The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-08-20
correspondence
DIRECT LEGISLATION.

4NO4N IA
the front ranks in every great his
torv-making period of our national
life. She is always conservative
until conservatism ceases TO be a
virtue, and then she is only radical
in a rational progressive sense. To-
dav North Carolina stands almost at
the foot of the list in education, yet
i7iterate as are her sons and daugh-
tiers. no drawer or truer people ever
lived under the bright canopy Of
heaven. Slowly but surely a great
change is going on in our country (;
q change, perhaps, that thousands
of the patriotic sons of North Caro-
lima have never heard of, yet it finds
a response in their very nature be-
cause they are democratic in the
broadcast and fullest sense.
Doubtless very many of the voters
of the Old North State never heard
of direct legislation, much less know
that South Dakota has secured this
muoh-needed reform and that Oregon
is soon to vote on its adoption or re-
lection in that State, and that some
of our Western cities have moor
porated it into their charters. Never
theless, this is all true, and more,
too; for direct legislation, through
the initiative and referendum has
been in successful operation in Swift
zerland for a number of years, and
the government of Switzerland to-
day is nearer a pure democracy than
that of perhaps any other nation on
earth, and the Swiss would no more
think of giving up the right of
direct legislation than we would of
surrendering ourselves back to the
government of Great Britain and
giving up all for which our forefath-
ers fought.
The adoption of direct legislation
so as tosgive the people more power
in making their own laws, Is the
change that is going on, and 1t will
never stop until it is adopted in some
form in every State in the Union and
finally in the General Government.
Shall North Carolina be among n
of the first to adopt this reform or
will she lag behind her sister States
this once and come up in the "a of
the procession? As North Carolina
cannot be the first State in the Union
to adopt this measure, 1 would be
glad to see her do the next best
thing-be the first Southern State,
or the first State east of the Missis-
sippi to do so, not simply that she
may do something first, but that she
may keep her place in the front
ranks of right and justice.
But somebody asks, What is direct
legislation through the initiative
and referendum, any how?
I will give my answer the best I
can. l. Direct legislation means
that the people make their own laws.
,. The referendum "a that if any
law-making power passes a law that
the people oppose, a certain per cent.
of voters have Il right within a speci-
fed time to demand a vote on said
law, which then cannot go into effect
until after it receives a majority
vote of the PEG lie it affects, whether
it he Of the State, county or munioi
pality. 3. The initiafiys means that
"a certain per cent. - the voters may
petition the law making body that
a certain law be passed aud referred
to the people for a vote. 1t tn II be
comes their duty to frame u law an
bldyIng all the features of the one
peSitioned for, and provide for its
submission t. the people for their
publication or rejection
Now this l. nJt II partisan meas
Ure, tor good men Of ali parties favor
II, an [ do not see how anybody can
oppose it Why not have it?
j. NJ BRINKLEY.
Surr7 Co, y. g.