Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-02-22
opoeiaI Committee introduces q New
Initiative and Referendum Meas-
ure In the House.
BELIEVE IT WILL GO THROUGH
Requires Eight Per Cent to Initiate
or Refer-Terms Of
the Bill.

-Savo Auu IeIere0Oum measure, winch,
Its friends declare, will receive the
support of more than two-thirds OF
:. the members Of that BODY. This meas.
lure Is the one proposed by the special
committee named Thursday for the
purpose of drafting a compromise
measure. The bill received the un-
-animous Endorsement Of the i've men,
bers Of the committee, three Repub-
licans and two Democrats. Its intro
.duction was seriously opposed by three
Republicans. Messrs Leiper. Everett
and Bennett. who based their oppo-
sition on the ground that the com.
mittee had not given the one days
notice required by the rules. Leiper
also took decided exception to the
recommendation of the special body
that the bill be referred to the ju
dietary committee instead of the CON-
mittee ON privileges and elections. as
had been the several other measures
along this line. MacGinniss, in an
,1ronical vein, placed Murray ON the
] Eriddle and roasted him to a turn, by
thanking the speaker Tor the delicac,.'
shown in not referring this bill to
..,.Aurray's committee, out of compass.
sion for the treatment Murray's bill
had received. The conference COM
mtttee measure in full is as follows.
Text Of the Bill.
There shall be submitted to the quail
1ded electors of the state of Montana
: ut the next general election, the fol-
lowing amendment to lection /, ar
ticle v. of the constitution of the
:. state of Montana:
That section l, article V. of the
. constitution be and the same is here
;. by amended SO as to read as fol.
lows:
(. Section 1. The legislative authority
: OF the state shall be vested in leg
tslative assembly, consisting of a SEN
ate and house of representatives; but
the people reserve to themselves the
power to propose laws and to enact or
reject the same at the polls, indie
:. pendent of the legislative assembly;
also reserve power at their own option
to approve or reject at the polls, any
act of the legislative assembly. The
;. first power reserved by the people Is
: the initiative; and eight per cent OF
the legal voters in each county of a
majority of all the counties in the
state shall be required to propose any
measure by such petition: and every
!, such petition shall include the full
text of the measure so proposed. In
itiative petitions shall be filed with
the secretary of state not less than
four months before the election, at
! which they are to be voted upon.
..a THE second power is the referen-
dunn; and it may be ordered Except
as to laws necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public peace.
health and safety. and except as 10
laws relating to appropriations of
money!. either by petition signed by
8 per cent of the legal voters in each
county of one-third of all the coun-
81 ties in the state. or by the legislative
assembly as other bills are enacted.
Referendum petitions shall be filei
with the secretary of state not less
! than four months before the election
at which they are to be voted upon;
but NO law SO referred to the people
shall be suspended In its operation
pending the general election at which
1t Is to be voted upon, unless the
referendum petition Is signed by Is
per cent of the legal voters in each
county Of one-third of all the coun-
ties OF the state, and filed with the
4. secretary OF state not more than 80
/: days after the final adjournment of
the session of the legislative assembly,
which passed the bill on which the
referendum is demanded, in which
case the operation of the law shall be
suspended pending the election.
The Veto Power.
"The veto power of the governor
shall not extend to measures referred
to the people by the legislature or by
: referendum or initiative petitions. All
, elections on measures referred to the
people of the state shall be had a.
the biennial regular general election.
except when the legislative assembly,
by q majority vote. shall order . spec.
ial election, and each measure SO re.
ferred to the people either by initia,
tive or referendum petition shall be
submitted on separate ballot. Any
measure referred to the people shall
take effect and become q law when
1t II approved by q majority of the
votes cast thereon, and not otherwise.
:. The legislature shall have the power
:, to refer acts and public questions 10
the people.
"The whole number Of votes cast
for governor at the regular election
last preceding the flling of any petit
ton for the referendum. or for the
initiative and for the referendum
shall be filed with the secretary Of
state. and In submitting the same tt
the people, he and all other officer.
shall be guided by the general laws
and the act submitting this amend
ment. until legislation shall be espec
tally provided therefor.
THE enacting clause of every Law
originated by the initiative shall bt
as follows: BE it enacted by the
people of Montana This sector
shall not be construed to deprive any
member of the legislative assembl,
of the right to introduce any meas
ure.
THAT separate official ballots b.
used at the general election to be hell
in November. 1906, and shall hav'
printed thereon the words: For tn
amendments to the constitution pro
viding for direct legislation and tn
words. Against the amendments Il
the constitution providing for direc
legislation
ut shall be the duty Of the execu
tive assembly to enact Legislation
suitable for carrying this amendmen
into effect"