Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1898-12-30

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South Dakota has stepped to the
front in experimental legislation,
says the Sioux Falls correspondent
of the Chicago Times Herald. Al
though nearly the youngest in age
in the family of commemorative,
she is the first in the United States
to give the principle Of the initia-
tive and referendum the vigor OF
statutory law on basis nearly
similar to the world-iamed custom
of the Swiss federation.
None Of her sister states has
dared to go SO far in the path of
curbing legislative power and en-
larging the importance Of popular
vote, and the result will doubtless
be watched with great interest by
students of administrative refom all
over the country.
The question Of the adoption of
the initiative and referendum was
Submitted to the voters Of South
Dakota at the recent election. 1t
was one Of three constitutional
amen lments thus submitted,
The other two woman suffrage
and the proposition to establish the
South Carolina liquor dispensary
system were rejected. Women
lost thier fight by an adverse ma
jority Of 4006, and the proposition
for state control over the liquor
traffic was buried by a much larger
vote.
The initiative and referendum
was adopted, however, by MAORI
ty exceeding 5000, and its advocates
point to this rs a test, showing the
ability of the people to distinguish
between desirable legislation and
laws about which there is large
popular doubt.
There is one radical difference be-
tween the law thus adopted in
South Dakota and the one long in
force in the Swiss federation. 1t is
not intended that every piece Of
legislation is to he submitted to
popular vote. On the contrary, the
advocates OF the principle maintain
that they have taken such precau-
tons that only the most important
measures measures concerning the
Justice or desirability of which there
is widely prevalent doubt--will
ever I've submitted to the arbitra-
ment of popular ballot.
They have done this, they argue,
10y the insertion into the law of a
very simple provision, aud students
of state government largely agree
with them. 1t is probided in the
law as adopted last month that any
law passed 10y The Legislature must
be submitted to the approval Of
popular vote at a special election,
provided that ) per cent OF tie legal
voters of the state SO petition.
This is the referendum feature,
and is designed as a curb upon evil
Legislation. 1t is further provided
that if a similar number of people
shall desire an enactment OF certain
legislation-whether such legisla
ton has been defeated in the state
assembly or not they shall have
the same power to secure it by full
filling the same requirements
This is the initiative principle,
and is designed as a means towards
securing legislation which, although
popular, might be defeated in the
I legislature by undue influence.
Ii tue advocates of the initiative
and referendum are to be believed
/ there need b2 10 fear OF extrava-
| CANT waste of the public's money
because Of special elections held
under it's provisions 1t is argued
that it will be exceedingly difficult
TO secure the signatures of 5 per cent
of the voters of the entire state to a
demand for Submission to popu
lar vote of inconsequontial lcgisla
ton or of legislation concerning the
desirability OF which there is little
question.
This contention IS seemingly
based on excellent ground so far as
South Dakota is concerned, though
it might not work Sc well in larger
commonwealth. 1t must be re,
membered that there are compare
tivelv few idle men in this state
and that an unusually large major
ity Of The citizens are taxpayers