Mexico weekly ledger., 1901-01-17
NOT SUITED FOR THIS COUNTRY.
Experiment in Switzerland Not So
Far, Satisfactory Representa-
tive Law-Making is Prefer
able, He Says.

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pi"Vioin tsts - ~. ono c''0 r,a.I p'e''
"'0iVeu Nv iA"'''"' Ivy
DEFINITION OF THE FEhhs'
"The initiative is provision in the
legislative framework of a govern
ment, compulsory in its character
whereby certain percentage or any
fixed number of the qualified voters
Of a state may require that any mea-
sure proposed by them as law shall
be submitted, for acceptance
or rejection to the vote Of all the
qualified voters of the state.
"The referendum Is provision in
legislative framework Of the govern
ment whereby on the requirement of
a certain percentage or fixed number
OF voters Of a state the measure pro-
posed by them as law must then be
TO all the voters of the
state for approval or rejection.
"a sufficiently accurate definition,
then, of the terms initiative and re-
ferendum, taken in their joint result,
will be this: 1t is the formulation Of
measures, proposed as laws, by per-
centage or fixed number of voters of a
state, and compulsory reference of
them to all the voters for their APP
proval or rejection. II approved they
become laws. In other words, 1t is
legislation by the direct vote Of the
neonle at the polls. without the inter
yention of a legislative body to pass or
an executive chief to approve or veto
1t. 1t will profit nothing in clear
ness TO consider the modified ways or
circumstances of the application Of
principle, for, If it be thoroughly
understood, the consequences which
will follow its adoption will also.
SIN the national Democratic plat
form 1t is favored wherever practic-
able The phrase wherever practic-
able is somewhat indefinite. 1t often
happens in life that in case of vast
men conceal their doubt or
in the obscurlty ofgenerali-
ty.
''Tbe Incorporation Of the principle
into our system of government would,
In any case, according to its limita-
tions, amount to change in the con-
pro tdato a destruction oil
1t.
EXAMPLE OF SWITZERLAND
"Those who advocate legislation by
direct vote cite us to the experiment
Of the principle as now in use In
Switzerland, but conditions there and
In the United States-indeed, in every
stateof the American union-are so
widely different that no real analogy
exists, and no argument can be justly
drawn from the example, even If we
concede satisfactory result there.
And though the conditions In Switzer-
land are as favorable as in any coun-
try for the experiment of direct yot-
ing in legislation, 1t remains there,
as yet, in the experimental stage. 1t
is decidedly spasmodic in its action.
The masses fail to understand meas
ures proposed, and the object to all
In any degree complicated.
There is great absence of popular
discussion. Matters involving the
expenditure of money-no matter how
important-are always in danger of
rejection. The voters, ,turn out at
elections in small numbers. All the
socialists, communists and radicals in
politics are in favor OF It, and should
they become majority Of the voters,
every person for himself can conject-
ure what will be the result.
AS al KNOW, unoer our iederal
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