The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-05-13
KANSAS. GOAMENT

! INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM.
When the fathers of the republic es-
| eaonshed this government Of by and
Tor the people, they did not have full
| 1aith In the ability of the masses to
| rule The provisions in the constitu-
| ton for the election of president by
the electoral college and the election of
| senators by the state legislature abund-
! antly proves that
The people are, however, learning
| good many things about government
BY means of party nominations, our
| presidents are now practically elected
| by the direct vote, and in some of the
| states United States senators are now
| named by party conventions and the
4 members of the legislatures simply re-
| cord the decree Of the party conven-
! tions.
In many of the states people are now
! taking about the initiative and referen-
| oum, by which means they hope to ex-
erclse a more direct influence on legis-
| lation- The constitution submitted 10
the people of Oklahoma by the Demo-
cratic majority has an initiative and
and referendum. by which means they
nope to exercise a more Dill ect lnf1u-
| ence on legislation The constitution
| submitted to the people of Oklahoma
| by the Democratic majority has an inl-
! tiative and referendum clause, and it Is
meeting with earnest opposition as II
1t We're at enmity with the spirit OF
our free government.
The particular clause in the Oklaho-
ma constitution to which objection is
urged is said to have been taken from
the constitution of the state of Oregon
Senator G. w. Fulton of Oregon, who
is a Republican. has this to say about
the law in the North American Re
view:
During the short period of time In
which the initiative and referendum
amendment has been part OF our
constitution, the people have MANIFEST
ed a very lively disposition to exercise
their power Hereunder. They have,
hour ovid ms a
discriminating judgment both In leg1s-
lating and in reviewing the work OF
the legislature which demonstrate that
such powers may be vested in them
with perfect safety to all interests
Aside from the direct primary law, the
most important enactment under the
initiative is the local option law, which
was proposed by petition and approved
by large majority of votes, cast
thereon, and thereby became a law:
The general appropriation bill enacted
by the legislature at the January ses-
sion in 1905 was, by petition, held up
under the refer endum, and referred to
the voters and passed on by them at
the June election in 1906. By very
decisive majority, the action OF the leg
islature was approved. So far there
has been no attempt to enact unusual
or extreme legislation on any subject
under the initiative. On the contrary,
cate that, as legislators, the people are
fully as conservative and considerable
of private and corporate rights as are
their representatives in, legislative as
semblies. wichita Eagle. ~
o.
KANSAS BACON.
The Kansas City Journal, speculat- |
ing as to the bill of fare which will
be supplied the harvest hands who |
come to Kansas this summer includes !
Missouri bacon. Missouri bacon, dye |
moind that. now. Missouri bacon! Not
that anybody knows of. Where, pray, |
does this Missouri bacon come from, If
not from the side of your Kansas
porker; the Kansas porker which is
dissected by a Kansas City, Kan. |
packing house, and distributed to the |
four-and 40 railroads? 1t would be |
nice state, of affairs if Kansas had to
go to Missouri to get its ibacon-Kan- |
sas the land of niroly-poly pigs and |
sleek cattle and fine horses. Missouri |
can have whatever is coming to 1T
from the mule, but as bacon pro- |
Queer it will have to step little to one
side-Leavenworth Times.
BORDER RUFFIANS.
The "border ruff1ans'' are striking
for the Missouri line again, as they
used to do in the old days. The latest
contingent that are fleeing hence are
the brewers and saloonkeepers of
I.eavenworth, Atchison and other
Kansas towns. Let them fee and may
they always be hown--Miami Repub-