Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-10-27
FARMER LEADERS
LAUNCH OPPOSITION
TO LITTLE BALLOT
TONS DIREC TORS RECON-.
MEND IN LETTER DEFEAT OF
|. AND r. FOR ITS OBJECTION
ABLE TAXING FEATURES.

Downstate forces are beginning to
get their eyes open az to the harmful
possibilities that lie within the pro
posed initiative and referendum and
Gateway amendment which Il group
OF Chicago radicals has succeeded il
having placed on the ballot for Nov
4. The executive committee of the
Illinois Press Association has just az
pealed for Il vote against them, and
now the executive committee of the
La Sale County Better Farming As
ISOLATION has sent out a letter to farm
ers urging no vote not only upon
these two propositions, but also upon
the third, which. they state, would en-
able the state, or any subdivision
thereof, to acquire any public utility
and permit such unit to issue bonds,
outside the legal limit, in payment
for such public utility
Reasons for Opposition.
The following reasons for opposi.
tion are given
The initiative and referendum, on
first glance, would appear to be an
ideal method of securing legislation
aud in theory is fair and just but
upon close study one finds that Il
would not work well in practice under
Illinois conditions.
The great majority Of intelligent
voters Of Illinois are too busy to take
time to fully investigate every law
which would be put up for them To
vote on, There are a great many
II n mot t,lG mel
questions intelligently even il the,
were given the time and opportunity
to study them.
By means of the initiative a great
deal of hasty and i'll considered legis-
lation could be passed Worst Of al.
a small, Wen organized group could
pass laws beneficial 10 itself and Diet
rimental to many other interests in
the state, and could also suspend good
laws. This law could be used very
effectively against the farmer in such
matters as taxation and matters
which would tend to regulate the price
of farm products, as the cities OF TIL"
state control majority Of the votes
are better organized, and could easily
outVote the farm 1t would put the
control of affairs in Illinois in the
hands of the city voters. and those
who are familiar with city politics, es-
pecially Chicago, would depIore any
such condition.
Under the referendum many wise
and we'll considered laws could be
easily discarded
The Gateway Amendment
The Gateway amendment would
make it easy to add amendments to
the constitution This is very unie
sirable, as our basic law should not
be tempered with and no amendments
added to it except those which IRE
intelligsntly considered.
The proposition to allow state and
municipalities to acquire public util-
tiles and remove the limit of indeb,-
edness which they might incur in ac-
Quring such public utilities does not
appear to be a wise move
The farmers of the state are most
concerned with the initiative and RET
erendum. as it IS difficult to estimate
the mischief which might be wrought
under this act Al this time OF unrest
IL is a dangerous means OF attacking
our form OF government.
The executive committee of the
Better Farming Association and the
executive committee OF the Illinois
Agricultural Association, after careful
consideration of the above PROPOSE
tons, have voted to oppose them with
all their strength and We urge YOU 70
come out on Nov. ! and cast your
ballot against these propositions. as
they are of very great Importance 10
every farmer in Illinois
This is the most important election
we have had in half a century Your
interests for years to come are at
stake. Every sacrifice should be made
to attend ,he polls on that day and o
vote for the men whom you believe
will best subserve the interests of all
the people