The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1896-01-03

A. s.Desedptise u ne Swiss Sysaeo -
LegislatIeo.
INDIANA UNIVERSITY.
Dec. Is, 1895.

INDIANA UNIVERSITY.
Dec. Is, 1895
So much bad legislation has been
inflicted upon the people Of the Uni
ted States within the past few years
|by the state legislatures and con-
Igress that remedies are being sought
which will cure or lessen this evil.
The Swiss system Of legislatiOn by
referendum has attracted atten-
ton Of political scientists and its
adoption by our state and national
governments is being urged by
many. As q result the people are
giving it q careful study and news
lpapes and magazines much Of their
'lspace to its discussion.
1 The Referendum il Q reference to
The voters tor their acceptance or
rejection of any measure passed by
their Legislators. A majority Of
1.-The voters voting is necessary TO &C
slcept or reject measure.
Il There are two kinds Of the Refer
|endum in use in Switzerland, the
optional, or facrltative, and the
,on pulsory. The Referendum il
{ said to be optional. or facultative,
when its use is secured by petition
! Iof the people. The iacultative form
Ills used by the Swiss national gov
!. ..Iernment. When bill has paseed
! 1.-THE Federal assembly, 30, coo voters
! there are about zoo, 900 voters) or
Height cantons may demand, within
Ella definite period fixed by statute, a.
!. tier the passage Of the bill, that It Be
u submitted to voters for acceptance
4 lor rejection. The Referendum il
: compulsory when every Law must
I lbe referred TO the people for their
u veto or sanction without petition oi
: 1.-THE voters. This form 10 used by Z
!. humber OF the cantons.
n Its advocates concede that only
the facultative form 10 practica
= when applied to our national gov
Of the reasons given TO
l. Its adoption by our government Ar
m THAT its tends to draw attention y
z: measures and away from men, tha
n = lit checks the growth Of party, ths
,oo lit diminishes party strife, that
; 81 prevents hasty legislation, and tha
" " lit is democratic. Under our pres
IA lent system of legislation . great des
~ Iof time and attention Is given to tn
20 Opponents and advocates of impoI
= liant measures, which would resul
an lin more good if given to the stud
Ioi measures themselves. A ma
On lmay be q Democrat as TO the tari
~ ~ land q Republican on the questiO
ial |of finance. The use Of the Swis
l." system would enable him to vote h
ID sentiments in both instances. Tn
~ would tend to OBJ iterate party linel
Some Of the objections urge
%. against its adoption by the Unite
~ States are that there are no sdeq0at
~ 4 means to secure the signatures mex
ve- |essary to secure the use of the Re
er- Ierendum, that procuring these sil
- = natures would produce much agit
At ton, that it would increase part
lies strife, that il would diminish tn
sense Of responsibility Of our repr.
-; sentatives and senators, that il woul
an hinder progress, and that it woul
Ill revolutionize our policy OF gover
!als ment. In Switzerland the
,m ~r is no such q thing a. an executi,
ex lveto, and there is no power in u
rid courts to control the discretion
on of the Federal assembly in its inte
ann. lpretation Of the constitution. III
70 u alassembly itself is the only fin
in n-ljudge in all cases. Il il evide
p. THAT the Swiss policy Of governme
. of lis quite different from ours. TheI
; soIfore, to adopt the Referendum YOU
fol- -necessitate many changes in o
IN -. methods Of government. A.
30 rrvYpsOy