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About The independent. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 20, 1902)
THE NEBRASKA INDEPENDENT. 5 DIRECT LEGISLATION 1 Mr. Bride Presents a Thoughtful Discos ion of the Referendum and Inltiatlre Editor Independent: At this time When there is much discussion as to the probability of securing needed leg islation on the trusts and other im portant issues, all of us can see how easily the end could be 'reached through the initiative and referendum as demanded by all of the leaders for reform. However intensely patriotic we may be, however our confidence in our legislatures, no one can deny that there arc evils in our system of legis lation and that these evils must ue cured. Those of us who favor the scheme lay down a cardinal, and we believe self-evident, truth that man is capa ble of self-government. We do nut Btate this as a partisan doctrine, but as a simple axiomatic truth. It is democratic doctrine. We of the Jeffer sonian belief find many such expres sions in the words of our eloquent and distinguished leader, Col. William J. Bryan. You of the republican belief can read John Hay, who in his work called "Castillian Days" states as a fundamental truth that "No people are fit for anything else." We reaffirm that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the gov erned. 'i aese are the foundation stones of our creed. Our orators have pro claimed them, our parents have taught them and our unconquerable love for liberty has instilled into our souls our most precious thoughts. We believe that the best governments then are those in closest touch with their peo ple. America is said to be the best government on earth, and why, simply because it is our system that brings the masses in closest proximity to legislation. This is a cure for anarchy. As long as a man believes that there ' is a way open to remedy his ills, he will fight-for them peaceably; but when he finds that there is no outlet, then anarchy breeds. Ve propose a system that will link more closely the now adverse elements of citizen .and state. We advance a system, not new, but one perfectly in accord with our doctrines of equal ity. We demand the adoption of the initiative, whereby the citizen may propose his ideas to the state and have them heard. There can be no evil in Tin vine' ideas of government presented. We do not believe in the autocratic spirit of legislatures. We believe tnat measures that are adverse to the pub lic interest are often passed and the people must submit. We propose to this bv the adoption of the referendum, by which measures having TssfiH roneress. shall be submitted to popular vote on demand of a cer- tain percentage oi ciuzen&. il idea is a good one and a majority of the people accept it, the measure be comes a law. If it fails to secure a majority of the citizens, then the mMsnrfi is lost. We are told then that this would destroy the "balance" f0ni-ori hv the founders of the repub lic and that the larger states would thus crowd the smaller ones, a sys hp arranged like the elec toral college giving a vote similar to that In this way "state's rights, ofinAd. could exist. Thus the check of the state would still be left on the people. . This argument about "balance is always the first sprung ana now niv that this could be ar ranged, we recur again to our original proposition that man is capable of 1 .Tit a i. : s ri nm inn self-government, u una i nu, we do not believe that it shall be op 0orf fnr nn- government rests upon v r.'h nf this assertion, we advance - that the people are capable of acting directly on public questions m ;"j f t-hia union, with the single BLHtc v L v. i i ? exception of Delaware, all amendments to the state constitutions aic fnr their acceptance or rejection. If the people are capable of judging on couauiuuuua, -that tilace limits on all ctatute laws, questions of foresight and questions of far-reaching influence and importance, they are surely capable to judge on questions of a less compre An amendment to the state constitution of Nebraska was proposed at the recent eiecuun, lu f Wisconsin has recently pre sented to its electors the question as to the suffrage of women and other also presented other im portant questions thus proving their confidence in tne yeuyic .j fact that many states provide that vital measures must first be submitted to the votes of the electors ieura wh thft instice and the safety of a measure that would give to them the power to legislate by direct action. Every question of great import such as large budgets, removal of state cap- itols, the chartering of national 'banks, are all referred to the people before their effect can be realized. We believe that if the people are capable of acting directly that it fol lows that when they speak for them selves that their Interests will be bet ter protected than when they speak through those who may have per sonal interests at stake. We have seen instances, which the opposition will not deny, that prove only too conclu sively the truth of our observations. We have seen a republican industrial commission, a body appointed at their own hands, report that the rebate sys tem operated in restraint of trade, yet with- a republican majority in both houses of congress and a republican president, no action has been taken in the premises. It is simply because the halls of congress are crowded with men ready and willing to obey tin crack of the master's whin and sup port or negative measures antagonistic to their own interests. Trusts and their capitalists can and so fluctuate the market to reward those whose work has been well done. Under exist ing conditions the people are not asked what thev desire, but corporations and monopolies reaching for additional franchises of incalculable value receive immediate attention in consideration of their contributions to campaign funds, for their wrath means defeat for re-election. We have seen the mayor of PhiladelDhia refuse an offer of $2,- 500,000 for a railway franchise and yet give it free to other parties. Would the people have done this? The an swer to this last question bears out our proposition that the people aetfcj directly are their own best master3. But would the referendum cure this? The order would be reversed if the electors had the power to legislate di rectly, as it would be useless to bribe legislatures to enact objectionable laws or grant objectionable franchises when the people could veto them, n there were no courts of law, there would be less honesty. As there are no courts of popular will to which to refer legislative bills, there Is no dam ner to Drotect the people's safety from the insatiable love of gold and the willingness of legislators to succuniD to bribery. (Hold! This vellow slave Will knit and break religions, bless the accurs'd, Make the hoar leprosy ador'n. Place thieves And give them title, knee and appro bation With senators on the bench." Wft are told that the system is too radical. We believe the present sys tem radical and the application of a check to it by holding up its hastily passed measures would rather con serve than make more radical the pass age of laws. During the last several days of cefngress numbers of import ant measures are passed and deteatea with little or no debate. The New York World, describing the last days of the sessions, said: "The lower leg islative body has been working like a huge threshing machine grinding out thousands of bills without considera tion." Can a y&tem which will hold up a measure until it can be care fully and maturely considered radi calize a system which allows meas ures of import to be acted on at the instant? We think not. We offer a remedy that will say "No! Gentle men, this bill is wrong! You can go so -far, but when you block the will of the people, you must prepare for their charge." Of course this rests upon the truth of the assertion that, the sole object of political machinery should be, and we believe is, to as certain and carry out the will of the people. We believe that our system will conserve legislation, for we have seen the people of Switzerland refuse such laws as .we are toid the people would pass because of their radical- L IAMS' October, 1002. importation of black Percheroni, Iielf isos and Cos chert was the Urges! eter made west of the Missouri Hiver. His stallions of big size, quality, finish and extremely low prices are prvixttiUUim that will make you bis buyer. If you can pay cash or give bankable note, you will sure buy stallions of lams. Only man in the United States that imported only black or bay stallions, lie bas just imported 63 STALLIONS 63 Shipped to New Tork by fast boat, then by Fargo Express, special train from New York to St Paul, Nebraska, lams' biff barus are full of big, black, ton stallions. He is just finishing a new barn 36x100 feet. Iam s horses are the semalUm of the town. Visitors throng bis barn and ay: "Never saw so many big black stallions together:" "They are larger, bigger bone, more finish than ever before;" 'iiut lams is progressive:" "He buys them larger and better each year;" "He makes prices that makes the people buy his horses;" "lams has a horse show every day, better than State Fairs." He has on band over 100 BLACK PERCH ERONS, BELGIANS and COACHERS 100 2 to 6 years old, weight 1,6C0 to 2,500 lbs. More black Percherons, ton stallions, largest French horse, show winners, more government firjr(wed and Htnmjted stallions of anv one importer in tbe wqst. lams speaks French and Qr,rmenx: pays no interpreter, no buyer, no aatesman ; no two to ten men as partners to share profits. His buyers get middlemen' h jrrofits and salaries, lams buys direct from breeders. This with bis twenty years' experience secures the best. All the above facts gave his buyers $500 to $:,(XX) on a first-class stallion and you get a first-class horse, as only seeond rate stallions are peddled by sleek salesmen to be sold. Uoodones sell themitelvet. It costs $600 to $800 to have a salesman form a company and sell a second rate stallion. Form jour own companies. Go direct to lams barns. He will sell you a better stallion for $1,000 and 11,200 than others are selling at 2,000 aud (4,000. lami pay horse's freight and Lis buyer's fara. Good guarantees. Varus in town. Don't be a clam. Write for an eye opener and finest horse catalogue on earth. ANKIAM St. PauL, Howard Co., Neb. On U. P. and B. &. M. Rys. References: St. Paul State Bank, First State Bank, Citizens National Bank, DEAFNESS CANNOT BE CURED by local applications as they cannot reach the diseased portion of the ear. There is only one way to cure deaf ness, and that is by constitutional remedies. Deafness is caused by an inflamed condition of the mucous lin ing of the Eustachian Tube. When this tube is inflamed you have a rum bling sound or imperfect hearing, and when it Is entirely closed, Deafness is the result, and unless the inflammation can be taken out and this tube restored to its normal condition, hearing will be destroyed forever; nine cases out of ten are caused by Catarrh, which is nothing but an inflamed condition of the mucous surfaces. We vill give One Hundred Dollars for any case of Deafness (caused by catarrh) that cannot be cured by Hall's Catarrh Cure. Send for cir culars, free. F. J. CHENEY & Co., Toledo, O. Sold by Druggists, 75c. Hall's Family Pills are the best. Best 50 lbs Granulated Sugar $1.00 Delivered at Your Door Upon receipt of 5 dollars in draft, express or money order we will ship the following bill of goods, freight prepaid. Write for a price list: EXTRA COMBINATION. (Every article warranted first class.) 50 lbs. best granulated sugar.... $1 00 1 keg table syrup 1 00 25 bars laundry soap 1 00 3 10c pkgs. corn starch.. 25 3 10c pkgs. gloss starch 25 2 lbs. 50c Japan tea 1 00 2 lbs. best baking powder. GO ?5 00 All above packed securely and delivered to your Rail Road station for 5 dollars. Everything the best. Largest retail distributors of groceries in the west. FARMERS GROCERY COMPANY 226-228-230-232-234-236 North I Oth Street, Lincoln, Nebraska. ism. Not so long ago the question of governmental cwneishjp of railroads wts presented to them and their re fusal was overwhelming. We believe that the people are much more con servative than their representatives. In fact wt shall lay it down as a truth that the largest percentage of defects in our government is due to tu.i represent alive and party systems now in vogue. The infidelity of our representatives is too well known to admit ol riiscussior and the absence of ways in which the minority can make their wants known all add to the strength of our system. We are told that the system would be a weapon in the hands of the minority in which to harrass the majority in power. On the other hand, it makes the majority more toleraLt and the object of govern ment after all is to protect the minor ity for "majorities can take care of themselves," says Ingalls. We have seen, for instance, the state of Maryland giving a majority of i bare few hundred votes and returning a solid delegation of one party. While the minority a few hundred votes be hind bad no way in which to make their wants known to the legislative branch. To the evils of the party system. Mind, I do not think that the initiative and referendum would destroy parties, nor do I wish It. They are the necessary instruments of a people desiring liberty and as long as we are a free people I do not think that they will retire. Today the voter must support the man to get the prin ciple. In this day of bossism, it is not always the best man nominated, but the one most flexible to the mas ter's order. If the man is bad, we must support a bad man to get good principle, or vice versa. But take an ideal case. Both candidates are good men, both of them standing squarely on their party's platform. Imagine the man who favors the imperial pol icy of our late lamneted president and is heartily opposed to his protective and financial policies. Imagine .the man who, though opposed to the an nexation of the Philippines, yet favors the policy of the republican party on the trust question. How can this man vote? He must either swallow the financial policy of McKinley to keep the Philippine policy or he must sacri fice his ideas of manifest destiny of empire to express his views on the money question. What a travesty on legislation! Under our system the vote can be cast for the best man and when the time comes to vote on the question directly he may express his views on each separately. . What a Utopia to the party-laden voter oT to day. Then, and not until then, will this be a popular government one deriving its authority from the con sent of the governed. Today the people's word is not tak en. I have seen petitions with a hun dred thousand signatures presented to congress and no action taken. As one writer on the subject says: "Today a word spoken at some hotel bar, or a low jest in the lobby, a little transac ts