The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-04-22
MONDAY. APRIL p, 1897.
Mr. Bryan and tbe Referendum.

William ]. Bryan has astonished some
of his Eastern brethren by declaring that
the principle of the initiative and refer
endum ought TO be incorporated In the
creed OF the Democratic party. We see
no reason to get excited over Mr.. Bryan's
declaration. His adherence to the prin-
ciple Of the referendum is not a new
thing; nor is the referendum itself
novelty in American politics. From the
International Encyclopedia we extract the
following summary showing the extent
to which the referendum prevails in this
country:
I'm the United States the referendum is en-
lA1yed ia form or another in every State and
municipality, Very early in cur history it became
an established principle Of American Jaw that al
State constitutions and proposed amendments should
depend for their validity upon the ratification Of the
electorate at the polls. From this il was but step
10 the position that propositions TO call eonstitu-
tioual conventions should be made subject for the
Iferendum and this practice became in time well
ei,ablished Not Only has the referendum been en-
ployed in the United States for the adoption Of
eauiC laws, but IL has been used quite often OF
more often IN the enactment Of statutes. II
first employed 10 determine the question Of incor-
Iat1A A4Aiief AAE EQUALIZATION VI eEllupi us
trcts and counties the mourning Of loans. the
undertaking Of rlblic improvements. Sc. one Of the
most general uses Of the referendum is The deter
animation whether towns and cities shall permit the
sale Of intoxicating liquors Another fayoFite sub
sect Of the referendum has been the question Of the
location Of State capitals and county seats The
referendum has never beeu employed by the Federal
government fer general purposes, although act u
Congress q 1915 providing for recession Of part
q the District Of Columbia TO Virginia was sub
mitted to vote Of the qualified voters Of the Dis
trict-"
An institution so we'll fixed in the or
ganio law Of the land can hardly be re-
garded as a revolutionary piece Of politi-
cal mechanism. against which all the
forces of conservatism should be sum
uOned lest it overwhelm and bring down
the fabric of our Constitution. Mr.. Bryan
We suppose, favors some extension of the
referendum principle. He would have
more laws submitted to the people. more
frequent tests made of public sentiment
We should not have TO remodel existing
political machinery very greatly TO do
that The people Of Oregon, which is a
Republican State have adopted the refer
endum, as we'll as election Of United
States Senators by direct vote of the
people without doing violence TO their
form of government. Il is quite possible
that this example may be followed by
other States in the near future. for the
tendency of public opinion seems to set
strongly in the direction to which Oregon
has pointed the way. Our newest State.
Oklahoma has inserted in her constitu-
ton the usual provision for referendum
Of amendments to the organic Law, and in
addition has provided for its amendment
on initiative of the electorate.
That "a Republican State should have
led the way in giving the referendum d
more extensive trial than it has had here
tofore in the United States suggests that
possibly the referendum principle may
not be one that viii seriously divide pOlit-
ical parties, in spite of Mr. Bryan's de
sire TO have the Democratic party sponsor
ii. We fear it is one OF those articles
of faith that may be readily appropriated
by the opposition. should the great quad
rennial referendum decide against the
Democratic candidate and the Democratic
platform.