The Konawa Chief. (Konawa, Indian Terr.), Vol. 1, No. 19, Ed. 1 Friday, March 31, 1905 Page: 1 of 16
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ZTbe IRonawa Cbtet
FIRST YEAR. NO. 19.
KONAWA, 1ND. TER, FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 1905.
—
SI.00 THE YEAR
The Optional R«f«rndum.
The effort of the people to re-
form public affairs by putting
"good" men into office, has so
far not always been followed by
very satisfactory results. 'Good'
men often'turn out to be tricky,
or stupid, and "reform," in eith-
er case, goes glimmering.
A plan which has been in
operation in Switzerland since
1871, and is at present being
tried in the cities of Los Angeles
and San Francisco, and in the
states of Oregon and South Da-
kota, may possibly offer a reme-
dy for much of the legislative
iniquity and incompetence with
this country is everywhere af-
flicted. The plan is known as
"guarded representative govern-
ment," and the object is to make
the people as nearly sovereigns
as possible—to establish demo-
cratic government, in fact, as
in name.
In Switzerland no law-except
certain emergency measures—
passed by the national legisla-
tive body becomes operative un-
til three months after that body
adjourns; and during that time,
if five per cent of the voters of
the country demand it, any law
which has been passed must be
submitted to the people for ap-
proval or disapproval at the polls;
just as constitutional amend-
ments are voted upon in this
country. This is called the op-
tional referendum.
A similar method for passing
upon the work of their lawmak-
ing bodies exist in the American
cities and states mentioned
above. "The first effect of the
referendum in Oregon," "writes
Hon. W. S. U'Rem, "is the com-
parative absence of charges of
corruption and partisanship in
the legislature."
It is said that in Switzerland,
guarded representative govern-
ment has made it quite unprofit-
able for special interests to in-
vest funds in the nomination
and election of legislators, or to
employ lobbyists, because of the
ease with which the work of the
lawmakers may be annulled by
the people, if the people so de-
sire. The fact that the people
have this power acts, therefore,
as a powerful deterent to law-
makers to pass any laws of a
questionable or corrupting char-
acter; and the effect on the char-
acter of the lawmakers them-
selves has been no less salutary
than upon their lawmaking. As
soon as it became practically im-
possible to fasten vicious legisla-
tion upon the people of Switzer-
land, it is said that a very much
better class of men became will-
ing to serve as legislators. Vio-
lent party prejudice passed away
and government by the politi-
cians come to an end. In fact,
as soon as the people themselves
could say what laws should or i
! should not pass, it made compar-
atively little difference what po-
llitical party was in the ascen-
dency; and professional politi-
cians, who can thrive only on
"graft" had so little power for
evil that they went out of busi-
| ness. And this condition of af-
fairs continues to this day. In-
deed, it is maintained by those
who ought to know that Swiss
lawmakers are uninstructed leg-
islative experts who practically
hold the relation to the Swiss;
people of an executive commit-
tee, with legislative powers, sub-
ject to revision by the people.
If the work of these experts is
satisfactory, no potential opposi-
tion to their lawmaking is offer-
ed; but when, in any instance, it
is unsatisfactory, their work is,
at once annulled at the polls.
A peculiar effect which vius
system of lawmaking is said to
have had in Switzerland is that
"rotation in office" has practical-
ly disappeared. Public office is
no longer looked upon as a pri-
vate snap, to be passed around
among "the boys." The gov-
ernment is conducted on busi-
ness principles. Honesty, effic-
iency, and economy are demand-
ed of all public officials, and
when an office holder proves him-
self worthy, he is retained in of-
fice as long as he will serve. It
is said that no involuntary re-
tirement from the Federal Coun-
cil (the executive department of
the Swiss government) has tak-
en place since 1874.
It looks as though guarded
representative government might
offer an easy way for the intelli-
gent and earnest voters of a
state to obtain and maintain
the ascendancy in the decision of
questions of public policy, be-
cause the absence of partisan
prejudice and vote purchasing
would quite likely operate as an
automatic disfranchisement of
ignorant and vicious voters, as
well as of indifferent election
hack patriots. It is probable
that, rela tively speaking, there
would then be decidedly fewer
votea cast than now, but the
fewer votes would, on the other
hand, represent more intelli-
gence and zeal for the public
welfare. If such a happy re-
sult as this could be brought
about, great things for the bet-
terment of public affairs could
be confidently expected. Not
that the people would not at
times make political mistakes,
but when made, they could be
more quickly and easily correct-
ed than is now possible. Be-
sides, with intelligent and patri-
otic self-interest in control of the
polls, these mistakes wehld prob-
ably prove to be little worse than
salutory lessons for the guidance
of the people in the future.—
Atchison Globe.
Stolen Paragraphs
Any town is a good town to a
good man.
When a married man has a
good time, he has to deny it.
When a freckled girl is good
looking, she is mighty good look-
ing.
If you hate your enemy, it
doesn't hurt hirn, but it hurts
you.
It is doubly humiliating to ex-
pect a victory, and then get a
black eye.
The real leader of a conven-
tion is never the man who makes
the motions.
When a man lends money to
his kin, his wife finds out about
i it before he has really loaned it.
We would like to have curly
hair long enough to show that
i we despised it, by cutting it off.
We have eaten wonderfully
flaky pie crust made by a woman
who hadn't artistic tapering fin-
gers.
Good soup can be made from a
chicken: but you can't make
soup from a turkey, a goose
or a duck.
When a friend offends you, be
as good as the lawyers, and
I give him the advantage of a
; tachnicality or two.
I Your friends will admit that
! you have more than your share
; of trouble,- if it takes you as
long as five minutes to tell about
| it.
Get very well acquainted with
a person, and you will learn that
he has as many troubles as a
professional beggar.
If you tell a woman that her
house work moves like clock-
work, she is likely to invite you
to dinner most any time.
We have heard nil manner of
complaints, except that a man
feels slighted when church sub-
scription papers are not passed
to him.
Every one seems to have a
barbed wire fence around his
own senpitive spots, while he
insists upon bars down in the
case of other men.
It is found by the wise ones
that high heels cause more back-
ache than bending over the wash
tub, and the wise ones are right
for once.
When a man has been around
where girls are. and had a com-
pliment or two, his wife finds
that she has to begin all over
again, to "take the conceit out
of him."
Some people have such a repu-
tation for patience that when
there is nothing the matter with
them, and they say so, every one
thinks: "How brave to conseal
it!"
We do not know how patient
the farmers are with the child-
ren around the house, but they
certainly make fine nurses around
the stores, while there wives
trade.
It is quite common to hear ill-
natured talk about people. If
you want to attraet attention,
be different: say something
pleasant. People hear so much
backbiting that they appreciate
a little kindness.
We sometimes think the gen-
ius of men shows more promin-
ently in washing machines than
in anything else. At every hard-
ware store you will see several
different washing machines, and
each one has a different mechan-
ical principle.
No. 7633.
Trkasi'ky Dkpartmknt,
OFKIVH or COMFTROI.I.Klt OK THK CUMKNCY,
Washington. I). C., March 6. 1805. *
Whkkkan, by satisfactory evidence presented
to the undersigned, il ha* been mude to appear
that "THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF KO-
NAWA," in the town of Konawa, in the Semi-
nole Nation, Indian Territory, has complied with
all the provisions of the Statutes of the United
States, required to he complied with before an
association shall be authorised to commence the
business of Banking .
Now therefore I. William K. Ridgely, Comp-
troller of the Currency, do hereby certify that
"THE FIRST N ATM >N AI. KA NK OF KONAWA'
in the town of Konawa, in the Seminole Nation,
Indian Territory, is authorised to commence the
business of Banking ax provided in Section Fifty
one hundred and sixty nine of the Revised Stat-
utes of the United States.
In testimony whereof witness my hand and
Seal of office this Sixth day nf March, 1905.
'SEAI.) W*. B. RIDCELY.
t'omiit roller of the Currincy.
| Kir t publication March 17; last May 18, 1905.
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Nichols, G. E. The Konawa Chief. (Konawa, Indian Terr.), Vol. 1, No. 19, Ed. 1 Friday, March 31, 1905, newspaper, March 31, 1905; Konawa, Indian Territory. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc97105/m1/1/: accessed April 19, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.