The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1905-01-25

0u0 oSSO4 : Wv UVAOos
AS the passage of a proposed amend
ment to the constitution requires
two.thirds vote in the legislative as
sembly, the submission of the initia
tive and referendum to a vote of tn
people cannot be secured without tn
aid and consent of democratic mem
bers of the present state Legislature
1t should be borne in mind that tn
state senate consists of sixteen repuh
licans and ten democrats: the house O
81 repu blicans and 35 democrats. II
each house, a t%wo-thirds vote canno
be had without democratic assistance
Here is an opportunity to play poll
tics in attempting to enact Legislation
to which the republican members ar
pledged, but which cannot be pu'
through without democratic assist
ance.
If democratic members of the legis
lature are sincere in their advocacy O.
direct legislation, they will cooperate
with the republican members ia fran.
ing an initiative and referendum
amendment that is safely guarded in
its provisions and calculated to secure
the end desired with as little delay as
possible. Both parties having agreed
that direct Legislation would be a good
thing for the people Of Montana. the
proposed reform should not fail OF
accomplishment because Of slight diff
~ferences of opinion regarding the num-
Der of signatures to necessary pc
titions.
Several democratic newspapers are
advising members of their party to in
sist upon adopting what is known as
the Oregon amendment, and which
was favored in their party platform.
1t provides that init alive and referen-
dun petitions shall contain signatures
representing 5 per cent of the total
vote of the state, the basis being the
vote cast for justice of the supreme
court at the preceding election. The
vote relating to this;ofice last Novem.
Der was less than 10000, thus requir.
ing less than 5000 signatures to any
initiative or referendum petition, oil
of which might be obtained in any one
county in the stateithat contained that
many voters.
Montana republicans admit that the
Oregon amendment is an excellent
for the people of that state,
but believe something more suitable to
the conditions inUMontana should be
adopted. In this state there are EN-.
ployers of labor who have thousands
OF men upon their pay roll, and it il
submitted that it would be possible to
persuade or coerce most of these EN-.
ployes into signing referendum or
initiative petitions favored by their
employers. This would not insure the
adoption of Legislation submitted te
the vote of the: people by these peti'
tions, but it would give an opportuni'
ty to cause delay and confusion in ar.
irving at q settlement of matters I'M
der consideration.
The republican plan of direct legis'
lation. safely guarded. is to provide
that the necessary signatures to initia
tive and referendum petitions come
from q majority of the counties of the
state, thus preventing the submission
of any question at the demand or re
quest Of petitioners from any one sec
ton or county who might be subjec
to the influence of local conditions. 1
is reasonable to assume that proposed
legislation affecting the general com
munity and recognized as of publ,
benefit, would receive the endorsement
of a sufficient number of petitioners i,
"A majority Of the counties.
1t is proper to provide as fa
as possible against an
abuse Of the power Of di
rect legislation, and this is what IT
publican members of the legislator
propose to do. There should be n
objection TO this program by demo
cratic members, AS the proposed legi.
latiOn cOntemplates IL purpose siuila
to that Of the Oregon amendment, I
the principles of which they are SUI
posed to be committed, and IL
methods by which the reform may I
secured should not occasion seriou
strife among its sincere friends. The
should get together. bury all partisa
jealousy and pickering, and give IL
people Of Montana an opportunity
accept or reject the proposition.
a Piece nf bic For (sihSns,