The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1896-06-19
A Very Important Reform
Now Being Advocated.
A SHORT EXPLANATION,
Initiative and Referendum.
Law-Making by the People.

The Iniative means that when cer-
tain percentage of the voters sign q petit
ton in favor of the enactment OF any
new law, or repeal of an old one. and file
their petition with the proper officer, the
proposed law or repeal must be sub.
mitted to all the voters at the ballot box
at the aext election. If the proposal
receives majority of the votes cast it
becomes q law, otherwise not. Laws
made by the initiative are not presented
10 the legislature at all.
The Referendum means that all bills
passed by the legislature must be re
ferred to the voters at the ballot box at
the next election, and that no bill can
become q law unless it receives a major
ity OF the votes cast.
District, town, city or county laws are
voted upon by the citizens OF the locality
to which the law will apply. Only gen.
eral laws are referred to all the citizens
of the state.
The veto power is taken from the gov
ernor and placed in the hands Of the
people.
All laws are printed in full and with
each is a statement OF the reasons for
and against its enactment. A copy Of
the pamphlet containing these laws and
reasons and q sample ballot ia delivered
to every voter. Making the law is pure
ly business proposition. The reasons
for and against being plainly stated In
print by the parties offering the opposing
law, only little common sense being
necessary for wise vote.
This is not in any sense partisan
question, nor the property OF any party.
1t was proposed in Oregon and has been
supported by union OF the state Farm
ers' Alliance, State Grange, Knights OF
Labor, Portland Federated Trades and
Portland Central Labor Council Money
for work has been supplied by these or
ganizations and by republicans, demo.
Gratis and peoples party men individual
ly.
In case of urgency, il enough petit
TONERS can be obtained special cleo.
ton may be held to enact or repeal q
law, but there never has been good
reasons for this as to law made by the
people. In our own country the only
excuse for special SESSIONS has been to
correct evil class legislation
When all the citizens make law, and
bnO fObU Vi OnO lOE Ab IuuCu US
any other, class legislation must cease
because no class is strong enough to
oyer.rule all other classes at tho ballot
box. The mechRnice and laborers on
the farm and in the city will have
power in law-making that mus be felt.
The Taxpayers instead Of tsxesters
will fix the amount OF public expenses.
Under the present system 1t is not 40.
When the appropriation bills come up
all partisanship disappears. Republi.
cans and democrats ara almost unit for
everything in sight, from pearl handled
pocket knives to branch asylums, and a
populists draws mileage to 20 home. via.
San Francisco. AS taxeaters they are
against the taxpayers. They have the
power and we foot the bills.
Some men say that the people are too
ignorant to vote wisely on the laws that
may be submitted, but we have yet 10
hear OF himself as one Of that ignorant
class.
The progress OF the Swiss under the
Initiative and Referendum Ia amazing,
Their experience proves that "ihe wis
dom OF the whole people is greater than
that OF any part" Their greatest state
Zurich, has made ell her laws and ap.
preparations OF the public money since
l848 in excess OF very small sum, by
dirct vote of all the people, and thus