The Somerset reporter., 1906-04-26
Approves of the Referendum

Aside from the one subject Of the
pf9hlbitJty laH there is probsb y no
public question receiving more thought
Dy The people of Haine at the present
time than tue Initiative and Referendum.
foi tins IeasDu the opinions Of legisla-
tive candidates on this question are
looked for with consideTabie eageruess
by hose WHO are TO participate ia the
and cast their ballots at the next sep
ember election In view Of tue interest
everywhere manifest We take pleasure
in giving our readers the following inter
we u, bel weeu Hon T. +. Ddnforln aud
K T. Patten, on the Initiative and Re
ferendam Feeling strong interest IN
the measure Mr.. Patten took occasion TO
approach Mr.. Danforth on tue subject
aud said: "As you know, Sir Daufortb.
| believe the question Of the Initiative
and referendum 10 be the. uhe Of para
mount importance Lon before the peo
PIE Of Name; | much desire To know
Your attitude towards it and should be
gfatlfed il found it favorable
1t by the Initiative aud Referendum ~
SAID hr Dantorth, you mean the form
Of direct leglslatiOn 30 much made use
OF IN switzerland, such IS was intro
duced in the list and 7Znd Name
legis atures, in the latter case | believe
as senate document No. "a. ! can see no
objec ion to it, | understand the pur
pose of this resolve to be to submit 10
the people of this state a constitutional
Amendment, which. IN event of lie
adoption, would enable the people. By
petition, to secure the reference 10 them
Of any pending legislation, or would
enable them to propose and vote upon
legislation which the legislature did not
see tit to enact This seems to be a
provision for ascertaning the wishes Of
The majority somewhat more perfectly
han al present, and this Of course eau
hardly be objected to-
"Haying assured me so frankly of your
belief IN the justice of the measure
said Dir Patten, 81 hope you will per
mt me to 90 step further and ark you
If, in the event of your nomination and
election 10 the 73d legislature, you
would vote for and support be Initiative
and Referendum upon the understanding
OF the matter which you have so clearly
set fourth
Ordinarily" said MI. Danforth, Il
should ask YOU TO give me little time
for consideration before replying to a
direct question on such an important
measure, but l have given it some
thought and, indeed, have already ad-
vised several who have mentioned the
subject to me that it v as my intention.
in case | should be a member Of the
next Legislature, to vote for and supp TT
the Referendum resolve. If proposed for
action, and | have no hesitancy in as.
suring you that should do go. While
il is within the past year only that
have been led to consider the legisla.
tion in question, cannot recall a time
when l believed in any other theory OF
government than the rule of the major
| ity, and, should 1t be my privilege to as
sist in perfecting our fundamental law
by Incorporating provision whereby
the people cou'd d participate directly in
legislation to such an extent as they
found necessary, assure you it would
give me great pleasure. AS | know
you would not have questioned me thus
closely for your own information alone,
| will say that you may do as you see fit
about keeping this conversation conf
dental 1t is only such as | would tell
any one who might be thus interested in
my views, and there is, therefore, no
reason why you should not make is pub
lie, If you wish to do so, and consider
my ideas on the subject of sufficient i'm
portance."