Before the meeting of the legislatures, after the autumn elections, the American Federation of Labor at its annual convention established a national system for the questioning of candidates, the interrogatories to apply to such measures as the organization should deem most important.
The next year, 1903, legislatures were elected in but ten states and, as organized labor in these states had not yet been educated to the use of the questioning system, except in Massachusetts, little was accomplished for the initiative and referendum. In Massachusetts the labor people found themselves almost alone in demanding the people’s sovereignty, and during 1903 were quiescent. But in Kentucky Hon. J. A. Parker did valiant work. Through his paper, The Home Tribune, he called for workers for the referendum in Kentucky. At a joint state convention of the Allied People’s Party and the United Labor Party, a platform was enunciated in which existing political and legislative evils were outlined; and it was pointed out that the remedy is an improved system of government—the establishment of the people’s sovereignty through the initiative and referendum, to be exercised in combination with representative government. The proposed change, it was declared, was the open door through which all the desired legislative reforms would come. It was further declared that candidates of the Democratic and Republican parties should be questioned, and wherever a reliable candidate would pledge in writing for the improved system of government, no opposing candidate of the Allied Party should be nominated, and that every possible effort would be made to help elect the pledged candidate. The result in Mr. Parker’s own words at the close of the campaign was as follows:
In all my work I found but little antagonism. The one obstacle was the bitter, unreasonable campaign carried on in this state, in which all principle was lost sight of, and the issue made on the hanging of Caleb Powers. The election was a riot of fraud and dishonor, and showed too clearly what little hope there can be in partisan action. The last election, not only in Kentucky, but all over the nation has shown that to gain any substantial reform we must concentrate all effort on pledging candidates, and if this effort is supported by intelligent local effort we can win in any state. An instance of this is found in a senatorial district in this state, where Dr. J. S. Dossey had enrolled perhaps 300 volunteers for Majority Rule. The Republican signed our pledge, and, the Democrat ignoring the matter until after the time fixed as a limit, I wrote letters to our workers stating the situation. Within forty-eight hours came the Democrat’s pledge with a strong letter to support it, declaring that if elected he would give our bill his hearty support.
The following year, 1904, the Presidential contest absorbed a large degree of attention, yet the people’s sovereignty cause was triumphant in four states—Montana, Nevada, Texas and Delaware—with considerable progress in many others; and a 33⅓ per cent. increase in pledged congressmen in Missouri, i.e., twelve of the sixteen are pledged to the people’s sovereignty in national affairs through the advisory initiative and advisory referendum, as also are five of the Chicago congressmen, and scattering ones throughout the country. The Pennsylvania granges, which are very strong, established a magazine of their own and questioned candidates for the initiative and referendum and other measures.
The next year, 1905, like 1903, was a year in which few legislatures were elected, yet one state and probably two were rescued from machine rule—Ohio and possibly Massachusetts. In Ohio the required three-fifths of the Legislature are pledged to the submission of a constitutional amendment for the initiative and referendum; and in Massachusetts it is hoped that an advisory referendum system will be established. The Ohio campaign is especially noteworthy in that most of the Republican candidates refused to pledge, while the Democratic candidates pledged universally, the initiative and referendum being part of the state platform. Election day was a surprise to every one, for many of the people’s sovereignty candidates were elected where it was supposed they were hopelessly beaten. The Democratic gain in the Senate was 47.5 per cent.—an unprecedented landslide. The change was not caused by the Anti-Saloon League’s work, for the Republican candidates were pledged to its cause. The change was due to the independent voters, who had been apprised of the attitude of candidates through the publication of the answers to the initiative and referendum question. Early in October the State Federation of Labor at its annual convention instructed that all candidates for the Legislature should be questioned as to the initiative and referendum, and the replies published. The Woman’s Suffrage Association also questioned candidates as to the initiative and referendum. Referendum Leagues were active, and years ago the Union Reform Party had specialized on the initiative and referendum, thereby instructing the voters—a lesson which they evidently did not forget.
This same year the State Federation of Labor increased most materially their activity for the people’s sovereignty. The Pennsylvania Federation of Labor set the pace. At its annual convention it provided not only for the questioning of political candidates, but took steps to provide for a people’s sovereignty committee within each union, and arranged in other ways for an educational and non-partisan campaign for the initiative and referendum. A fraternal delegate was received from the state grange, which also is working for the people’s sovereignty. Later in the year the New Jersey State Federation of Labor adopted the Pennsylvania program, and a few weeks afterward the New York State Federation did likewise. At the annual convention of the American Federation of Labor, representing one-eighth of the people of the United States, the executive council report recited the rapid spread of the people’s sovereignty cause through the questioning of candidates, and said:
The systematic questioning of candidates, to which reference has been made, is gaining in importance each year. More and more our state branches, central bodies and local unions are realizing the system’s usefulness. It enables our people to prevent the evasion of issues by party machines, and the self-interests of candidates cause them to answer favorably in most cases. And the success of organized labor’s political work without engaging in party politics strengthens the union in the sentiment of its members and increases their number.
Co-operation is also advanced with other interests, such as organized farmers. In Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Indian Territory and Texas the organized farmers, with organized wage earners, are questioning candidates as to the establishment of the people’s sovereignty in place of machine rule. This is accomplished without a formal alliance.
We recommend the general use of the questioning-of-candidates system.
The state Granges in sixteen commonwealths have declared for the initiative and referendum. These states are: Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Montana, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma, Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Maine.