The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-02-27
A STAMPEDE.
Is Started Among Republican
Members of the House
By Any Suggestion of the Initi-
alive and Referendum.
1T KILLS SCOTT BILL
For the Consolidation of West
ern School Districts.
Gregory Says He Prefers An
archy to Socialism.

The house has killed the bill intro
duced by Mr.. Scott of Elk, providing
for the consolidation of school districts
with a small school population and CIV
ing such districts the power to have
children living two miles or more from
the school house, hauled to school.
There are rich districts in the state
having perhaps only six or seven chill
dren of school age within its borders.
1t is argued that such districts could
educate its children far cheaper ana
give them better education by joining
with a neighbor1ng district having SoOu
school facilities. and paying some lndl-
ViduaI for hauling children living at a
distance to school
Before such districts can be CONSOLE
dated the people of the districts must
vote in favor of the proposition. This,
the POpulists of the house explained,
was the principle of the initiative and
referendum, and Immediately a num-
Der of the Republicans turned against
the bill.
Mr. Grattan, of Mcpherson, made
fight for the bill. He pointed out the
benefits which would accrue to many
districts, especially in the western part
of the state, and that people would not
be forced to adopt the system unless
they wanted tit was entirely optional
with them.-but that initiative and re-
ferendum bugabOO was too much for the
Republican side of the house.
I see in this bill,'' said Mr.. Gregory
with his characteristic scowl, mot only
the initiative and referendum, but So
cialism also and 1 hate all of 'em. When
it comes to a choice between socialism
and anarchy, I'll be an anarchist The
last anarchist Will be free man; the
last socialist will be a slave" And Mr..
Gregory made the windows rattle with
that basso profundO voice of his.
Grosser and Brooke Joined Gregory in
fighting the bill, while BurkhOlder as
n defending sound
the initiative and referendum was too
much for it, and it died by a vote of 81
to %.
Nearly every day some measure, gen
orally of a local nature, comes up be-
fore the legislature, which the members
are asked to refer to direct vote of
the people in the locality affected by the
bill. While this is sometimes done in
matters of taxation, in other matters,
especially where some one is trying TO
get d job through, appeals to refer the
measure to a direct vote of the people
are frequently unavailing.
In speaking of this inclination on the
part of the present legislature, Repre-
sentative Babb said:
THE more one sees of legislatures
and their work. the more one is con-
WINGED of the .desirability of direct leg
islation by the people themselves. a
legislature is seemingly afraid to trust
the people to use their own judgment.
The Weightiest argument on the side of
those who think that the people cannot
be trusted is to be found in the 1egiSla-
ture itself. People who would be guilty
of selecting such men as some of those
found in the legislature, to make their
laws for them, might not be able to
make their own laws, but they could at
least stop some of the evils Of the pres
ent system of legislating by proxy. OF
course, there are many good men in the
legislature, but there are some of the
other kind as we'll"
Mr.. Babb gives the following reasons
referendum
which is only another name for direct
legislation, would be a good thing:
1T can be used by the people to make
the legislator remember his platform
and promises.
ITO prevent bribery and corruption.
ITO route the lobby for it will not pay
to buy legislation when the people can
veto the bought measure.
ITO eliminate the spoils system.
''To point the sure way to local self
government.
ITO simplify the laws.
ITO enact the peoples will in the most
direct way.
ITO educate the people in all their
public affairs.
ITO test the popularity of reforms.
ITO give economical government.
And last, but not least, to swipe the
power of corporations, combines and
trusts
The resolution which Mr.. Babb intro
duced into the house, and which was
summari1y killed, to submit to the peo-
pie proposition to put the initiative
and referendum into the constitution
provided that no act should go into
effect within six months of the close of
the legislature, unless there should be
an emergency, in which emergency two
thirds of the members could order
otherwise. If, within the six months,
ten per cent of the voters of the state
so petition, it becomes the duty of the
secretary of state to submit the law to q
vote of the people at the next election.
If a majority is cast against it. it never
becomes a law; otherwise it does. Local
legislation would be voted on by the
people whom it affects
This system would apply in its prac-
teal workings only to measures con-
corning which there should happen to be
a great deal OF dispute. Legislation
which is admitted to be good would not
be brought into question, for 10 per cent
of the voters would not sign petitions
for its submission.