Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-09-01

part thereof OF the state Of Utah as
may Doe provided by laW,under such
conditions and IN such manner ana
/ within such time gs may De prOrld-
ed by law may initiate any desired
legislation. and cause the same 90
De submitted 10 n vote OF the people
for approval or rejection. or may rec
qulre any law passed by the LeglsId-
ture except those laws passed hy "a
tWO-thirds vote of the members elected
20 each house OF the Lcg.8Ioture) 10 be
submitted To- the voters W The state
before such law shall take effect
The legal voters Or such fractional
part thereof as may De provided by
law, or any legal subdivision of The
state. under such conditions and in
such manner and Within such time as
may Doe provided by law, may Initiate
any desired legislation and cause the
same ia bc submitted TO "a vote Of the
feople Of said legal subdivision for
approval or rejection or may require
any law or ordinance passed ly the
law-mGking body OF said lesal SUBJ
division 10 De submitted Go the voters
thereof before such law or ordinance
shall take effect.
| g. Of the Constitution NJ the State Of
Ttah De- amended On read 4s follows.
See. %. The enactIng clause Of every
| iaw shall be "Be % enacted boy the Leg
islature of the state OF Utah Except
such laws az may Do passed hy NE vote
| OF the electors as provided In ubdl-
| vision p section / of jhis article. and
such laws shall begin as follows. 'Be
/ Il enacted by the people OF the State "
Utah" 30 bin OBJ Joint resolution shall
| be passed. except with The assent of the
majority Of all The members elected 90
/ each house Of the Legislature and after
| it has been read three times The vote
/ upon the final passage ~ AN bills snail
| be by yeas and nays ana no law shall
| be revised or amended By reference TO
| its title only. but the act as revised or
section ~ amended shall be re-enacted
and published at length
The portions that require consIdera-
tlon are those that relate TO what is
known az the Initiative and Refcren-
dun" tits an innovation upon the
system OF government which has served
this country go well from the beginning
II Is a step toward the abolition Of the
present legislative department Of that
system. It would make the body Of the
people the immediate trainers Of the
laws, both as TO state afairs and TO
civic and local affairs, Il would also
render void the acts OF the Legislature,
and Of any municipal body II the ma
jority OF the people should so decide by
vote. Under It no law, unless passed
by two-thlrds Of the Legislature could
20 into immediate effect. Untll an cleo
ton could be held and a vote be taken
upon il. however important It's speedy
action might be. It would be imperative.
While the Legislature was al
lowed 20 exist there would be a
double law-maklng power in the state
one the regularly elected assembly the
other the masses Of the people irrespec-
tive Of any qualifications for the task
The former may be regulated by the
action Of the Governor, the latter
would have no check and the populace
would be paramount In every city
and town and county the same condi-
ton would exist The loca officers
would be restrained 10 some extent by
the executive authority, but the people
OF each faction OF the community would
be unchecked. making ordinances and
regulations at their own sweet viii,
It seem to us that a legislative body
elected by popular vote and governed
by constitutional limits and require
meuts. is all-sufIiclent for the purpose
designated. and that the introduction
Of legislation by the populace and the
paralyzlng OF law by the same irrespon-
slble force, would be o misfortune
rather than an Improvement and IS
not likely to be supported by many
OF the citizens Of Utah. The power to
initiate legislation rests with the peo-
pie now, TO a safe extent Any meas
ure considered needful viii find mem
bers OF the Legislature ready and will
ing to introduce H. and the body cho-
sen by the voters to pass upon It will
give It due consideration.
What may do very well for some
cantons in Switzerland may not be
suitable or desirable for Utah The
proposition Is a part OF what ls known
ms Popunsm; and while Il may be
plausIbly presented by It's advocates,
who include some very respectable and
able speakers. 1t is IN our opinion un-
necessary and revolutionary In It's
character. and therefore our state Con-
stitutlon ought not to be hampered
with H.
Thus there Is one proposed amend
ment-the first. which we think would
improve our State Constitution and
ought to be adopted and two that fol-
low Il that should not be allowed to
prevail. let the citizens N Utah read
the resolutions 10 be voted upon, DO
their own thinking concerning them.
and then be sure 10 go TO the pollsl In
November and vote according TO their
honest convictions.
| ,s.Ys. HrnNT 4Vrn