The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1893-10-06
NEW LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM.

The following is a complete
prospectus of a new plan of legis-
lation which it Is proposed to IN
troduce to the voters of this COM
monwealth by an amalgamation
of organizations and which is
known as s'the initiative and re-
ferendum'' system. Under this
system every bill must receive the
majority vote of the citizens at
the ballot box before it can become
a law, which is commendatory
from the fact that the will of the
people should be as the voice of
the law.
The ssinitiative" means that any
citizen may write proposed law,
and if three per cent. OF the citi-
zens sign a petition in its favor,
the secretary of state must submit
it to a vote of the citizens at the
next election. The legislature
has no power over the initiative
method of making laws. The law
is proposed by some of the people,
filed with the secretary of state
| and by him sent direct to the peo-
pie at the ballot box.
The referendum means that
the legislature has the power to
propose bills, but any act must be
accepted by a majority of the vot-
ers at the ballot box before it can
become a law.
| This is the Swiss method, where
in some states it has been in sue
cessful operation for six hundred
years. Zurich state, population
100000, and Zurich city, popula-
ton $4,000, for forty years have
permitted no law, tax levy or ap-
preparation or public money to be
made without a majority vote of
the citizens, and they have no
beggars, paupers nor home made
millionaires. Wealth cannot buy
law. Word fresh from the people
through the ballot box is the high
est law and cannot be over ruled.
Under this method making law
is merely a business proposition
of public welfare. Demagogues,
wire -pullers, ward heelers and pot
house politicians lose their power.
Amy man advocating a worthy law
can bring it to a vote within d
year, while bad laws are as easily
repealed. By constant study OF
law making the people are ready
for wise action at all times.
Proportional representation gives
every party representation in pro-
portion to the number voting its
ticket. Suppose a district or
county casting 1000 votes and
entitled to five representatives;
then any candidate receiving 800
| votes, or nearer that number than
any other candidate, is justly
elected, because he represents
one-fifth of the voters. Under the
present system, if the democrats
have 1000 votes and republicans,
lpopulists and prohibitionists 800
votes each, the democrats would
elect all five representatives and
shut out the other three parties,
having 2,400 votes, from any rep
resentation or hearing. To pre-
vent this wrong, let each voter
set the figure 1 opposite his first
choice, 2 opposite his second
choice, 3 for third choice and so
on. Then if each democrat marks
A as his first choice, B as his
second choice and G as his third
choice, when 800 ballots are
counted for A, he is elected as the
representative of one-fifth of the
voters; the other 800 ballots are
then counted for B; their second
choice, and he is elected; no votes
are left for @. Every democrat
has voted; they have elected their
share of representatives, and can
not get any more. Each of the
other parties, having about one
fifth of the voters, will elect one
representative and will be heard
in the council or legislature in
proportion to the number of votes
1t casts. All the people will be
represented, and instead of party
government by party machinery.
we will have a country governed
by all the people. Under this
system each party will nominate
only as many candidates as ii
probably has votes to elect.