w'T:i-t-i.-'-(r'TpM"irfy?iT-'-''-wt y -
The Commoner.
VOLUME 9, NUMBER 2fi
.
v
i.
8
'!
EDUCATIONAL SERIES
Governmental Reforms in the United States for 1 909
(By Gcorgo H. Shibley, President of the
People's Rulo League of Amorlca.)
Practically all tho legislatures elected last
year havo adjourned and a survey of tho re
forms achieved In governmental affairs is- In
spiring. Following aro the principal ones:
Direct Nominations
Fivo moro states have abolished', tho nominate
lng convention by installing a system of direct
nominations. Tho states aro Michigan, New
Hampshire, Idaho, Nevada and California'., In
Montana tho sonato and houso each passed a
bill and then would not got together.
Nineteen states now possess a manda
tory system of direct nominations covering
practically all tho ofllces except that of delegates
to tho national nominating conventions, These
states aro California, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kan
sas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri,
Nebraska, Novada, Now Hampshire, North Da
kota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas,
Washington and Wisconsin.
In four etatos there is an optional system of
direct nominations covering prr tically all tho
ofllces except dolcgatos to tho national nominat
ing conventions. Tho states aro Alabama,
Florida, Kentucky, and Tennessee.
In three states there Is a mandatory system
of direct nominations covering practically all
tho ofllces except positions in tho state govern
ment and delegates to national nominating con
ventions. Theso states aro Minnesota, Ohio
and Pennsylvania.
In four states thero is a mandatory 'system
of direct nominations that apply to certain lo
calities or ofllces. These ' states aro Indiana,
Massachusetts, New Jersey and Tennessee'.'
Iii ten more states there is, an optional sys
tem of direct nominations covering certain lo
calities or offices. Thesb states are Connecticut,
Delawaro, Indiana, Maryland, Maine, Mass'a'chu
sotts, New York, Worth Carolina and Rhode
Island,. ', ,'i, ' ,, ,', j ,; ' ,' ,'; ;
In practically all of tho southern states there
are direct nominations.
,j.
Tli-utner iVord hi ab'oilt nno-Kalf'-of tho
states of tho union tho corrupt nominating con
ventions are abolished except for the selection
of delegates to the national nominating conven
tions; while in another one-third of the states
direct nominations for certain localities ; are '
legally required or tho system is optional.
Roviowing tho movement for direct nomina
tions it is clear that it is sweeping the country,
and with a rapidity that is almost incredible
when there is considered tho strength of the
party machines and the people's unorganized
condition. In the words of Professor C. E.
Merrlam In his book on Primary Elections, pub
lished last year:' "Tho inevitable conclusion
from a study of recent primary legislation Is
that tho delegate system is about to be sup
planted by tho now form of nomination.
So far as the municipal elections are concerned,
it must not bo 'forgotten that nomination 4by
petition only' looms up as a Cdngerous rival of
the new system, while the non-partisan primary
is a factor to be seriously considered." '
United States Senators and Representatives
This year direct nominations have been' ex
tended to the selection of United States t-natora
S. np,ur stata,:, California, Nevada, Idaho and
Micliigan. This, makes a total of twenty-nlno
commonwealths wherein the United States sen
ators are directly nominated, namely, Alabama '
Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho',
Illinois, lowd Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana,
Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Ne
braska, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota,
Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South
Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washing
ton and Wisconsin. Thlc is a remarkable
showing. ' .-.
In three states now thero is what amounts
to direct election of United States senators.
These states are Oregon, Nevada and Nebraska
Nearly all of tho. party loaders are opposed to
this change, therefore tho questioning of can
didates by citizens' organizations is tho only wav
whereby direct election of senators is likelv to
be secured. -
Initintlvo and Referendum
Another refprm in the governmental ma
chinery hat. is producing a mighty increase in
the pooplo's power Is the restoration' of a direct-
voto system for questions of public policy
tho initiative and referendum. This year in
Arkansas tho legislature submitted to the people
u splendid constitutional amendment for the
establishmpnt of the initiative and referendum,
to apply to the Btato constitution, statute law
and municipal law. In the senate tho vote was
unanimous and nearly so in tho house,' being1
174 to 4. The system proposed is the one in
use in Oregon, and the percentages of signa
tures required are the saine, namely, eight per
cent for the initiative or a state petition and
five per cent for a state-wide referendum.
In Nevada this year the legislature submit
ted to tho next legislature a constitutional
amendment for the initiative for constitutional
and statute law, and the initiative and referen
dum for municipal law. The qtate already pos
sesses .the referendum for constitutional and
statute law. The members' of the. legislature
elected next year will determine whether or
not the amendment will be submitted to the
people.
Tho Wisconsin senate has passed a' resolution
for the submission to the people of an amend
ment to the constitution whereby they the
people, can veto the acts of the legislature ex
cept emergency measures.
In municipal affairs the initiative and refer
endum is forging ahead with leaps and bounds.
Throughout tho entire union the Des Moines
system of city government, which includes the
initiative, referendum and' recall, is meeting
with' almost universal approval; while in Kansas
this year's legislature has established an initia
tive and referendum in all the cities of th6
state. Following aro the states wherein the
initiative and referendum are used in some of
the cities or infill of them: - Texas, Mississippi,
Tennessee, Oklahoma, Missouri, Iowa, Colorado,
Kansas, Nebraska, California, Oregon, Washing
ton, Idaho, Montana, North DaTiota', South Da
kota, Minnesota, Delaware, Massachusetts and
Maine-t-a, total of twenty states. In Illinois
the , legislature i will probably authorize- cities '
of the state to establish the Des Moines systenu
In Michigan and Ohio every ordinance granting
a monopoly must be referred to the people.
The states where the initiative and referen
dum are in full operation today for statute and
municipal law are Oregon, South Dakota, Mon
tana,. Missouri, Oklahoma and Maine. In all
of these states except Maine and Montana the
initiative applies to constitutional law.
Tho Recall
In Novada this year's legislature submitted
to the next legislature a constitutional amend
ment establishing in the people a' power to re
call their public officer-. The system exists in
Oregon and in a considerable number of cities;
Throughout tho revolutionary war each member
of the continental congress could bo recalled by
the legislature that sent him.
This year the recall has been successfully
used in Los Angeles, Calif., and in Junction City
and Estaeada, Qregon.
Limitation of Campaign Contributions
Oregon, Colorado and Nebraska are making a
brave effort to solve the campaign contributions
problem. It will be recalled that in 1906 Presi
dent Roosevelt in his annual message to con
gress recommended that the people, through
their government, should pay the legitimate ex
penses involved in the election of their public
officials. Mr. Roosevelt suggested that only the
two leading parties should' receive government
funds. Mr. Bryan, Senator LaFollette and
others suggested that the third parties, also
should receive a proportionate shaTe of tho ex
pense money., 'Colorado, in true western style
is making the experiment. A law has been en
acted which provides: "That the expenses of
conducting, the campaigns to elect state, district
and county officers at general elections shall be
paid only by the state and by the candidates
for office at such elections, in the following
mannor." fa
The state is to pay twenty-five cents for each
vote cast at the preceding contest for governor
to be distributed to the party chairman in pro
portion to the votes cast by each party. Of
this, one-half is to be transmitted to the countv
chairmen in 'proportion to "the votes1 cast in each
county. . : .
Candidates are prohibited from contributing
to campaign committees anything to exceed
twenty-five per cent of the first year's salary.
Individuals and corporations are prohibited
from contributing, directly or indirectly, any
money or property of any kind or character to
any candidate or to any committee of a political
party, or to the chairman thereof, or to any
member or officer thereof. The penalty for vio
lation shall not exceed two years in the peni
tentiary or a .fine of not to exceed $5,000, or
both. The same penalty is provided for any
member or officer of a political committee who
shall violate this act.
In Nebraska the legislature has provided for
publicity for contributions to funds for the elec
tion of public officials, above $25", the publicity,
to be before the election.
Last year in Oregon the people used the in
itiative to establish a carefully devised system
for limiting the use of campaign funds in the
campaigns for the nomination of public officials
as well as in the campaign for their election.
The act is known as the Huntley law. Its sub
stance will doubtless' be enacted wherever the
people use the initiative. It is not to be er
pected that many of the party machines will go
in for self-purlflcation to the extent of the re
strictions in the Oregon law.
School of Citizenship
In Nebraska the legislature recommended to
the management of the state' university that it
establish a school of. citizenship. There are
great possibilities in this direction. For one
thing it is entirely practicable to establish an
actual republic in every public school in the
state. Our federal government did this for the
people, of Cuba and with glorious results. Gen
eral, Woqd, under whose direction its system
was applied by Mr. Wilson L. Gill, is completely
won over to tho school republic, or school city '
as it is more generally termed. Ex-president
Roosevelt and others were jually. convinced. In
the Hawaiian islands the system. isbem used to
train the people to an appreciation and under
standing of our republican form '.of government.
In various cities here in the. United States the
school city is used a little but it does hot thrive
in a machine ruled community.' In Nebraska
the conditions are favorable. and it is almost
certain that the state universityllWill deyeioti a
school ,for practical citizensn'ipthat' w'lll 'be ;a c
pattern, for the other progtfe'ssiv.e' states. "'w '
The foregoing are .the governmental reforms
for l&09i;that the writer has been -able' to 'dis
cover. Additional data will be disclosed when
the year book, issued by the New York state
library is published.
Questioning of Candidates' , '
The above described -governmental ' reforms
whereby the citizens are regaining their sov
ereignty have come, with but little aid from
citizens' associations. But wherever the people
have interested themselves and have arranged
to systematically question the candidates it has
prevented an evasion of the vital issues and the
desired reforms have usually been secured. A
movement is on foot to establish this non-parti-'
san questioning of candidates in this year's, cam
paign in the few states that elect legislatures,
and in next year's state and congressional cam-
paigns. In due time every citizen will be in
vited to join.
TO MRS. CLEVELAND, DEBTOit
The democratic party is indebted, .to .Mrs.
Cleveland for the earnest end womanly pretest
she has made against the fraud that wes per
petrated against the party when after her hus
band s death an attempt was made to use his
name and influence against. ,;the democratic
Set; JJ1 by the name, of Brandenburg
sold to the New York Times,: an .article pur
porting to. he written by Mr. Qleveland urging
the success. p.f the, republican . ticket, JtfrsV
Cleveland promptly, challenged the. genuineness
of. the signature and has recently gone into
court to testify against Brandenburg.. She
would paturally shrink f ro;n; suph notoriety and,
her perseverance in. the prosecution of Branden
burg, will be. appreciated by ,lpe rank and .file
Srnin6 J?3? ,! tave qt -M forgotten the
grace with .which she pres.ide,d at Washington,
when shp, went from boarding-school into the
White Hpuse.
i I
Ik'
WHY NOR?,.
Why not-taek on an ameiidiheht'td-the tariff
V .aSSoIitlnf ' a comrotttee'- toj-iaake inquiry
and rfeport? upon the miniber- of- timber land;
wner.s;jaTi;dV 'lumber cdthpanlfes represented 'at
Washington person of by1 attorneys? u
...a jJi . t, rt