Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-03-01


to the injury of the state. To a Ger
people are fall;blc no system can b,
| devised which will eliminate all pos
| sibility of error and wrong but gentle
men. this system can never be use.
To the injury of the people as the pres
cnt one is. This law is so hedge,
about. 81 protected ny limitations tina,
The alleged weakness is largely clim;.
mated.
,. 1t is further alleged that thu
public are ha>ty ami unreliable. This
IS also true To certain extent, bu!
the proposed bill eliminates this
through the ll3ic invt stlgatiOn which
rrecedcs the adoption Of the people
Veto. The Whole procedure is ire
ni"ndous educational and conservativ.
| process. First. the agitation to star,
the petitions: second. tho agitation in
securing the signatures: third. the dis
cussica in the Legislature and before
inc people before the final vote. All
! these tend to rcpress haste and I'M
pulse and the truth is, Mr. Chairman
ti%tt thlS measure is al times dislikcd
| bN Eo;h the progressive and the con-
SerNa'lVes because It is Il wholesome
check on each. Fo" this reason il
grows in favor in all places where it
has been tried.
| Again it may he answered this is an
optional referendum. only the laws
asked FOR are subject to the people
veto and only those measure of great
importance would be likely to arous.
| efficient interest to secur, the ncccs-
sary petitioners.
| 1t may be alleged that the people will
rot take sufficient interest in law max
ing to guarantee its success 1t is
claimed that they do not vote on con-
stitutiOnal amendments. This loses all
force as an argument when we ask if
| the 5000 acts more or less passed by
each session Of Congress ever receive
| the attention of all or even a reason
able majority OF the members. This
| whole assertion is swept aside when We
say this measure is an automatic. self
disfranchisment of the untitled and ig-
| nOrart. ON the other hand when YOU
get vital subject clearly put. the poo
pie will vote. In 1902. 21..332 votes
We're cast on the license question in
Massachusetts. while only 221.954 for
| the Governor. The following answers
may be made TO the assertion that peo-
pie Will be interested themselves in the
! law: L. 1t means Il vote of the most
interested and best Informed. .
There will be less apathy on vital
questions on the part Of the people
than now by the legislators. 5. On
really important questions when given
| a OnOOrfnnifI tho Jx
well posted.
| II may be alleged that the people are
unfit to decide intricate questions of
administration and policy. This at
| first seems to hold a real difficulty but
when one remembers that the direct
legislation only aims to strengthen and
perfect our system of representative
government this objection loses all its
force. The people chose representa-
tiyes just as the business men involved
in intricate litigation. engages expert
counsel. to advise them and direct them
in those problems of government which
involve measures of far reaching inn
Dortance. The wisdom of direct legis-
lation is in this: 1t reserves the right
mind YOU. only the right to the people.
10 say the last word on any question.
And submit. if the people are compe-
tent to choose Representatives they are
equally competent to decide measures.
for 1t requires less wisdom to select a
measure than man.
1T is alleged that direct legislation
is impracticable. All objections un-
der this head are answered nv
switzerland. No more unfavora bile
SPOT could be selected for it's trial.
Switzerland is the meeting ground of
the races OF Europe. Half the people
speak tie German language. a third
the French. a number the Italian.
Some 10000 Romans. 1t has two
official languages. French and Ger.
man. ana all official documents arc
printed in both. and the last constitu-
ton was printed in four languages
Sw itzerland has been the fighting
ground of religion. Back and forth
across it the Professionals and Catholics
have fought. 1t was the home Of
Calvanism. and its territory embraces
Constance where the great Roman
Catholic council WAS held BY geo.
graphical conditions its people are
more divided than the people Of France
and England. 1t has had all forms of
government. Parts of it have been
dominated by German. parts by
French. parts by Austrian. parts by
Italians. 1t has been divided by social
conditions.
A century ago it WAS not a nation.
It's citizens sold themselves to the
highest bidder and could be found as
guards at courts Of foreign nations.
Switzerland was without national life
or feeling.
Surely a system OF government that
could unity. nationaliZe and centralize
the thought. sentiment and purposes
of such peoples must possess the
browning merit of practicability.
Gentlemen. ask what has the
Initiative and Referendum done for
Switzerland and hear the answer.
1t has made Of the most heterogen-
ccus group Of races. Languages, re-
ligiOnS. governments on the earth's sur
face, a nation. 1t has done it in less
than fifty years. Swiss citizens could
not be hired as foreign mercenares. 1t
has made then, Il nation without n
standing army. IT has made them a
nation which spends less per capita on