The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-06-23
REFERENDUM OMAHA.
The City is About to Vote on Its
Adoption - Favored by Bryan.

Omaha Neb June 23.-NebraSka
was the first state in the Union to IN
corporate the principle of the initia-
tive and referendum in her statutes,
and Omaha will be the first city in
the republic to submit the question to
its voters. That will be done at the
same time the city will vote upon half
a million in bonds to aid the Trans
mississippi exposition.
The bill touching this sOcialistic sub
ject is a somewhat modified form of the
Swiss system of cantOna1 government,
and applies only to cities and villages.
However, before it can be applied to
any municipal division it has to receive
the sanction of tWo-thirdS of the voters
of such division at a public election;
or it may be declared operative by the
unanimous consent of the council and
later presented to the voters for their
sanction, and if they reject it the same
subject cannot be considered for one
year. So the effect is really the same.
Under the new rule the right to pro-
pose ordinances for the government of
any city or municipal subdivision is
vested in the voters of the city as well
as the city council and mayor. The
word Ordinance" is defined as includ-
ing also all orders, resolves, agreements,
contracts, and any other measures
within the powers of the legislative au-
thOritieS OF the city, 1t is provided
that the proposal for legislation shall
contain the full text of the ordinance
proposed, and, to be mandatory must
DG SlSuGQ ny at l6dSL 10 per cent Oh the
voters of the city making the same.
At least ten of the persons making
the proposal shall take oath before a
competent officer that they are duly
qualified voters and that they believe
all the other persons who signed the
proposal are qualified voters and that
the signatures are genuine. The pro
posal shall be filed with the city clerk;
but if 20 per cent of the voters shall
request that the ordinance proposed
shall be submitted to the voters to be
voted on at a special election, the clerk
shall obey their wishes and call an
election. If no special election is asked
for the proposal shall be submitted to
the voters of the city at the first regu-
lar election after the expiration of 80
days from the filing of the proposal
unless the council meanwhile makes it
a law. This is the initiative.
1t is provided, for the referendum,
that no ordinance for the government
of any city, except as specially pro-
Vided, shall go into effect until 80 days
after the passage of the same If, in
the interim, a petition signed by per
cent of the voters of the city is filed
requesting its submission to the peo-
pie, it shall be submitted. If the num-
Der of signers represent 10 per cent of
the voters a special election shall be
held within 20 days; if less, not until
the next regular election.
Excepted from the operation of this
section are all ordinances relating to
the immediate preservation of public
peace, or health, or items of appropria-
ton for current expenses of the depart
ments of the city which do not exceed
the corresponding appropriation of the
preceding year, all of which must be
passed by a unanimous vote. ANY one
falsely certifying to the qualifications
or signatures of signers shall be fined
not more than $500 or imprisoned not
more than one year. Similar punish
ment is to be melted out to any per-
son signing a proposal knowing that he
is not a qualified voter. Any clerk
who fails to comply with the provfs-
ions requiring his official action in sub
hitting ordinances is liable to a fine
of $1,000
The saving clause which prevents
this law becoming operative until voted
on by the cities will be voted on at
the coming election. Bryan is com
ing to Omaha the day before to urge
that the proposition carry.