Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1899-05-11
MAY BE EXERCISED IN MAKING
OUR LAWS DIRECT.
Government by Representatives ia Not
satisfactory and Legislatures are
Dominated by Private Interests aud
do not Represent the People.

party spirit and struggle for patron
age, that they cannot truly reflect tho
sentiment OF the people In making
laws. Private interests dominate leg
ialatve assemblies. Monopoly tri'
umphs despite the will Of the people
Is not every legislature justly charged
with being the creature of special in
terestsp Is not almost every good law
defeated by monopolyP Could silver
have been demonetived in 1873 II the
law had been submitted for adoption
or rejection by the peopleP Would 1t
not long ago have been remonetized X
the people could have had c chance
regardless Of party to vote yes or noP
Is not the chief danger TO silver cause
at this moment because the people
cannot get chance to vote directly
for or against the proposal for free
coinage?
Direct legislation, therefore, simply
means that method shall be provided
whereby a reasonable percentage OF
voters mNy, II representatives prove
false, by petition propose a law, gem
eral or local. and have the same re-
terred to the voters for their adoption
or rejection.
The filing Of petition proposing
law to be voted upon Is termed the
initiative" and the referring OF such
proposition to u vote is called the
referendum. Hence, those familiar
with this system in Switzerland,
where IL has been long and favorably
tried call 1t direct legislation by
means Of the initiative and referen-
dum.
There are two forms OF this system,
called the Optional" and the "obliga-
tory" The optional may be called 4
mere advisory vote Of the people, like
the vote taken in recent years In Cali
fornia upon questions submitted by
the legislature to the voters:
"Shall there be an educational quail
iflcation for voters? Shall United
States senators be elected by popular
voter Shall Chinese emigration be
prohibited"
The vote on oil these was almost
unanimously Eyes" This advised the
legislature Of the desire Of the electors
but left 1t to be carried out by the leg
islature II 10 much to be regretted
that similar advice had not been
taken by congress on the silver ques-
ton, on abolition of banks OF issue,
on a postal telegraph, on postal saw
ings banks, on government ownership
Of railways, on direct issue Of money
by the nation, on direct legislation
and other great issues
The obligatory referendum exists
where tho proposed law is submitted
for adoption or rejection, just as Is
done with a proposed constitutional
amendment. This is tho only way to
obtain true expression of the people
If the people are the only ones whom
we will trust to make or change our
supreme law, tho constitution, why
not trust all or as much legislation as
they demand, to their direct vote In
the same manner Representatives,
when given power to make Iowa, hold
an irrevocable power Of attorney in
state or nation from one to six years
Before the term expires they almost
ruin the people. For law making pur.
poses they are supreme. They may say
with Louis XIV, ~ am the State,
The principle admits Of dangers al
great as those which may arise from
kings or oligarchy 1t sets rulers ovel
people who should by direct Legislature
govern themselves 1t grants power
OF attorney without reserving the pow.
or TO ratify the net Of the attorney
This 10 foolish in business and destruc
tive to free government.
1t cannot at this day be objecteC
that the people are not competent t
make the laws. This is ncgatived BY
the fact that they alone are trusted L
make our constitutions.
There has been much debate as /,
the origin Of civil power and as t.
where the faculty Of making laws 4
reposed, but we have decided that
The doctrine of divine right In king
or mobiles is exploded. We have restet
eur American republic on deere
that all civil power Is inherent in tn
people, that "just laws rest on tn
consent Of the governed"
Let us proceed 10 realize this truth
Conscience Is the voice of the divin
speaking in man or woman. To max
laws resting on this conscience re
quires the direct expression OF all eli
liens Such expression is the divin
and rational method. Even the clei
ical school admits this. Bellarim
spealsiug Of the power to give laws
says, "observe that this power reside
Immediately, rs In the subject, In o.