts OF La Sale
County. In each and all Of those
speeches ! challenged Mr. Woodward
and Mr., Seaman to publicly debate the
questions at issue in this campaign, I
but they have refused to do so. I
new renew this challenge said debates
to be held in either Ottawa, fStreator (
or La Sale Ii they or either of
them have any sO&nd reason for not I
favoring these measures why not LEI
the people know it?
| also favor the revision OF our
revenue or taxation laws. Such re-
vision TO be made in such manner
as to place the burden Of taxation .
fairly upon all property in this state
| favor provision tina: compels all
leans on real estate secured by trust
deeds TO be taxed instead OF escaping
taxation. as they now do,
| am opposed to the prl posed short
ballot for the reason that it would
concentrate too much power in the
hands of the governor stead OF lear- .
ing it in the hands OF the people. ,
where it now is
II elected l. intend not only to vote
for these measures TO be Incorporated
in the Constitution but TO us all hon
Orable meanx to secure that end
/ am not politician and have never i
been candidate for office in my life. Il
have practiced law in this state for 1
more than thirty-fOur years and have 1
never been engaged in any other bust !.
ness or profession. eXcep- as when a 4
boy | lived with my family on farm
in the town ship OF Wallace and did
the usual farm work which boys on
the farm in those days usually did.
am seeking the position OF delegate
to the Constitutional Convention fer
the sole reason that | believe ] may
be OF some assistance in helping to
frame a Constitution that will fairly
and justly protect the rights of the
people in this state,-Ady.