The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1905-02-01
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 1, 1906.
TRYING TO FOOL THE PEOPLE.

With oue.half the time limit of tn
session expired, men bers of the nintl
legislative assembly appear to b
making very slow progress toward
carrying out the pledges Of their part.
platforms. During the past fou1
weeks there has been a deluge of bill.
relating to various matters. in SOM
of which the reforms promised during
the last campaign are the subject O1
proposed legislation, but with the ex
ception of the fellow servant law there
appears to have Deer no unity of &C.
ton in advancing these measures to
final determination.
\ proposed initiative and referen.
dun amendment to the constitution, a
railroad commission, and a direct
primary law-the leading issues pre-.
sented to the people three months ago
are subjects of legislation proposed
in several bills that are now before
the ninth assembly, and the members
who have professed to be in favor of
these reforms will be expected to make
good. There may be differences of
opinion reg arding some of the minor
details in proposed laws, but the peo-
pie cannot be fooled by making this
an excuse for failure to enact any leg
islation whatever upon the subjects
under discussion.
The controversy on the initiative
and referendum proposition, which is
believed by its advocates to be the
paramount necessity In reform legis-
lation, promises to develop into a
prolonged and bitter contest that may
have a most unfortunate result. There
are evidently influences that desire
the defeat of any proposed initiative
and referendum Legislation, and which
hope to accomplish that result by
%fomenting strife between members
whose views differ respecting the pro
visions that should be incorporated
in the measure. The percentage OF
voters who should sign initiative o,
referendum petitions is being made
the subject of protracted discussion,
and there is q possibility that differ
ences Of opinion upon this point ma,
be urged by some members as an cxcus.
for not supporting u measure salts
factory to u majority of the legisla
tive assembly, but which cannot be
passed without a two-thirds vote.
An example of trying to fool the
people appears in an initiative and
referendum measure introduced by
Mr.. Donlan, the republican state SEN
ator from Missoula county, and which
is said to have the endorsement OF
many republican members of the leg
islature. 1t is safely guarded in the
matter of requiring a reasonable
number of signatures to petitions from
q majority of the counties, but it does
MOI confer upon the people the power
to initiate amendments to the consti'
tuition, and to adopt or reject the same
at the polls. This is u most serious
defect, and il the Donlan il
to be urged as worthy of republican
support it should have this omission
remedied.
The matter of percentage of sigma
lures to a petition is not of any grea
Importance il the people have power
to initiate and adopt amendments t,
the constitution, which they shout.
certainly possess. BY exercising thi
power they could remedy defects tina
might appear in any initiative an
referendum measure that is passed b.
the legislative assembly, and chang
any plan OF percentage that develop
the evils apprehended by certain Law
makers.
An initiative and referendum amend
ment that does not give the people tn
power to change its terms when cor
sidered necessary, may be regarde
as a gold brick proposition.