Evening journal., 1906-08-03
Peoples Column
Referendum in oregon.

RciSiSNobfH VI OIS9ous
Editor The Evening Journal.
would like to call the readers at
tention 10 the question Of a separate
ballot at the coming general election in
November. with the question: should
the General Assembly OF the State of
! Delaware provide a system Of Advisory
Initiative and Referendum" From
personal observations I find the aver
age citizen is lacking information con-
corning the above question. Hoping TO
enllghten each reader and voter. I de-
sire to State what the voters of Oregon
have accomplished since they shook off
machine rule by establishing in them
selves veto power through optional
referendum and a power TO initiate
measures by petition.
The establishment of the system was
completed early in 1904 and petitions
were Immediately circulated by the
people, one was for a direct nomination
system and the other for local option
on the liquor license question. At the
referendum election both measures
were adopted.
The next election has just been held
for which ten initiative petitions were
circulated and sufficient signatures Sc
cured for their submission.
The following are the amendments
submitted:
"The initiative and referendum for
ordinances in cities towns and coun-
ties and the referendum for single
items appropriation bls'
"Giving cities and towns exclusive
power to enact and amend their own
charters, subject to the constitution
and criminal laws"
Permitting the state to control at
all times the cost of state printing"
Giving one legislative assembly
power to propose constitutional amend
ments, and requiring the peoples ap-
proval before a constitutional conven-
action can be called"
Prohibiting free passes and dis
examinations by public service corpora
tions."
All OF these proposals were adopted
by the people by large majorities.
Thus the last vestige of machine rule
in the government is wiped out in
Oregon. Zach community can do as
IL likes, and the will of the major
ity win prevail In a short time the
cities and towns can own and operate
the municipal monopolies and in the
meantime all the monopolies except the
interstate ones must cQpse their dis
ordinations. The graft in state print
ing can be gotten at by statute law,
and the entire system of government is
under the voters control.
The state Grange circulated petitions
for two bills for the taxation of mono
poly corporations. Our bin was for an
annual license tax of three per cent.
on gross earnings Of sleeping car COM
panies, refrigerator car companies oil
and express companies. The other call
ed for an annual license tax of two
per cent on the gross earnings of tele-
graph and telephone companies Both
OF these bills were accepted by the vot-
ers by overwhelming majorities.
The women's suffrage organization
proposed an amendment. but did not
succeed in having it passed.
The liquor dealers also submitted an
amendment and were defeated.
A toll road company was defeated
also.
one measure which the last legisla-
ture passed was ordered to referen-
dunn vote by petition. 1t was an ap-
preparation bill containing an unusu-
ally large sum for the normal schools.
The filing of the referendum petition
held up the entire bill. In the refer
endum vote, ;he people accepted the
bill hut at the same time adopted a
constitutional. amendment authorizing
themselves to nle a referendum petit
tion against any pant of an appropria-
tion bill.
If you have noticed. the voters dis
eliminated carefully, as they accepted
some and rejected others. There was
no corruption i'm the election. as the
monopoly corporations knew that the
popular will was against them and it
was too strong to be overthrown.
The ignorant and careless citizen ex-
erted no evil influence. as in demon
strated by the fact that the majority
vote on each measure was in accord
snce with tho will of the intelligent ana
earnest people of the state.
After the peoples sovereignty is fully
established and has been in operation
for a few years. only a few measures
will be referred TO a direct vote foI
the members Of the Legislature will
represent their constituents.
The Oregon Supreme Court in 100;
complete demonstration that the sys-
TEN is practicable.
The oregon Superior Court in 100;
held that the initiative and referen-
dunn are not opposed to a republican
form OF government and therefore con-
stitutional.
Yours truly