Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1893-03-01


the whole way, so far as merely under
standing the idea is concerned.
The word Initiative has acquired
in politics a special meaning. In this
special meaning initiative signifies
the proposing of law, by those who
have the legal right to do so, to the
body which may accept or reject the
law. When the citizens themselves SO
propose q law they exercise the ''initia-
tive" In this latter case the term
initiative designates the act of a citizen,
or certain proportion OF the citizens,
in proposing a law through the legisla-
ture to the whole body of citizens.
Referring law to a vote of all the
citizens is ''the referendum" BY the
referendum the majority accepts or re-
jects a law. Wherever the referendum
is employed the veto rests with ma
jooity of the citizens only
Direct legislation" signifies the ex-
ercise of the initiative and referendum
together Where both initiative and
referendum are practiced, law-malsiDg
is directly in the hands of the citizens
No longer is law, then made indirectly
by the power of the citizens, transferred
to representatives in a legislature
Hence the term direct" legislation.
Where direct legislation is practiced,
the whole body of citizens becomes a
legislative body in perpetual delibera-
tive session. Its votes, however, are
taken only at stated times, usually
about twice a year.
With these explanations before him,
the general reader may follow, per-
hapS with interest, the subjoined notes
on direct legislation.
London, Canada, has recently had a
trial at direct legislation. Four pro-
posed municipal laws, deemed desirable
by some of the citizens, were submitted
to a popular vote on the I'd of January.
The first of these propositions was:
''Shall the city have free library?"
The second: Shall licensed bars be
closed at p. mp The third: Shall
the city purchase an electric light
plant, not to cost more than $50, 00O?"
The fourth: ''Shall the wards of the
city be reduced to four?" In view of
the then approaching election, the con-
tents of the London Daily Advertiser of
December 21, were highly interesting.
The first column of the Advertisers
editorial page contained fac SMILES of
the ballots to be used in voting on
the four questions. The second
and third columns contained editorial
comments on direct legislation as
political principle and on its applica-
tion in London on that occasion. The
first page contained number of letters
from citizens for and against the sew
say: First, the newspaper naturally be-
came the medium of correct informa-
tion as to the methods to be followed
by the citizens in voting-hence the
fac SMILES; secondly, it confined its
editorial remarks to the principles and
measures involved in the election,
neither it nor the people caring aught
about their Intermediates in law
making, since the citizens themselves
were to settle the mooted questions;
thirdly, the newspaper became the
forum for popular debate, even women
and other non-voters having therein
their voice and influence.
Under direct legislation, the benefi-
cent power of the press vastly increases
This power cannot be restricted to any
will spring into existence for any set of
readers desiring to promote any polit-
ical idea. When men themselves vote
directly on a subject, they weigh the
measure they are to vote on, and hence
they read the newspapers with an en-
hanced interest and watchfulpess. The
newspaper managers, therefore, employ
their enterprise in offering to their
readers ideas pertinent to the subjects
debated, rather than gossip about poll
ticians and guesses as to the characters
of candidates
When legislation is in the hands of
far-off representative legislature, propo-
sitions of law made through the press
have but slight show of being effect
lively considered. But when legisla-
tion is in the hands of the citizenship,
such propositions become possibilities
of fact. recently wrote to friend in
Geneva, Switzerland, suggesting that
now that the canton had the initiative,
the workingmen might propose munich
pal pnblic land for homesites and an
electric road from the heart of the city
of Geneva to the public land NY
friend thought the workers ef the city
were as yet hardly educated up to this
conception of their rights. But have
just received Geneva paper in which
the proposition is printed, with COM
ments which show that the idea is
taken seriously by the editor, and may
grow TO be a public question
Direct legislation practiced in each
civilized country would make ali such
countries one democracy, each part Wy
ing with every other part in practicing
advanced methods. What is now true
of the civilized commercial world-that
the most prof table ideas in industry
and trade rapidly spread everywhere
would then be possible in the political
world. In all lands public spirited
men would call attention to the latest
developments of other democracies,
and, since the general interest would
demand Jhem. these developments
would be adopted whereter they Nquld
be needed. What everywhere stands
in the way of such political progress is
the special interests of the privileged
classes--.J. w. Sullivan, in Twentieth
Century,
"A good many people at Lincoln
have had their eyes opened to the beau.
! ties of the national banking system.
! Hereafter they won't be so ready to
cry crank when government banking is
proposed. -Lincoin tNeh Alliance In
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