People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1892-09-23

Laws of a general nature are held in
allegiance for sixty days after publ
cation to allow public criticism and
objection to become manifest.
Should any considerable opposi-
ton to a law exist, it will be shown
by public meetings in the communes.
Petitions will be formulated and
signed before the local magistrates,
who certify the lists to the Executive
Council without expense to the citi-
zens. Should such petitions contain
20 per cent of the voters of the re-
public, it becomes the duty of the
Executive Council to submit the
question to vote of all the people.
The result enacts or kills the law,
just as a vote on a constitutional
amendment does in Georgia. Should
there be less than 20 per cent of the
people petitioners in sixty days after
publication, the legislative express
sion becomes law without the refer
endum, as this submission to the
people is called. The reference has
been frequent, and it is said that a
majority of the provisions SO sub
mitted have been annulled.
The initiative steps behind the
legislative and takes to the people
the power to formulate and pass
laws. Whenever any considerable
number of citizens demand, it be-
comes the duty of the Executive
Council to instruct the magistrates IN
the communes to open lists for petit
tons Of instruction. These petitions
are forwarded sixty days after the
day on which they were opened for
signature, and if it be found that as
many as one in five voters ask it,
it becomes the duty of the Legisla-
tive Council to promulgate and pass
the bill demanded. In order for it
to become law, the act must then
be submitted to the people as pro-
vided in the referendum, no second
petition being necessary.
The legislatures of the cantons
also have the right to petition for
the passage of laws or amendments
to the constitution. There being
twenty-three of these, five or six can
demand a submission to the people
and thus force an unfavorable ma
jority of cantons to leave it to the
whole people whether the constitu-
ton shall be amended or a tax re-
moved.
As an illustration of how the system
would operate in this country, the
Mckinley bill will suffice. That,
being general law, would have been
held in allegiance for sixty days,
Then the opposition, through the
Democratic party or otherwise,
would have petitioned for the refer
ence to the people. Within reas-
enable time, say after sixty days
longer, an election would be held in
every precinct in the United States.
The fate of the law would have de-
pended on the result, and the people
would have been spared at least this
tin plate campaign issue.
AS to the initiative, the farmers
would have been able to bring about
a direct vote on the reconciliation
of silver instead of having their mis-
representatives deny them the relief
they seek. So, also, a direct vote
could be had on the sub treasury,
prohibition, the income tax, railroad
regulation, prohibition Of alien own
ership, or any great question which
could rally in its interest one-ffth ct
the qualified voters of the count ~.
These are great questions, thai are
pressed to the front by the Peoples
party, and their intelligent compre-
hension implies an education of more
than ordinary force. When Demo-
cratic candidates for high office de-
clare their ignorance, they acknowl-
edge their incapacity to teach, and
should stand abashed.
OUR GOVERNOR.