Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-02-03

extend it and systematize 1t so that the
people may call it into operation to
veto any obnoxious law. Referendum
means simply referring to the people
for final judgment, The national con-
stitution, nearly all our state constitu-
tionS were referred to the people for
approval or rejection, and being 30
adopted they have greater force than
mere statute laws, they have the force
of the referendum, And as it was with
he original drafts of the constitutions,
amendments are subject to the refer
endum, and only have the force of law
after the approval of popular vote
So, also, do we often refer to the peo-
pie questions of increased indebted
ness. We are to have referendum in
Philadelphia upon the question of an
increase of public debt at the coming
election. Select council has also voted
to refer the proposition to lease the
city gas works to the people. This
again Is the referendum.
We repeat, the referendum is not
novel in our government The trouble
is that it is alone possible for politi-
clans to appeal to it, and the people
cannot. To put it in the power of the
people to appeal to the referendum,
and SO reverse obnoxious laws of legis-
lative bodies, is the present need. And
how can this be done, how is it pro-
posed that it should be done? Simply
that the right be conferred upon any
considerable body of voters, say per
cent of the body Of registered voters,
to demand by petition the submission
of any act of legislation to popular
vote, such act to fall unless upon the
popular vote demanded, q majority
voting approve it. Thus it would be
put in the power of the people to reject
obnoxious lawS, be impossible for con-
scienceless city councilmen, or state
legislators, aye national congressman,
to sacrifice the interests of the people
despite protest.
And now as to the initiative; how
could this be worked? We are told it
is impossible for the people to frame
their own laws, that they must en-
ploy skilled law makers. But suppose
this is so how does it interfere with
the principle of the initiative in legis-
lation? The people desiring legisla-
ton that their representative refuse to
enact, would, under the initiative,
frame the act desired, it would be the
work of skilled and unskilled hands,
hand employed if necessary, and it
would be required that upon petiMon
of a certain recognized number of vo-
ters, the act so framed should be sub
mitted to popular vote If approved,
it would become the law of the land, a
law that could only be repealed rs it
was enacted, namely, by popular vote.
OF course, the repeal of the laws al
ready on our statute books could be
accomplished in the same way and
thus the people given control over their
own law making.
Such is the initiative and referendum.
1t should be applied to states and ma ,
ton alike. The adoption of the sys-
tenn would not require of necessity con-
Btitutional amendments, federal or
state, though adoption by constitution
al amendments would be best. Consti-
tutional requirements could be gotten
over by keeping to the form, IS South
Carolina has gotten over constitutional
requirements prescribing the election
of senators of the United States by the
legislatures of the states. And so could
the initiative and referendum be put
in practical operation in the nation by
congress passing law pledging itself
to pass all laws subject to popular APP
proval ut the ballot box, and to submit
to popular vote any legislation initi-
ated by the people and abide by the
popular vote on such legislation by en-
acting into law any act thus receiving
popular approval. But such act of con-
gress giving practical effect to the in
itiative and referendum would only
have moral force on congressman. 1t
would ever be in their power to repeal
such law. Congressman wishing its
repeal would only be held to it by ina
bility to muster sufficient courage to
meet a storm of popular disapproba-
ton. Therefore the preference for
constitutional amendment in putting
into effect the initiative and referen.
dunn.
In conclusion, we have but to repeat
that direct legislation must come, for
only an understanding OF what is
meant by initiative and referendum is
needed to win approval from all but
monarchists Those who believe in
government Of, by and for the people,
who believe that the people are fitted
to govern themselves, capable of dis
corning that which is good for them
aud that which is not, must approve