People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1896-05-07
i GOVERNMENT BY THE People!
A Plan by Which You Can Express
Your Judgment on Any Measure
Without Leaving Your Party.
Graduating Address OF Harold Her.
rick-Subject, ''The Initiative
and Referendum"

that bave always deeply interested
mankind. Various have been the
solutions of this vexed problem; var
iOas the answers given. Probably
the first and most natural answer
would be government by one man
kinkship, monarchy, or despotism-
either because one man is endowed
with superior mental or physical gifts,
or, because men instinctiyely turn TO
the strong man as leader. Another
solution of the question is rule by the
few, supposedly the best fitted for the
task. This is known as an OligarChy
or aristocracy. The types employed
by the most highly civilized and
educated peoples are the democracy
and the republic. OF these two, the
democracy possesses manifold advan-
tages oyer the republican or repre-.
sentative form of government, and
more nearly approaches the ideal.
AS we view the governments of the
world today, we are Obliged.to con-
cede that the liberty loving Swiss
people have a more nearly perfect
political state, than any other mod
ern nation. The germ of democracy,
kept secure for hundreds of years in
their communal meetings and lands
gemein1e; fortified by the rich life
blood Of patriots and martyrs, has at
length broke through the dark soil,
and now Standsa mighty tree, the
contemplation of whose strength and
symmetry yields the nations useful
lessons. Like the sturdy mountain
pine, it has become so deeply rooted
amid the craggy rocks of its native
Alp that neither avalancheS of con-
quest can crush it, nor terrific storms
Of oppression uDrOOt it.
10 that country, if anywhere, are to
be seen the happy results of a free
people legislating for themselves,
without the dictatiOn of aristOcratic
legislatures, There the people make
the laws, only assisted by the legisla.
ture. To that historic land must We
90 for practical solutions of those
problems that now confront us as a
nation.
The chief instrument of liberty is
freedom Of the ballot, and nowhere
do the people use their franchise il
more ways, and upon more questions
than in Switzerland. The ancient
institutions Of the communal meet
ingS and Landsgemeinde have been
slowly amplified and their boundaries
gradually extended, until the Swiss
now have the system OF law-makinl
known as the Initiative and Referen
dunn. This system has not been per
feCted as yet, put is especially note
worthy as being the best developed
theory Of voting and law-making
known to the world.
Briefly, the Initiative is the RICH
Of the people to initiate or propose
laws; the Referendum, the right o
the citizens to vote on any law propOs
ed. These two institutions 60 han(
in hand, The initiative is not amer
petition, but direct command of tn,
people which must be obeyed by tn,
legislature. 1t logically follows tina
it is not a success unless accompanies
by its complement, the Referendum
Both are intended to express the will
Of the sovereign people. The Refer
endum is passive force; it merel,
passes judgment on proposed legisla
ton; while the Initiative is an active
creative force, which supplies what
lacking in the legislative body
Taken together, these two institu
tiODs form the most perfect contri
vance thus far devised by free peopl
for giving expression to their pOliti
cal choice and true desire. A promi
nent commentator on Swiss affair
Says;-"They create a sort at pOlitics
pendulum, Oscillating in a grooy
strictly marked by the constitution
they produce steady seesaw Of legis
lstiOn-a continual to and fro move
ment, carrying certain expressions o
the public will from the people to TIN
legislature and back again to tn
people for their verdict" Unde
such a system, it matters little wha
political party is in power, or has con
troll Of the legislature, for the peopl
have the final vote On any measur,
proposed. Under such a regime
rOgueS may go in vain to the legisla
tive halls. Measures. mot men, ar,
their issues. The American voter ha.
all proposed legislation heaped upoI
the platforms Of the several pOlitica
parties, he is compelled to vote OF
the whole at once, although ther,
may be some things Objectionable il
each one. The Swiss voter, on thu
other hand, takes the measurer one a
a time. giving his calm thought ant
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