The Farmington times and herald. (Farmington, St. Francois Co., Mo.) 1902-1905, 1904-10-21
INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM
Vote for Constitutional Amendment No.
2, the True Remedy for Corrup.
tion in Politics.

The people of Missouri will b,
called upon ut the next genera
election in November, 1904, to vot,
on a Constitutional Amendment in,
cooperating Direct Legislation b,
the Initiative and the Referendum
into the Constitution of Missouri.
This measure has been passed b,
the Legislature and approved by
the Governor and it needs only th,
favorable vote of the people Mt tht
next general election to become the
organic law of This State.
We have often been asked by in
telligcnt aud even well educated
men TO explain by illustration the
exact meaning of these words.
Direct legislation is composed OF
two parts-the Initiative and the
Referendum.
If the Initiative were a part of
our Constitution, then 10 per cent
Of the qualified voters of the State,
which in Missouri would amount
to about 10000 voters, could sign
Il petition stating that they wanted
a certain law enacted, and under
the provisions of the Initiative, if
the Legislature refused or failed to
pass such II law, it would have to
be submitted to the vote of the
whole people Of the State and at
the next general election il would
be printed on all the ballots of ev-
cry party and all the voters of the
State, irrespective OF party, could
vote yes or no, on the question, and
if approved by a majority it would
become a law directly from that ac.
ton OF the people and without the
necessity of receiving the consent
of the Legislature or the Governor
and the law would then read:
BE it enacted by the Sovereign
People of Missouri" instead Of as
at present BE it enacted by the
Legislative Assembly Of Missouri. "
The Referendum is another part
of this system.
With the Referendum in force,
if the Legislature passed n law that
was obnoxious to the people, or
that the people considered unjust
or oppressive, or if the Legislature
gave away fer little or nothing n
valuable franchise that the people
did not want given away, then 10
per cent of the voters of the State
could within 80 days after the nd
journment of the Legislature, sign
a petition demanding that the law
be referred to the vote of the whole
people of the State, and under the
provisions of the Referendum this
law would be held in abeyance and
would then have to be printed on
all the ballots of every party at the
next general election, and if reject
ed by majority of the voters, it
would become null and void and be
marked: Vetoed by the Sover-
eign people of Missouri "
If, however, it was approved by
n majority, then and not before,
would it become a law and it would
read BE it enacted by the Sover-
eign people of Missouri" "
These two methods Of procedure
The Initiative and the Referen-
dum-combned in our constitution
would constitute the system which
has been named Direct Legisla-
ton" This system does not aim
to abolish the representative system
of government we now have or sub.
stitute another in its place. 1t
does not mean that all laws shall
be made directly by the people.
II leaves our representative system
just as it is, but guards it from
abuse and from becoming misrep.
resentative. On great and impor.
tant occasions the people will have
the power to review the acts of
their representatives, aud to initi-
ate, if necessary, legislation that
the people need.
The expense and labor necessary
to get up the petition will prevent
its being invoked for any trivial
reason.
1t takes away from the represen.
tatives the absolute, uncontrolled
power they now have and brings
them under control Of the people
whose agents they are. 1t is alb
surd for us to give our legislative
agents an absolute irrevocable pow
er of attorney to do what they like
with our property during their term
of Office. The referendum will
make them the true responsible
agents of the people instead OF the
irresponsible masters they now are.