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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (May 13, 1910)
TJ"7 The Commoner. VOLUME 10, NUMBER is - yiqnwww m It IV lb old wook closed. Tho nomination by President Tuft of Governor Hughes to succeed Mr. Justlco Urowcr in tho supremo court GAVE GENERAL SATISFACTION IN FINANCIAL CIRCLES be ciuiHo of tho conservatism that Governor Hughes lias shown in his oillcial acts when tho interests of capital have been concerned. Ho has vetoed, for instance, tho two cent per mile maximum passenger rate for Now York state; ho appoint ed a committco to investigate speculative meth ods in tho state whoso report did much to re Btrain popular and unwise legislation based on lack of knowlcdgo; and in other ways he has Hhown himself a man with a propor appreciation of tho protection guaranteed to property under tho constitution. IT WAS FELT THAT WITH SUCH AN ADDITION TO THE HIGHEST TRIBUNAL, THAT DECISIONS IN SUCH CASES AS THE STANDARD OIL AND AMERI CAN TOBACCO WOULD BE IN SAFE HANDS. "At tho close tho market showed a disposition to steady itself." "Til K BEST JEVJOH" A DISGUSTED REPUBLICAN Gonoral James S. Clarkson retired recently from the offlco of surveyor of the port of New York. General Clarkson, speaking to the New York correspondent for tho Chicago Itecord Horald, republican, said that ho was glad to get rid of tho load. He said that his efforts for hon est administration wore constantly thwarted Then ho said: "I worked for a scales that would toll th HUt& W my eftorts wero constant y thwarted at Washington. Tho Fairbanks compaS ex perimented for two years until it had perfected an automatic scales that would have been most suitable fop our uso. I had them tried and they were satisfactory, but when tho president of tho company wont .to Washington ho was turned down. Why? Perhaps you all know as we as I. Another time wo secured a satisfactory scales, and when it was sent to Washington for approval it was laid away in some cellar It nfte70' 8ont 1iack- What prevented tho adop tion of the scales I do not know. But I do know that wo haven't got the scales which would have saved tho government nA 00 i 00 since I have been in office" ' u,uuu When "Rot'' Clarkson deserts the republican Stoking. mU8t bQ PlaiU tUat to oldTsnel is EDUCATIONAL SERIES Governors for Direct Legislation Andrew Carnegie has given to tho newspapers an interview in which he declares that tho Payno-Aldrich tariff law Is tho best evor placed upon the statute books. Of course it is "tho best ovor" for Mr. Carnegie as well as for other tariff barons who provide the republican party with its campaign funds. A cortain republican editorial explains to thoso who aro in tho dark on this subject just why air. Carnegie is so deeply in love with the present ropublican tariff law. In its issuo of May 18, 1902, tho Chicago Tribune, republi can, had an unusually interesting editorial en titled "Tho Arrogance of Wealth." The Tribune was considerably disturbed because Andrew Carnogio had offered to pay $20,000,000 for tho Miillppino Islands provided only that ho was permitted to assure tho Filipinos that they would be given their independence. The Tribune said that tho stool magnate- "ha3 tried the patienco of his friends severely in some of his lato bids for notoriety;" that he is constantly posing; and has "scattered libraries broadly throughout tho country, all of which aro to bo called for him, and every ono of thorn is a contribution to tho conscience fund. " Then tho Tribuno explained: "Mr. Carnogio mado his money in a magnifl cont way, but ho should never forgot that ho mado it through tho undue favoritism of tho government of tho United States. Owing to the discrimination practiced in his favor by tho tariff, ho was enabled to amass a fortune of two hundred millions of dollars or more, most of which camo out of tho pockets of his country men through tho operation of unequal laws Much has been said of the benefit arising to the workingmon from tho establishment of the Car negie works. Tho beneficent tariff system per mitted tho works to survive and flourish but thoro aro some people who have not forgotten the Homestead strike, nor tho outrageous man ?ul) wlIch tho worklngmen wero treated at that time by employers whose brutality has sel dom been exceeded in the history of labor aei tations." fa Tho governors of most of tho states of Bio union have spoken emphatically in favor of the initiative and referendum. It will be interest ing at this time to read some of the things writ ten by American governors with respect to this proposed reform. Governor Joseph W. Folk, of Missouri, in his messago to the legislature, January, 1909: "At the last general assembly an amendment to tho constitution providing for the Initiative and referendum was submitted to the people and was adopted at the recent election. I urged tho submission of this amendment because I believed that the nearer tho government can be brought to the people the better and purer that government will be. By this system eight per cont of the voters of two-thirds of the congres sional districts of the state can, by petition, pro pose legislation to be voted upon at the next election, which, when adopted by a majority of the voters, becomes the law of the state. Tho same number of voters can likewise require that a measure enacted by the general assembly bo submitted to the voters of the state at the next election for approval or disapproval. While this seems radical, it is merely a power re tained by the people which will, I believe, be exorcised at rare intervals and on important measures. The fact that the people have such a power reserved will do much to end corrup tion in the legislature permanently, for there would be little use to bribe a legislature to defeat a measure if the people have the right to enact that measure over the head of the legis lature. So it would be futile to bribe a legislature to pass a bill when the people have the power to veto the measure. As a means of enacting all laws the initiative would be too cumbersome. But as a chock upon legislation, in my opinion, the Initiative and referendum will prove verv effective Tho initiative and referendum do not destroy the character of representative govern ment, but are merely the power the people re serve over their representatives in order that the government representatives give be repre sentative of the people in fact as well as in name. I believe the people of the large cities of the state should bo given the referendum as to all or suchCcmlsted by thG municipal assemblies Governor John A. Johnson; of Minnesota, in ,his( inaugural message, January, 1909- I desire to renew the recommendation made by me to the last legislature in the matter of the ' enactment of a law covering what is general y known as the advisory initiative and referen dum, which would 1)ermit tne eren state, county, city, village, or town to expresl their views upon questions affecting their or ganization This principle is fast gaining ground upon the theory that the duly elected oflSs of the people are after all but the servants of the people and that tho people ought to have the right to express their views with the hope that he public servant might in some measure at east be guided by those views. This prtneinte is but a step further than tho right of ninnS! and- is not binding upon the office. The enact' ment of a law providing for the advisory fnitK tive and referendum can bo accomnSJ f out constitutional amendment anTiflmly be" ieve that such legislation is desirable 'in mv last message I stated that there waB nn IS and valid reason against a submission VT. tiative md reMS ( TWa SW people of the state as a whole the Jhrlfi Z for an advisory M&toM Hon John V. Srafroth, of Colorado In hi. t augural address, January, 1909: ' Ws ln" is a ,demeaPd',fIo0rrnt,hc,P.0u,I,lll!,i T? e,eot the general assembly, and no right exists to delegate the same. "I therefore recommend that an act be passed submitting to the voters an amendment to the constitution permitting the initiative and refer endum as to legislation by the people. Such a constitutional amendment has been adopted bv South Dakota, Oregon, Nevada, Oklahoma, Mon tana, Maine and Missouri, and in modified form by many other states in the union. "This character of legislation, under such a constitutional amendment, has been tried with most excellent results. As the people under such laws, become the real legislators of many measures, it puts a stop to the attempt to im properly influence members of the legislature as to acts in which the public are vitally inter ested. It also tends to make legislators more careful of their votes, because of the apprehen sion that their work might be annulled by non ular expression." Governor Dawson, of West Virginia, in his annual message of January 13, 1909, spoke of the "overwhelming public sentiment in this state which demands that the people be allowed to choose their political party nominees from United States senator to constable." And he added: "Half-way measures will not suffice. The people are in no humor to be trifled with. The day of the initiative and referendum is already here; we may retard the time of its full effect but our efforts will be in vain long to postpone the operation of the program that the people have made up their minds to carry out with reference to their government. He is a poor observer of the signs of the times who does not see that the people propose to take larger action in the Initiation of policies, to concentrate power and responsibilities policies for the people, methods to the officers in short, to have effi cient government." Acting Governor Denver S. Dickerson, of Ne 19 1909 meSSage t0 the le&islature, January oJ!?Ff0ViSn hoas already been made in our state for the referendum of ?aws enacted by the anBn?ivSrer the ters for their rejection o? approval (the referendum), and it has given general satisfaction. 6 thrSL0.!?1!, idcmti?ed wii this law is that of the initiative in legislation, whereby the elec- maSv' ?? Vh? intervvention of the legislature, ESat lnt, law such measures as they deem beneficial and necessary tionn ndBabill J amen"ns the constitu i?SJ ? i Provide for the initiative in legis- ?in nfI?i,C0?lm.e?dJBd t0 the 'avorable considera tion of the legislature." Hon. Joseph K. Toole, democratic eovprnnr Srtrt5Eu.f,M00 1 "oTXcSpedn?o state In in ,titi,tve ana referendum '" that legislature?"6 WS annUal measaSes Bon'iuaanTl .?i?thin? more in aceor1 with the lhat is nomflnit0? Amerl(!!m institutions than It had llS ww?, iy ono,yn as dIreot legislation, ii naa lis birth In Switzerland. It Is Hip verv essence of government by the people Y exercise of dPH..e?C0Ura?es the Nation and upor i the nlrt S and Independent judgment functor bflmi U?e .voter' insteaa P"- xsa1 disioyai-a,s6em- mlsJuleVnesr6 ' the Pe0p,e aalnst servants are "SSSW rtf'? When puDllC public opinion thelr truBts ana defy and"safe AX' " - flight theoXr3 a,ndaP?heWiS',,Ch t0 put W them ; ue Haga? ffllffi? and ve with'which SKSXfiRS & universality over public interests lereBtB talte precedence State's.'8 ?t eZesrtoeTerarrntorn,ih in every state in the union r l03s degre0 ttfrviJ' nnm Vl A.W. KSR