Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1908-11-17
Shall, fave TO Make the Best of 1t.

Notice of Foreclosure.
8. b. 4 2. s. Prince. /
Shall Have TO Make the Best OF Ii. |
An eleventh-hour campaign against
the initiative and referendum was carried
on in Maine during the few days i'm
mediately preceding the September
election by some parties who modestly
omitted to advertise their identity.
Nevertheless the initiative and referen- |
dunn amendment was adopted by what
we fear was a typical referendum vote-a
fraction of the whole body of voters.
IL is perhaps unfortunate that the
amendment came to a vote at regular
election, when other issues so over
Swallowed it. Possibly if the op-
ponents of the measure had got at their
work earlier they might have carried on
a campaign of education which would
have influenced the vote.
But the initiative and referendum is
now a part of the constitution. wei
have done the deed, and must abide by
the consequences. Some OF those VINO
opposed the amendment, notably the
Portland Advertiser, are interested in
setting forth the horrible possibilities OF
trouble which the thing contains. They
manifest almost the ingenuity and abil-
ity of great corporation lawyer in
devising schemes, by means of which
this creature of ours may rise up and
plague us.
But let us not be downhearted, nor
look with too much of apprehension upon
this Frankenstein of ours. 1t is too late
now for discussion of the measure with
a view to defeating it. 1t is rather late
to discuss it at any length any way. But
for the sake of keeping up our courage,
let US consider briefly the evidence pre-
sented against it by our anonymous
friends just before election, and see what
terrors it holds for US.
Really the most cogent piece of evil
dence presented was letter from Judge
William l.. Putnam, setting forth forci-
bly, the general principle that a small
number of selected men can legislate
better than the whole mass OF the
electorate. That is unquestionably true,
and it is not the intent of the Initiative
and referendum that the people shall
interfere with the mass OF legislation,
but rather to furnish check upon legis-
lation which is not approved, or is
actively disspproved, by the mass of the
people, as well as provide for the posi-
bility of legislation which is desired by
a large number of people and refused by
the representatives.
Other exhibits made in opposition TO
the measure are letters and articles from
attorneys and Others, especially in
Oregon, where the initiative and refer
endum has been worked to the limit by
agitators. These letters condemn the
initiative and referendum. They are
worthy of due consideration, but their
testimony is not conclusive. 1t is
equally easy TO secure letters from
citizens in license states, utterly con-
demning the license system, and from
citizens of prohibition states, setting out
the utter failure of prohibition.
1t is alleged that signatures can be
secured for anything, which Is too near
ly true-witness the 1000 signatures
which put the Independence League
ticket on our Maine ballot, as against
the less than 100 votes cast for the ticket.
IL is even said that 10 Portland, Oregon,
there exists an organization which adj
vertises TO furnish signatures to any
petition for five cents each. Now there
NAV not be any law to reach that con.
dition of affairs, but there ought to be.
Paving q man two cents or any other
consideration for signing a petition
affecting legislation is just as much an
act of bribery as paying a legislator
thousand dollars to vote for measure,
The difference is only in degree.
The most startling exhibit in the
budget sent out by the opponents was a
big sheet of green paper, printed In
small type, which proved to be a fac
smile of the official ballot used at the
recent election in Oregon, and it is sup
posed to furnish striking object lesson
as a warning against the initiative and
referendum-especislly the initiative.
But even the terrors of this big sheet
shrink little on analysis. Almost two
thirds its area is the ballot for officials
The rest of il is occupied by twenty
questions submitted to the voters of the
state, and it is at first glance formi
dable array. When we analyze them we
find that the first four are constitutions
amendments proposed by the Legislature
and submitted to vote of the people
lust as has always been the procedure il
Maine, so those four can not be laid Il
the new-fangled idea. That leaves six
teen questions due to the popular initia
tive and referendum. Of these foul
are a referendum on acts passed by tht
preceding legislature. We do not know
their Importance, but they are just foul
of the acts of legislative session tina
are called in question 6y five per cent o
the voters.
The other twelve questions are pre-
sented under the initiative. Six of then
are proposed amendments to the consti
ton, and we may leave them right on
of the account in Maine, because our in
Initiative wisely does not apply to tn,
constitution. 1t still remains with th'
legislature solely to propose amendment
to the constitution by two-thirds vote
So when we get this huge ballot sfteC
down, We find on it ten questions which
under the Maine form of the initiative
and referendum, might be submitted L
the people for their vote. That is toe
many under any ordinary conditions. But
We have a right to take into account thai
Oregon has been the peculiar prey Of
agitators. Agitators, to be sure, arr
neither impossible nor unknown in
Maine. Cranks sometimes appear even
before our legislative committees. Yet
the people as a rule are possessed Of
good sound common sense, and We are
justified in believing that our New
England conservatism is likely to make
much less use Of the initiative and
referendum, especially the former, than
is the case in Oregon.
And whom all is said, We have got to
trust the people to some extent. We
have always done 1t to certain extent,
and we shall have to continue 1t, even II
at some future time they should so far
depart from the path of wisdom and
rectitude as to demand the repeal of the
prohibitory law, or elect Democratic
governor.
Official Election Figures.
According TO the official figures from
the Office of the Secretary Of State, Fer
maids plurality In the September cleo
Az. -. yRSQ The kNfal vote Uaa. Ror.