Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1907-05-20
INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM Are
NOT new DOCTRINE,
Has Been Advocated Since 1896, and
Has Been Adopted in Several
States and is Found to Work
We'll. Puts the Bosses Out of
Business.

The New York papers are frightened
again. They have discovered new
issre-they canght it red-handed inst as
it was making its exit from the Brook lvn
banquet after savage attack on the life
of the democratic party. 1t is double
headed monster which the scientists
have classified as The "iniiative and
referendum" Its purpose is to put ont
OF business the boss, the lobbyist and the
tratiicker in public trust. OF course it is
obnoxious to subsidized papers and to
the exploiiers Of the public who find for
tunes in the grabbing OF franchises and
in the watering OF stock.
Alter these papers have recovered
from the frenzy into which they were
thrown by Mr.. Bryan's remarks about
the initiative and referendum, some
friend should call the attention of their
editors to the fact that the doctrine which
go alarmed them is not new at all. 1t is
already in practical use, to greater or
less extent, in nearly every state, and its
application is being constantly broadened.
The referendum is employed in the adop.
ton OF constitutions and it is being used
with increasing frequency in the issue Of
municipal bonds and in the granting OF
franchises.
Several states have go extended the
use OF the initiative and referendum as
to secure to the people the right to sit in
Judgment on legislative measure and to
compel the submission OF any question
upon which they desire to act. Maine
will at her next election vote upon the
adoption of the plan for "direct legisla-
tion," as this plan is called, and the New
Jersey house OF representatives turned it
down by small majority. Neither is it
ne, subject with Mr.. B!yan. He mas
discussed it in all parts of the country,
beginning more than ten years ago. 1t
was in the Nebraska platform in 1896:
"We favor the initiative and referen-
dun system as an aid to securing gov.
ernment OF the people, for the people
and by the people,"
In was in the democratic national
platform in 1900:
ave favor an amendment to the fed
eral constitution providing for the cleo
ton of United States senators by direct
vote OF the people, and we favor direct
legislation wherever practica ble."
Is this news to the newspapers OF New
York? We are gradually applying the
fundamental principles of our govern
ment to new conditions, and that appli-
cation will continue.
For one hundred years after the adop.
ton OF the federal constitution the peo-
pie endured the election of United States
senators by legislatures; in 1892 the ma.
tional house Of representatives passed
for the first time resolution proposing
the amendment necessary to secure the
direct election of senators. Since then
the house has four times more passed
the same resolution and something like
two.thrds OF the states have endorsed
the reform. 1t will come. And so will
the initiative and referendum come in
time, for both the initiative and referen-
dunn are in harmony with the theory that
this is "a government OF the people, by
the people and for the people,"