The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-08-06
FIVE PROPOSITIONS
WILL Be VOTED UPON
Law Written In The Constitution
and AmpIliled By First
Legislature

Oklahoma is preparing to test its
initiative and referendum law, writ.
ten as a part of the constitution and
amplified by acts Of Legislature.
Five propositions are to be voted up
on by the people at he general elee
ton, four of them being referendums
by the legislature and one an initia.
tive by the people themselves leac.
3f the four embodies proposed
amendment to the constitution, while
the fifth or the peoples initiative L.
merely legislative act.
The four subjects submitted by tho
| legislature are whether the state
agency for the sale of Intoxicating
liquors fer medicinal purposes shal
continue becoming a part Of the cor
stitution, and extended to towns
| 900 population or repealed entirely
| submitting the Torrens system ia
registration Of land titles for adop
| lion, the New Jerusalem" capita
site plan, meaning the location pt
| the permanent state capital In a neT
town to be built by the state, and tn
last amending the constitution so th
| legislature may change by law loca
| ton of the temporary state capital
| The initiated law is proposing to sci
| the oklahoma public lands, amount
| ing to about 100000 acres.
In Oklahoma the initiative and rel
erendum law may be applied to cite
counties or districts as we'll as I
state at large. In the main the sta
procedure is prescribed for all othe
| political subdivisions. In the issuance
OF bonds and the granting Of fran
chises II is deemed especially adyn'
| tageous TO municipalities. George f
shirley. president OF the Initiative
and Referendum regards II as Lcin
superior to any similar Law ext lni
He wrote to William II Murray o
Tishomingo, speaker of the House
and the author of the Oklahonla llw
that there was not a weak poial II
II, and that the Oklahoma people
rule system would be the country
model
The law may be invoked In thres
ways. The legislature may refer 81
own acts or any part thereof to th'
people, being legislative referen
dun. The people may demand tha
the legislatures acts, or any par
thereof. be referred to them for az
pIOfdl, ucluk II pJpuioi lNANA ASiiN"i-'
The people may propose an entrela
new law, Independent of the legis.a
ture, being a popular initiative.
In referendums demanded by th'
people upon acts of the Legislature
the Oklahoma constitution restrict
them to only those acts passed VIII
Iout the emergency clause, which l.
usually found in the last section
a bill, aud calls for enforcement
the law Immediately after the approN'
al by the governor. The legislature
Is supposed not TO resort TO the emer
gency provision unnecessarily, and
curb the constitution limits lis US
20 laws making appropriations Q
those for the immediate preservation
OF the public peace, health or safety
All other bills do not become effect
i've for ninety days after the legisla
ture's adjournment and are subjec
70 referendum vote If demanded,
Eight per cent Of the voters may
by signing a petition initiate a law
rs per cent may initiate amendments
10 the constitution. To demand
referendum on any law only . per
cent of the voters is necessary Any
measure Initiated only becomes the
law when approved by majority ct
all The people voting in the election;
but whom II IS refewed. whether by
the legislature, or by popular petition
II becomes effective when approved
by majority of those voting upon
il.
A feature Of the Oklahoma law
which has been particularly com
mended. especially by the Initiative
and Referendum league of America,
I Is that aifcrdiug an opportunity for
the submission OF competitive meas
ures 10 Illustrate; ANY law de-
feated by referendum cannot be pro.
%. sed again for three years unless
upon a petition signed by onefourtb
OF all the voters in the state The
legislature submits to the people for
approval or rejection a law, the prin.
lci9le OF which the people arc In SYM
patay with, but against the details.
l To defeat the law might mean three
wears delay. whereas the people, or
the legislature as the case may be
are given an opportunity 70 submit a
4 competitive measure, presenting the
same principle, by varying in detail
! from the original act submitted In
case law should be Initiated by the
/ people themselves other people would
be at liberty 70 offer competing
measure al the same election.
Where there are competing meas
ures and neither receives a maiorit,
OF the votes, the one receiving ths
greatest prmber lonefnird Of wore)