The Semi-weekly leader., 1907-06-22
INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM.
The Daily Clarion LEDGER

lNiIlAllvE AND kEfEkENUUM.
The Daily Clarion Ledger
A friend of the Clarion Ledger
has noticed that a good deal has
been said of late about the initi-
ative and referendum, /" and wants
to know what 1t is and what it
means. He has seen the Wash
Iington Post quoted as having said
that "under the initiative and re-
ferendum the South would be as
powerless in the grasp of the
masses of the North as she was
under the bayonets of reconstruc-
tion,'' and having experienced
that black chapter in our history
is growing uneasy.
Of this latter there is not the
slightest danger. In the event
Mr.. Bryan should see his demand
for the initiative and referendum
enacted into general law, the
South would be amply protected,
the Constitution guaranteeing
equal representation in the Sen
ate of the United States, and the
constitution cannot be changed ex-
cept with the consent of the
States concerned. This is a wise
provision, protecting the interests
of smaller States. Under the in
itiative and referendum any vote
to be binding would have to be
sanctioned by majority of the
States as well as of the people.
Some of the States have already
adopted the initiative and referen-
dun as applied to State affairs,
and others are preparing to do so.
Montana, Oregon and South
Dakota have already adopted it,
Oklahoma has engrafted it in her
constitution soon to be voted on,
Maine votes this fall for or
against its adoption. These are
small States. as small as any of
the States of the South, popuia-
tion considered, and they are not
afraid of the initiative and refer
endum, the demand for which has
grown along with the arrogance
of the United States Senate and |
the failure of legislatures to carry
out the will and wishes of the
people in matters of legislation.
Mr.. Herbert S. Bigelow,
well-known political economist
and writer, has, at the solicitation
of the Ohio Direct Legislation
league, written very interesting
and instructive pamphlet showing
the growth and the benefits of the
initiative and referendum, and in
the course of which he says:
''lt is proposed that this power
of direct legislation shall be ex-
ercised through what are known
as the initiative and referendum.
Under the initiative it is provided
that If the representatives refuse
to pass certain law, this law may
be enacted by a direct vote Of the
people, provided there is sufficient
demand for the law to cause rea-
sonable percentage of the electors
to petition for it's submission.
Under the referendum it is pro-
vided that no act passed by the
legislature shall take effect until
the expiration of a designated
time, and that any law may be
vetoed by a direct vote of the peo-
pie, provided there is sufficient
opposition to the law to cause,
within the time designated, rea-
sonable percentage of the electors
to petition for its submission.
!" Thus 1T is made optional with
the people whether or not they
will take the trouble to bring
questions to direct vote. Under
this system they have the conven-
ience of representative govern
ment, but when in their opinion
their government ceases to repre-
sent them, they may enact or re-
peal laws by a direct vote at the
polls, thus exercising directly the
law-making function.
" If it we're made necessary to
get the popular sanction for all
laws, the convenience of the rep
resentative system would be sac
rificed.
But tits an abuse of this system
that any law should be passed in
defiance of public sentiment. TO
secure the convenience Of the rep
resentative system and yet escape
its abuses the optional initiative
and referendum are needed,
whereby the people can leave evil
to their representatives
if they wish, but do not surrender
the right to participate ii legisla-
tion directly when they desire.
Mr.. Biglow gives the following
experience Of Cincinnati as an IL
lustration Of Tile practical work
ing Of the referendum II
Cincinnati is unique among
the cities of America in that shell