The Southern farm gazette. (Starkville, Miss.) 1895-1909, 1908-09-26

nor less than that the people withou, w.,.,
the aid or consent OF any band Of no,s'.s Tor
other powers that be. may "initiafan S.. or
propose or inaugurate) any measure whtsah Is
wish voted upon There are moro ,has .ney
million people I'm Swtzcrland-about :. eufee
In two average Southern States-and II so oo a.
people join in petition for any new Law !, ,.vvv
be submitted for popular vote at the ,oIIoa.,A s
election
And the Referendum This IN all thera
tt--simply that laws may be referred. n az
people for settlement All Constitutions, ,naas
meuts must be referred" 10 the peonlo -.
action. and more than this II any IexisIa,nr. -
Congress passes a dangerous and unpopular nm
certain percentage OF the people By petition r.s
require that II also be- referred" to ponuIa, yo..
for approval rejection.
This is direct legislation Initiative a.
rcfcrcndum-and In Switzerland 1t is workis,
~eli. both in the separate States and In the IA
tonal Government Early tn Iunc while IN,
own Southern States worc stili agitated over n.
Prohibition question. tho Swias people had IN .oe
settlement the question of prohibiting tho mana
taeturo and sale Of abalntho. especially danger
oua and hurtful intoxIcani. tho referendum gosus
against tho acts.
Lowell Ia his admirable work on Government
and Parties" correctly prononncca the Swiss Con.
federation the most successful democracy In the
aorla." with the most intelligent and contenssl
ciisonship and the most economical aud .tnceu,
government In all Europe.
Whllc tho princlpl. OF direct legislation eoull
uot be- applied tn American National affairs e.
cop; upon very momentoua questions. there ought
20 Dc some such nay by which. for example the
people could make their Wishes effective In socA
matters tho popular election of Senators. whue
all Constitutional amendments. OF course. ought
Ia h9 submitted to popular vote. And Ia oar
state and municipal governments there Is great
Foum for tho expansion OF tho direct l1gisa,ioa
dea. Many corrupt boss and ringstcr In or
citi~a-ana Ia OF our rural counties n
~eIl-~would nud himself otheilo-likc. with O.
rnpatsnu souc. IL tho people held tho whip hand
Ia government all tho tmc By being able to saks
ans matter from the hands OF unworthy
Hoard Of Commissioners or Aldermen: or IL thcse
voters might also al any time force a vote upos
any important, public reform which the bosses had
chparn TO ignore or delay.
Several years ago Oregon. after a gr.a, hght
led BY ono determined. rcsourc-tui champion Il
believe his name II Uril put the priucipl. Of a.
rvcs legislation into her conatitution and al the
state election there tao months ago about dozen
important measures voted on. tho system
giving entire satisfaction to evcrybody-exccpt
Tho old boHHca. And now oklahoma In our South.
land with progresalvonoas that promises well
for her future. has followed Oregon and put the
Initiative and referendum In her permanent State
Constitution.
IL has lonE been matter OF regret with me
that when Senator Tillman and his followers IN
dcricok the rcmaking of politics aud goyernmeas
Ia South Carolina and tho general broadening q
democracy In tho Palmetto State. that they dd
not &c, about having tho people pass directly up
CA measures rather than mcn-or at least upon
measures an more important than men. In sF
mo"t every case a man represents variety o.
attitudes toward variety OF subjects. and tne