Watson's Magazine, Vol. IV, No. 2, April, 1906Various
History
Watson's Magazine, Vol. IV, No. 2, April, 1906
Various
United States -- Politics and government -- Periodicals
Winnetka is a suburb of Chicago, peopled largely by bright and active
business men. Certain would-be monopolists proposed to the village
council that it grant them a forty-year franchise for a gas plant. This
was opposed by the citizens, for they wanted public ownership of city
monopolies. They possessed a publicly-owned waterworks system and aimed
to keep themselves from the clutches of private monopoly. Fortunately,
at the time the gas franchise was asked for, there was being held each
month a public meeting to consider public questions. It was called the
“town meeting.” At the next town meeting, after the gas question came
up, a resolution was adopted asking the village council to submit the
question to the people. A deputation of leading citizens called upon the
city council at its next meeting and Mr. Lloyd was accorded the privilege
of speaking. After a warm time the council reluctantly agreed to submit
the question to the voters and abide by their decision. The polls were
opened and the proposed franchise received only 4 votes, with 180 against
it.
This settled the gas franchise and it did much more, for at the next
caucus for nominating village trustees it was proposed and decided that
only those men should be nominated who would stand up before their
fellow-voters and promise, if nominated and elected, to submit all
important questions to a vote of the people and abide by their decision.
This was agreed to by the voters present, and each nominee for village
trustee stood before his fellow-citizens and promised.
Thus was the system installed, for there were no competing nominations.
The casting of ballots on election day was a mere form.
From that day until the present time the people of Winnetka have been the
sovereign power as to ordinances. They are a Self-emancipated People.
Reviewing the foregoing, it is seen that the pledges for installing the
referendum system were secured by questioning candidates, while the
system itself is through rules of procedure, which may be incorporated
in the rules themselves or in an ordinance or statute. The system is
the advisory referendum, the candidates being pledged to carry out the
people’s advice. This they have done in Winnetka and elsewhere, as we
shall show. But the system is intended for use only until the usual form
can be installed. In fact, it is through an advisory initiative that a
change in the Federal Constitution is to be secured, and in the near
future.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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