PUBLICITY OF CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS:

CORRUPT PRACTICES ACT:

PUBLICITY PAMPHLETS:

INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM: RECALL:

DES MOINES PLAN OF CITY GOVERNMENT:
SHORT BALLOT, ETC.

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By Pobert L. (wen

122

MAY 31, 1910.-Presented by Mr. OWEN and ordered to be printed

INTRODUCTION.

For the purpose of terminating the gross abuses of machine politics, for the purpose of promoting purity in government, and for promoting the establishment of the best form of government of which the American intelligence and conscience is capable, I present herewith a careful compilation of those laws which are essential to actual and positive self-government of the people, commonly known as the "people's rule" system of government, making grateful acknowledgment to Hon. George H. Shibley for his cordial and efficient collaboration and also to Senator Jonathan Bourne, of Oregon, for his sympathy and valuable data.

These laws include an adequate registration system, by which the registration of dead men and fictitious persons shall be avoided and repeating at the polls prevented; a secret ballot statute, by which the voter may express his will free from intimidation, coercion, and bribery; a direct primary statute, by which the voter can directly express his will with regard to the selection of candidates of his own political party, or acceptable to him for any reason; a statute providing publicity of campaign contributions, by which the corrupt practice of indecently using money and fraudulently influencing elections may be diminished and the activities of the special interests in unduly influencing elections by purchase may be prevented; a statute preventing corrupt practices, directly limiting the use of money in campaigning, preventing artificial methods of bribery, or of influencing unduly the electorate, and abating the public nuisance and public harm of the excessive zeal on the part of self-seeking interests on election day; a statute providing publicity pamphlets, by which each voter may be informed at public expense of the arguments in favor of and opposition to public measures submitted for his vote, and also the arguments for and against candidates who seek to enter the public service; the constitutional amendment for the initiative and referendum; the perfected statutes vitalizing the Constitution in this respect, the initiative and referendum statute, whereby the people can initiate and enact laws they do want, if the legislature fail, or veto laws they do not want, if the legislature pass offensive or obnoxious laws; the statute providing for the recall by which the people can nominate a successor to an incompetent, unfaithful, or obnoxious public servant; the Des Moines plan of city government, which has overthrown the city boss and terminated corruption and waste in city government; the short-ballot law, which obviates the difficulty of the people in determining the merits of a large number of public servants at one time, together with other statutes and suggestions bearing upon the question of the exercise directly by the people of their sovereignty; the right of the people to rule.