Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1908-01-02

In any case steps must be taken to
prevent the recurrence Of our er-
perience In the past, Incorporate
the principle OF the initiative and
referendum in our constitution and
the grayest Ills will be at once cor
rected. The efficiency viii be i'm
proved for the will of the people
can be had upon any measure. and
whether or not this will secure the
passage OF the wisest laws it Is, IL
a popular form Of government, the
best that can be done. And as for
corruption, why the mere presence
OF this provision In our constitution
will at once purify the acts of our
legislature by removing the incent
i've to corruption, for where is the
corporation that will pay for sthe
votes OF legislators who cannot
finally deliver the desired legisla-
ton. Thus we not only do not de-
stroy representative government, but
correct its ills by blending with II
the principles OF true democracy.
So theoretically. at least. the sppli-
cation OF the principle OF the in
itlative and referendum is exactly
what is needed in Missouri to i'm
prove our legislative department.
Opponents OF this measure will.
no doubt, deny the practicability OF
the scheme. We wish to point To
the experience OF the state OF Ore
gon as a shining example OF the sue
cessful workings OF the initiative
and referendum. In 1902 the people
of that state incorporated the prin-
ciple in their constitution. The re-
suit has been practically to revo-
lutioniEe political conditions there.
Before the passage OF the amend
ment legislation In that state was
bought and sold as wares in the
open market, in the neverending
strife over the senatorial plumb nee
essary legislation. and the interests
OF the people we're disregRrded.
Now all this is changed. Immedi-
ately the people had again the power
they initiated and passed by an
overwhelming majority, a general
primary law. This law carried with
1t scheme which took the election
OF United States senators out OF the
hands OF the legislature and gave
II to the people, thus removing the
/ greatest cause of the corruption In
the legislature. Says Governor
Chamberlain in speaking OF the re-
suits OF the initiative and referen-
dun amendment: Organization for
plumber, whether political or nnan-
cial, is practically impossible in
Oregon" and further, the people
have shown great discrimination in
this adoption and rejection of laws.
To give further instances OF the
successful workings of the principle
for which we contend would be
simply a repetition of what has
been said with respect to workings
In Oregon. What It has done there
it has done In South Dakota, Utah,
Nebraska and in numerous cities
throughout the United States.
So signal has been the success OF
this reform that the people are rap
idly coming to recognize its signifi-
canoe. Within the last three years
the principle has been incorporated
in the constitutions of Nevada. Mon
tana and Oklahoma; amendments
providing for It are now before the
people OF Missouri. North Dakota
and Maine. d.
| We have seen how corruption and
inefficiency exists In our legislative
department; we have seen how the
simple extension OF a principle now
fundamental in our government viii.
theoretically, at least, at once cor
rect these ills; but we have gone
still farther and shown how In those
states where the principle has been
given a fair trial II has accomplish
ed exactly what We claim It will ac-
complish, and II Is for these rea-
sons that We maintain that the con-
stitutiOn Of the state OF Missouri
should be SO amended as to allow
the use of the initiative and refer.
endum in state legislation.