The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-06-22
THE INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM

Federation " ~ "
Thoughtful people are asking, what

Thoughtful people are asking, what
is the initiative and referendum:
It is a system whereby the voters
can ballot direct on public questions.
The result is majority rule in place
of the rule Of the few.
The system is in two parts, the in
itiative ard the referendum. The
referendum is means whereby the
voters can ballot direct on acts of
legislative bodies and constitutional
conventions, the will of the majority
deciding each issue. Thus through the
referendum the people possess a veto
power The referendum is then the
peoples veto.
There are two forms Of the referen-
dun-the compulsory and the OPP
tional. The acts Of most or the con-
stitutional conventions are referred to
the people without the formality of
a petition. This is the compulsory
referendum. Where the act of leg
islative body can be balloted upon by
the voters if a petition for it's SUBJ
mission is filed by certain number
of petitioners, usually or 10 per
cent, the system Is the optional ref
erendum. 1t is the optional referen-
dunn that is being established
throughout the country.
The initiative is a system whereby
10 or Is per cent. of the voters can
propose measures and the questions
are submitted to direct ballot Of all
the voters, the will of the majority
becoming the law of the land. It is
! direct legislation.
These direct-vote systems-the in
ttiative and the referendunl-are used
In combination with representative
government. The referendum is the
| peoples veto, as has been pointed out,
and the initiative is the voters power
of direct legislation. Through this
mechanism the voters are the ruling
power. The representatives are their
agents. Without a final power in the
voters the few in office are rulers. It
is machine rule.
Initiative and Referendum in Action.
The more existence of the peoples
veto power (the optional referendum
is effective except for close questions.
In Oregon where this optional system
has existed for five years the voters
have balloted on but one act Of the
legislative, which they approved. In
South Dakota where the initiative
and referendum have existed for nine
years not one act of the legislature
has been balloted upon.
| The initiative, though, is actually
operated, and it's mere existence has
considerable effect. In South Dakota
four years ago the party in office re-
| fused to enact a direct nominations
| system and a bill for it was initiated
by the people. The legislature, how
ever. refused to submit it to the vot-
ers, but in the next state convention
of the party in office the autocrats
were ousted and the men who were
put in their places have enacted the
desired legislation.
Establishment of Direct-Vote System
Next as to the method whereby the
direct-vote system Is established. IT
requires a constitutional amendment
to install veto power in the voters
and the power of direct legislation.
But practically the same result can
be secured by statute law. The legis-
latures and congress can eacr estab-
lish the Initiative and referendum
| principle known as the advisory in
itfative and advisory referendum. In
other words, each legislative body
can provide system whereby ques-
lions Of public interest can be referred
| to the voters for an expression of opin-
ion, the result being as instruction to
their representatives. Under this
system the representatives while yet
they are candidates for office are
pledged that if elected they. will obey
instructions.
This is the system that is being
asked for in national affairs, and ITO
members Of the House have ex-
pressed themselves as favoring it.
| Seventy-five are Democrats and IS
are Republicans. The pledges were
seured by questioning the candidates
and publishing replies or d statement
that they refused to reply. This nom
partisan work was done by the Ma
tional Federation for Peoples Rule,
largely composed of representa-
tives of Organized Farmers, Ref
erendum Leagues and Woman Suffra-
gists. The American Federation OF
Labor endorsed the questions.
The Proposed National System
In the bill proposed by tine National
Federation the people can secure the
submission of an act of congress or
a bill passed by either House, if Pc
titioned for by 100000 voters; and
100000 voters can propose measures
on eight topics, namely. inter state
commerce dncludlng parcels post)
civil service, immigration, trial by
jury or any modification of the law
Of injunction, eight-hour day in gov
eminent contract work. initiative anG
referendum, election of United State:
seators and proportional representa-.
ton.
The petitions are to be filed with
the secretary Of state. A copy O.
each Initiative petition is to be trans.
mitted to congress for public hearings
and debate, and for the framing of {
competing measure should congress!
so desire. The measures are to be
submitted to the voters by procla.
nation of the president and votet
! unOn at the regular election Prora.