The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-04-17
The Referendum Craze,

This evening, a number OF mis-
guided gentlemen will appear before
the Board Of Trade Of this city to adj
vocate the insane scheme Of legislation
known as the Referendum. 1t Is a
project for the enactment or rather
the ratification OF all laws passed by
the Senate and Assembly by a di rect
vote of the people OF tho State, and
it is perhaps one OF the most extra
VACANT ideas that W entered the
brains of haIf-informed and visionary
enthusiasts. The proposal has been
embodied in the form Of several
amendments to the State Constitution
by its advocates, and that we may
not be accused Of Misrepresentation
we give these in full.
Amend Article ~. by striking out paragraph l.,
section /, and insert the following in lieu thereof
THE POWER TO ENACT.
royernance Of the Whole State, in addition to being
exercised by the Senate and General Assembly, shall
bers Of the senate and General Assembly.
The legislative power upon all measures, for the
uovernanee OF any municipal division of the State
1such as county, city. town. township, borough, vii
iace' efc), in addition to being exercised by the
eraaI Assembly, shall be vested in the qualified cleo.
tors Of the municipal division affected thereby.
2. The right to reject amy measure passed by the
Senate and General Assembly, affecting the whole
state, shall be vested in the electors qualified to vote
for members Of the Senate and General Assembly.
The right to reject any measure affecting less than
4AssembIy or BY the legislative body OF any NUM-.
cipal division OF the State fsucn as county, city,
vested in the qualified electors Of the municipal
division affected thereby.
TO MAKE RIGHTS EFFECTIVE.
8. The Senate and General Assembly at its first
session I,a after e the ttyee ad fSppTeaqte 81 s falS a pass lawe ns eea
sary to carry the provisions thereof into effect and
the public peace, health and safety, as urgent, which
may take erect Immediately, and all other meas.
t / time hxed BY law for filing petitions for d vote
Of the electors thereon, and IL such petition should
9 tse n law orr Or laws to carry tie provisions Of this
amendment an into effect not be, passed, or II passed.
not less than i've 10 per cent. of the votes cast at
the last election for members of the General As.
SEMI within HER ninety 1soy days after the adjourn.
ment Of any Legislature. a petition or petitions to
enact g : s lfw q sh ais uSin eth Tie ia law IS j ed BY he
Senate and General Assembly, Of any and such
t R9Up a. The next regular State election Tor a.choice
thereof and the one ss., r. a.. favor sssa s q Th Is tn sa sa, largest
TO LIMIT nEPBAI-
1. ANY measure enacted BY q vote Of the qualified
e sastS0Ft s = Vote q the electors thereon,
DECLARATION.
r Nothfua in the Constituted shall be taken or
construed to limit the foregoing powers OF legisla
zion vested In the qualified electors. nor to require
the presentation to. or approval by the Governor o.
any 0fher of9leer. OK any law enacted by. a vote Of
s ahs eIeefors ana ali provisions therein IN cofffiici
herewith, are hereby reseinded and annuned.
Now, the people who are guilty OF
advancing a scheme of this sort as a
practical possibility must certainly be
altogether unacquainted with the
public affairs OF the State. The pub
lie business OF New Jersey requires
the enactment annually Of about two
hundred and fifty laws. which make
a large octave volume of from fivt
hundred to six hundred pages. It side
to say that we make too many laws
We only do as other people do. The an