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The Webster Farmers

The Webster Farmers image
Parent Issue
Day
18
Month
November
Year
1898
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The Webster Farmers

HELD THEIR MONTHLY MEETING LAST SATURDAY

And Debated the Question of Direct Legislation-Members of the Legislature Attacked and Defended.

The regular monthly meeting of the Webster Farmers' Club was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ed. Ball, of Webster, Saturday, Nov. 12. There was a good attendance and an enjoyable social time was spent by all. Miss Julia Ball furnished music and Miss Nellie Mingay, of Ann Arbor, gave a German dialect recitation.

The usual debate was carried on by the gentlemen members of the club. The subject of the debate being " Should legislation affecting state interests be submitted to the people before becoming laws Initiative and Referendum. ' ' Affirmative, E. A. Nordman; negative, Wm, Ball. Mr. Nordman seemed to think the best and only thing to do was to have the law submitted to the people. It was suggested that legislators were induced to present bills by money. Mr. Ball said that the laws sometimes affected the upper peninsula and not the lower and that the lower peninsula did not need to have any say in the matter as the law did not appeal to their interests. It is not true that legislators are bribed. He added that the reports concerning the bribing of legislators was geuerally the creation of a reporter who was paid five dollars for what he wrote. Mr. Geo. Wing seemed to think it was not true that reporters did this. Mr. Reeves said Mr. Ball seemed to have a great deal of faith in legislators and not much in the people. The Declaration of Independence says that the voice of the people should be heard. He claimed that Mr. Ball inferred that the people are not equal to the supreme court.

J. W. Wing said many things might be improved. The legislators go to the state congress with their pockets full of private bills. One says, "I'll vote for your bill if you will vote for mine." He thought the ignorance of the people is to be trusted rather than the dishonesty of the legislator. If a man wants his work well done he sees to it himself and the commonwealth should do so too.

Mr. Ball maintained that legislation was an exchange of courtesies for mutual aid.

A great deal of good natured badinage arose between Messrs. Nordman and Ball referring to their respective campaigns. Mr. Ball said ,he did not think Bro. Nordman would want any one to think that he bribed anyone to vote for him. Mr. Nordman replied in a similar manner and great amusement was occasioned by the "digs" they gave one another. The meeting broke up at four o'clock after a very lively debate of about an hour's duration.