Evening journal., 1906-12-03
Mr.. CROZIER ON
THE REFERENDUM
Declares That Recent Vote
Shows People Of State
Favor the Measure
WANTS SYSTEM EXTENDED

What do you think OF the vote on
the Initiative and Referendum" he
was asked.
"The favorable vote of 17,405 to 2iS4
must be gratifying 10 those who be-
lieve in the people. II gives the ma
jority of the voters the right and
means of expressing and enforcing
their will respecting legislation and
their public servants" he replied.
"The people should be warned Of the
danger of being cheated out of the
fruits of their victory by intriguing
efforts to persuade the Legislature to
pass an enabling law either confusing
or ineffective. / am told that such
plan is now forming. a...
"There should be no partisanship or
sectional advantage in the law to be
framed to carry out this mandate OF
the people, 1t is the republican prin-
ciple, that. Of true democracy II must
not be prostitutedfto the advantage OF
any man or party. The law should be
clear and simple but fearlessly effect
No man will oppose unless afraid TO
trust the people. The people viii then
naturally mistrust him. Anyone OBJ
tanning Office against the will Of the
majority will be likely to betray his
trust If it becomes for his interests to
do so. Those believing in the rule of
the minority should emigrate to Rus
sia or Turkey where they can get the
genuine article.
president Roosevelt has helped
greatly to make the people conscious
of their power. It is simply irresist-
ible 1t needs only opportunity to in
form and express itself. The deliber-
ate judgment of the majority Of the
voters will be sane and conservative.
1.-THE republic is strong only because of
this fact.
Wants Principle Extended.
Common primaries are based
strictly on the principle of the Initia-
tive and Referendum and should be
lenlarged and extended. Why should
not the people have the right also ia
express their direct preference for
State officers, Congressman and United
State Senators, If they desire? AS to
the latter. the vote would be advisory
merely. But the peoples legislative
servants would like to know just who a
majority of the voters want and be-
lieve could accomplish the most for
the state, the only reason anyone
should be selected for any office.
This plan is now followed in some
States and is growing constantly II
favor throughout the country Can q
single reason be given why the people
should be deprived of the right to say
whom they prefer? Who will presume
to deny them that right?
State for the Measure.
What do you think of the conten.
, tion OF another local afternoon papei
! that all who voted for elective Officers
I but did not vote on the initiative ant
referendum question should be counte,
against it?" Mr.. Crozier was asked.
"The distinguished literary genius
/ behind that sheet probably takes him
self seriously. No one elses sseems to
, This contention has only the virtue o.
, causing amusement. The issue wal
clearly drawn and widely discussed
. To say the people did not understand
it is to attack their intelligence. An,
, against it would surely have so voteC
/ when they had the chance. 1t woulC
, lbe more reasonable to claim that thos,
/ not voting were really for it, Tha
! they assumed as no opposition con
sidered Of account by anybody was ap
, parent it would carry any way. Pos
! sibly some were confused by beini
: given two ballots and were afraid vot
, ing both might invalidate their vote al
: together. I am told that in man,
places no special attention was calle'
4 to this matter and that the voter
= overlooked il. This might readily ac
count for almost the entire differenc
, in the vote.
!. About SS per cent, or 17.405, vote
. for the initiative and referendum, an
, about - per cent, or 2134, against
I. If the 1889 not voting thereon at al
, were apportioned on the same basi
the sentiment OF the State would b
: 1926 for and 4293 against the peopl
> having something to say about thei
own affairs.
'The general practice I'm taking tn
lopinion Of the citizenship on any ques
tion is to consider only those votin
thereon. All have an equal chance I
express themselves. Anyone failin
= to do so cannot complain and by thei
q inaction have asked to be ignored
n the matter.
. IN some sections Of the South,
. lis true, the doctrine above mentione
is in practice. That is probably wher
! he Borrowed it, They do not let tn
: colored people vote and the total vot
4 east is often less than half that quail
\ fed. Yet in Congress they demand a
lapportionment based on the total vot
: ers, including colored. giving thel
q twice as many representatives. The
count the -colored people for purpose
of apportionment even where grand
i father clauses and other means hay
o deprived the colored people Of eve
4 the legal right to vote.
$ Refers to Otto Incident.
k 1T is impossible not to rememb,
that the same newspaper oppose
when IS per cent. of all Of the qualife
voters of Wilmington signed petition
at the instance of the Mercantile AS
ISOLATION, verified on oath, reauestin
2 their servants, the Street and Sew,
. Directors, to grant them action whic
would have retained the great Oti
[, industry added $4,000 to the popul,
ton of our city, millions to our ia,
able wealth, vast amounts continuous