The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1907-01-17
The Dominant Party and the
Referendum

In common with many thousands of
the people of this state We believed that
the Republican party meant what it said
in every one of the nine planks of its
platform adopted at Portland on the
9th of last June The legislature is
jority In both branches, and a Republ-
can executive occupies the Governors
chair; within the next few weeks the
test of sincerity as to those prediction
pledges is to come. and we very much
desire that the party, whose principles
we have espoused with much eagerness
and in whose achievements we have
taken great pride, shall meet it manful
ly. We should deeply regret II these
words seemed to indicate doubt on our
part as to the honest intention of the
Republican leaders and the Republican
members of the House and senate TO
keep their faith with the people-we
believe they will, but the statements of
Hon. Fred Allen, president of the Sem
ate, as accredited to him in a recent
interview, indicating his hostility to
one of the chief declarations of the Re-
publican platform, are sufficient warrant
for discussion of the duties and re-
sponsibilities of the Republican party and
the ipharmonious relation of the gentle
man just mentioned with the principles
of that organization on which it appealed
to the voters of this State in the last cam
paign. Subsequent developments have
proved that, had the plank to which he
now takes exceptions been omitted from
the platform of the party, it must have
failed at the polls, and it is quite within
the range of possibility that the presi-
dency of the Senate, place of great
honor, would now be filled by member
of the opposing political forces
The particular measure referred to is
Direct Legislation, concerning which
the Republican platform says: 1--WE are
In favor of the Initiative and Referen.
DUN as applied to statutes and recon-
mend a constitutional amendment to so
provide =" Mr.. Allen speaks of it as a
dangerous measure and AYERS that it is
nothing more than a premium on black
mail. He makes special mention of the
Referendum measure introduced two
years since presumably Senate Docu-
ment No. PAY but as that measure en-
bodied only those principles which are
understood to be absolutely essential to
Direct Legislation wherever 1t has been
applied, and as it is the identical meas
ure which has been introduced at the
present session, his opposition regard
against the form of the measure which
must prevail If it is to be worthy of the
name by which it is known and under
which it received the approval of the
Portland platform.
The Initiative and Referendum refer
ed to in the Republication platform Is
a well defined principle and the term is
not capable of misinterpretation. The
intention of all statutes passed under
that name is to permit the people to
revise or supplement the work of its
Legislators whenever they may think it
for their interest to do so Il is entirely
conservative to say that ninety per cent
of the people of Maine, who have given
thought to the matter, believe this pro-
vision to be perfectly just 1t is owing
to the opposition of the unimportant
minority and to the necessity of 30 franz
ing law that they will not be able, by
qnibbles and technicalities to interfere
with it's operation, that the most of the
provisions of the law, recently intro.
duced in the I'D Legislature, are re-
quired. But for this effort of the few
to defeat the undoubted wishes of the
majority, it would simply be necessary
to add to Article ", Part First, Section
of the Constitution of Maine the fol-
lowing: bat this people reserve to
Themselves the right to propose laws by
petition and to accept or reject them by
vote at the polls. The necessity for
an amendment of greater length is not
inherent in the principle of the Initia-
tive and Referendum, whioh Is extreme
ly simple but is forced upon the friends
of the measure by the opponents of
majority rule.
1t may be said then that the language
of the Portland platform could have
meant but one thing, viz: the endorse
ment of the right of the people to vote
directly upon their own laws, whenever
they may wish to do so. and it is the
plain duty of the Legislature, which is
fully in the control of the Republican
party, to submit a constitutional
amendment to 30 provide.
County Commissioners Court.