The San Francisco call., 1897-02-19

existed III all parts of the world except in
one OF the cantons OF Switzerland. 1t
was one OF the most revolutionary and
dangerous proposals that could be brought
to the attention OF O legislative body.
Dibbie added that he did not believe
that democracy was capable of govern
Ing ltselt except by a represen tative sYs-
tenn, and that moi even the wisest people
on the lace OF the earth have the power to
frame laws In assem- mblages except by To g
representative system. He could not con-
celve how those three amendments could
result III anything less than confusion and
disaster. Nothing less could come from
the adoption into the governmental sys-
tenn OF the initiative and referendum.
During the present session the mem bers
had had one OF the most striking illustra-
tions OF the worthiessness of government
by petition. Every mem Der of the Assem-
bly, had signed petition after petition IN
til the thing had become nauseating.
He could go into any district in the
State tomorrow and could get a petition
signed by 20 per cent of the voters to hang
any man in California. He could go into
the saloons, the slums and the byways
and get 20 per cent of the voters 10 sign
petitions for anything.
The assertion OF Mr.. Dryden that after
the Legislature adjourned the people con-
demned the statutes that had been
adopted, Mr.. DIbble termed unfounded.
On the ontrary, no really bad laws had
been passed by he Legisla ature of the State
OF California. 1t was really wonderful to
find how few bad measures had slipped
through the Legislature.
Al know that our politics need reforma-
tion," added Mr.. D.bble. ~ know that
many men elected SIS representatives are
not Just to the people; know that there is
corruption In our politics; but the remedy
Is not to destroy the work OF Washington,
Jefferson and Adams, but to reform our
politics by beginning at the primary cleo
tions and building up and sustaining the
American system OF government by politi-
cal parties. 1t is to give 10 the people a
good primary election law. Our present
system Is the best system of government
that the sun has ever shone upon"
Mcclellan (PopuIist) from Kings County
arose to reply. He is a tall, well-bullt
man, with dark beard and a good voice,
and displayed himself to more advantage
than he had ever done before during the
present session. He began in a sarcastic
vein, wnen he remarked that 1t seemed to
him from the argument by Mr.. Dibbe
that all the intelligence and morality in
the State OF California were to be found
within the four walls of this Legislature.
Without intending TO make any personal
r, tiections upon his feIlow-membe bers of the
Asse mbly he said they must admit that
the history of the last four weeks session
made Mr.. Dibble's statement very severe
reflection upon the people of California.
He went on:
81 believe that any government that has
ever met with success, or ever will meet
with success, will derive its powers from
the governed. Whenever the people have
been given the privilege of making known
their choice upon any question, that
choice has been wise and well taken, as in
the case OF the adoption of the new con-
stitution. That is one way in which I'M
portant matters may be brought before
the people devoid of partisanship. Under
caucus rule the man placed before the peo-
pie for their suffrage is not-four times
out of five-the choice of the people"
ToIand of Ventura made q speech which
demonstrated that when a man is talking
upon some broad principle, which he be-
lieves in, he can do much better than
when helping place-hunting Democrats
TO tilibuster and obstruct legislation. He
began by asking why the people could
make constitutions and not unmake them.
when we consider the candidates put
forth as the choice of the people" he said,
land the means by which they become
the so-called choice of the people-some-
times by false pretenses-we find that they
come to the halls of legislation represent
ing their own private interests. In the
making of statutes they represent other
interests than those of the people at large.
When we look over the whole field and
see how legislation is done, when we see
how that hash called law is compounded,
l think that the remark of Mr. Dibble that
this substituting the individual will for
the will of the people making laws is q
ridiculous proposition How do you get
to the masses of the people except by ask
ing the individuals of the people 10 vote
upon the proposition? No harm can ever
come from the direct submission of these
laws of general operation and letting the
people pass upon them.
II believe also that when once the peo-
pie have passed upon q law no Leeisla-
ture-no power on earth-shouid be
allowed to reverse that solemn verdict of
the people unless by the same means by
which it had been made-namely, the
vote OF the people.
Cartwright (Fusionist) from Fresno ad-
vanced some radical ideas. He said that
Washington, Jefferson and Adams lived
long time ago, and it was now proposed to
improve upon their plans. The plan was
not revolutionary.
"We will still continue to elect men to
represent us in the Senate and Assemb bly,,
but we reserve the right to compel them
to refer their acts back to us for our deci-
sion. | believe that the adoption of this
resolution would absolutely prevent all
corrupt influences in legislative matte IS.
No man would be willing to lobby any
measure through this Assembly when he
would afterward have TO GO back TO the
people and lobby it there also.
The gentleman from San Francisco says
1t will revolutionlZe this Government. I
hope to God 1T will, for there is not Gov
eminent on the face of the earth where
misery and want are more prevalent than
under this. The gentleman classes the
men who advocate this measure as dema-
gogues, but say that there never was
man in the world who was not a dema-
gogue on first presenting a reform. The
heterodoxy of to-day becomes the ortho-
doxv of tomorrow. l despise that con-
servatism which clings to the old things
until the old things become rotten.
wendell Phillips said that no reform
ever came from the upper classes OF the
people. This is an age of progress. of in
ventions In mechanics ald discoveries in
science that revolutionizs all our indus
tries, and those changes have brought
changes In The people, and these demand
as radical changes in government"
Landsborough of Sacramento followed
in similar VEIN On motion of Cart
wright, seconded by Cutter, the amend
ments were amended by requiring the Pc
titions to be signed by so per cent of the
voters instead of 20 per cent. The amend
ments were read a second time and sent
to the printer.