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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (May 1, 1916)
The Commoner HAT, 1916 25 A National Referendum In the house of representatives, March 13, 1916, Mr. Warren Worth Bailey, of Pennsylvania, introduced the following bill; which was re ferred to the committee on the ju-diciary-and ordered to bo printed: 'A bill to provide for the expression of opinion of the electors on ques tions of national policy at general elections for members of the house of representatives for the advice and guidance of the officials of the United States in relation to the execution of the powers vested in the government of the United States, and for other purposes. "Be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives of the United States of America in congress assembled, That upon the filing with the secretary of the interior of the United States of a written petition signed by five hundred thousand or more electors qualified to vote for members of the congress of the United States, requesting that any question of national policy in rela tion to the execution of the powers vested in the government of the United States be submitted to the electors for their opinion for the ad vice and guidance of the officials of the United States, or upon the reso lution of congress, adopted by a ma jority vote thereof, authorizing the submission of such a question, it shall be the duty of the secretary of the interior to forward to the secretary of state of pach state, or if there is no such officer in any state, to the officer having general supervision over the elections in such state, a copy of such question, with the request that the same be submitted to the electors of such state qualified to vote for mem bers of congress at the next general election at which members of the house of representatives of the United States within such state are to be elected. "Sec. 2. That such petition may be in the form of separate sheets, each one of which must contain a printed copy of the question proposed to be submitted, and must also contain an affidavit of a person over twenty-one years of age, made before an officer authorized to administer oaths, that the signatures appended thereto are the signatures of electors qualified to vote for members of the congress of the United States, and that he saw the persons sign the said petition, and knows that the persons signing it are the same persons whose names are signed thereto. Such petition shall be accompanied by a certificate of the local officer having charge of elections that the names on such pe tition are the names of electors duly qualified to vote for members of the congress of the United States, and also by the certificate of the secre tary of the state wherein the petition was signed, or other officer having general supervision of elections in such state, that the petition is regu lar in all respects. "Sec. 3. That when such petition Is filed with the secretary of the in terior he shall ascertain whether it is in proper form and contains the requisite number of names; but not more than fifty thousand names shall bo counted from any one state. "Sec. 4. That when congress, as heretofore provided, has adopted a resolution requesting the submissfon of a question of national policy to the electors it shall cause a copy of such resolution to be transmitted to the eecretary of the interior. "Sec. 6. That any number of questions may be voted upon at an Election. Such questions shall be transmitted by the secretary of the interior to the secretary of state of each state, or other officer having general supervision orer elections in such state, at least sixty days prior to the general election at which members of the house of representa tives of the United States within such state are to be elected. The secre tary of the interior shall determine the form in which all questions shall be submitted to the electors. "Sec. 6. That the legislature of each state is hereby requested to en act the necessary laws for facilitat ing the signing and certifying of the petitions herein provided for, for the placing of such questions on the official ballot at the general elections at which members of the house of representatives of the United States within such state are to be elected, for the voting thereon, for the can vass of the votes on such questions, for certifying the result to the secre tary of the interior, and for such other matters as may be necessary to carry out the purpose of this act. "Sec. 7. That the secretary of the interior Is hereby authorized to pub lish notices of the questions to be submitted to the electors in such newspapers or other publications as he deems advisable In the state wherein such questions are to be sub mitted within thirty days prior to the election, and not more than four times in each such , newspaper or other publication, but he is not au thorized to expend for such publica tion a sum in excess of the amount appropriated therefor by congress. "Sec. 8. That when the vote on each such question is received by the secretary of the interior he shall certify the same to congress. "Sec. 9. That this act shall take effect immediately." Joered In this country for his faith, but the treaties havo been entered into by thirty nations. On May 7 last year the Lusltanla was torpedoed by a German sub marine. The act might havo become immediately a casus belli betweon the United States and Germany. Mr. Bryan resigned his office of secretary of state in protest against what he considered too hasty action by Pres ident Wilson in dispatching a note of threatening character to the Kaiser's government last June. The exchange of notes was continued, and now, on May 4, 19 1G, two days short of a year of the offense that precipitated the whole submarine controversy, Germany yields to the American demands. Here is concrete evidence of the soundness of the Bryan policy. It is a triumph for the "Sage of Lin coln," In which the American people can rejoice. If Mr. Bryan is Inclined to croak a bit, bear with him. He Is entitled to do so. Pittsburgh Ga zette, May 6. OVER .$7,500,000 TO AID THE BELGIANS A Washington Associated Press dispatch says: America has con tributed $7,500,000 to the relief of Belgium, according to E. Van de Vire, Belgian minister of finance, who sailed today for London on the steamer St. Paul after spending sev eral weeks in this country. Up to February 1, foodstuffs and clothing valued at more than $80,000,000 had been shipped into Belgium, he said. Belgian interests had supplied mpre than $6,000,000 of the amount ex pended. The remainder was given by the United States and other coun tries. Mr. Van de Vire said that more than $50,000,000 in other supplies had been expended in this country. He thanked the country for its gen erosity and said in a parting mes sage: "I ask you individually and as a nation to accept the love, friendship and faith which is offered to America by every Belgian as a tribute to their gratitude." BRYAN'S HOUR OP TRIUMPH The foundation of William J. Bryan's peace propaganda is the Ne braskan's belief that international differences can be composed without resort to war if sufficient time is taken to discuss and understand the subject of dispute. On that theory he drafted the peace treaties which were submitted to some scores of nations providing for investigation by a commission, pending whose re port the status quo would be pre served between disputants. Mr. Bryan was in favor of fixing a year as the definite time that should elapse before warlike preparations might be made. He has been much "NEVER AGAIN!" FOR RUSSIA Fourteen months without vodka has, according to her own statement, made a perceptible nay, a consid erable difference with Russia. We are told that all the officials, from the Czar down, believe that prohibi tion has come to stay; for the bene fits that havo accrued in one year are to valuable to lose by a return to the old way again. A Petrograd report, appearing in the Wichita Beacon among other papers, gives a com bined official and semi-official esti mate of what these benefits have been: Crime, (all kinds) has decreased 62 per cent. Absenteeism in factories has fallen 60 per cent. Suicide rate has dropped enor mously. Hospitals formerly overcrowded are not filled. Efficiency in factories increased 10 to 15 per cent. Practical!? every inhabitant Is at ror?z. Savings-deposits have increased 8 i . . . i per cent. Fire-damage has fallen off 38 per cent. Wages In some districts raised 500 per cent. (This applies to peas ants working as day-laborers.) People are eating better and cost' Her food. Better clothing is worn by the poorer classes. Agricultural implement sales 60 per cent larger. Imprisonment decreased 72 per cent. Offsetting these remarkable results of Russia's sudden dryness is this startling development: The death-rate from drunkeneess has increased enormously This seeming paradox Is explained by this statement that dipsomaniacs have turned from vodka to methy lated spirits and other poisonous substitutes. Nicholas II. 's reform is being compared to those brought about during the reign of Peter the Great, and It would -seem the fame of the "Little Father" is secure In the hearts of the Russian people. Lit erary Digest. PAINLESS PATRIOTISM "How quickly some of those im migrants assimilate our ideas and methods!" "As, for instance?" "Well, I asked my Italian barber if he was going home to fight and he said he wasn't: that. Tip 'Tia? n .,! with an 'Austrian in the next block." Boston Transcript. Don't Wear A Truss N Jtof Wft MmI Ml Mto tMfc that chafe Bed atoeti. Start's rUTW-rm are different from tnetrwEetag U medicine applicator made aelf-dhelre ts prevent Mippinr. no "aigrsifiK in ".or grinding preemrc. No atrnpr, buckle; or wring ntUehetl, ftji!s Homo Treatment. Im H Mt-U.ll u Wn-mm&. No delay from work. Hundreda of ewa fettlmo nlal from those kmtt. torM tots' Ntt h4 ttmi frlc M TWi WOW I tw Years f ftifferfef Write today for FHKC Trial Flae and lllua trateel book on rupture. Leam how to close tho hernial opening as na turo Intended, 10 the nipttiro cmM come down. No chargo for It, now or evert nothing to return. Plafiae La4rratorlaa, Block 187 St. Louis, Mo. '""" 1 &iflir7T.i.r 1 IHIalof'pupao orr.HkitB QA I I STONES -i!2UU V I a wLj m-U Mn rtli N more GilUtene .. i n.j, ii, -I... V,MO uiU ' or Act. la Stoma h, link, hide ft ShouMrrt; U'er Trouble Stcmach MUery l)rp li. Colic, Cm, Illlla.nnej. Ilevlichei. Con 1,'ttluii, I'liti, Can nh Nervous rust, Ilt.it s. Jiunrikr. Apin dl ltd Tlic.carecommon pallitonc lymplom t laial. Send for valuable MfcDICAL. HOOK on I? J) 7? IP Mier, Hltiuitb, axd Uall Tronbl,. JL1 C III Jit lIMmljr(.V, Upl. C.J9, 219 8. t)irlraSI (klrac DAYE?lfTQ Wntaon TJ. CelRinaa, nimilV J)c. AdvlconnttbooWnfrre-' Uatca rcftHonoblo. Highest references. licet ucrvk. Safety Efficiency PROTECT YOUR FAMILY for the future, and provldo for tho comfort of them and your self, by the saving of a good portion of your earnings. 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It also relieves Sciatica promptly, as well as Neuralgia, and is a wonderful blood purifier. You aro most welcome to this Herb Recipe if you will send for it at once. I believe you yvm consider it a God-Send after you have' put it to tho test. There Is nothing in jurious contained in It, and you can see for yourself exactly what you are taking. I will gladly send this Recipe absolutely free to any sufferer who will fiend name and address. If convenient, encloso two cent stamp. w. a. sutton; 2s MhsthoIU Ave., ton ABgele, CliferJu