Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-09-18
The Constitutional Amendments.

ihdy NC given upon the COHStltutlOud
amendments voted for last Monda!
providing for the exercise of initiative
and the use of the referendum here il
Maine. Incomplete returns indicate
that the amendments are adopted be-
yond a doubt, probably by a vote o
two to one, if not by an even largel
majority. AS usual, the vote was
much smaller than the total vote
polled upon that date, although il
was much larger than it would have
been had not special ballots been pro-
vided. No doubt great many people
really know very little about the in
itiative and referendum in spite of the
campaign of education which has been
waged for several years along this
line, and voted bindly Monday either
for or against the proposed amend
ments.
Maine is the first State in this part
Of NE Union to adopt the initiative
and referendum, although in one form
or another it has been adopted and is
now in operation in various western
states. The Boston Transcript refers
to Names action as a touch of
Populism'' and declares that Maine
has upset all the traditions of re-
preventative government, subverted its
legislature and restricted it's func-
tions to that of body which can
now do little more than propose legis-
lation. We hardly believe the case is
as bad as that, although of course it
remains to be seen how the new sys-
tenn will work out in actual practice
and whether or not Maine is going to
be glad or sorry that it has led the
eastern section Of the country in this
departure. The scheme as adopted
here in Maine is much less radical
than some critics seem to think.
The amendment is really a success
sion Of amendments, because, to pro-
vide for the new order of things, it
was necessary to do a great deal of
tinkering in various sections of the
constitution. Briefly stated, under the
initiative end of the proposition, 10000
voters may petition for the enactment
of law or the passage of resolve by
the Legislature, except a resolve to
amend the constitution. Such a petit
Legislature must pass the law or the
resolve, or if they refuse to pass it,
they must submit it to the people.
The law may be one repeating law
already in force. However, the law
makers may amend the original mea-
sure as proposed by the $1,000 voters,
but if they do so both the amendment
and the original are to be submitted
to the people at regular or special
election. If the two are rejected at
the first election because the votes of
the friends of the proposition are
divided, the one receiving the most
votes shall again be submitted, provid
ing it received an equivalent of one
third the whole number of votes cast
at the first trial. II it receives a
majority of the votes cast, it becomes
the law.
Under the new dispensation, the
Legislature still has the right to pass
laws on it's own initiative but every
law or resolve which it passes, except
in certain emergencies, can be made
the subject of a referendum if 10000
persons petition therefor within 80
days after the adjournment of the
Legislature. If there is no general
election, within six months, then, if
the petitioners have so requested, the
Governor must call a special election
for the consideration of the matter. II
the law in question is sustained by a
ma jority of those voting, it goes into
effect otherwise. it has been vetoed
by the people. The referendum may
relate to the whole of a certain mea-
sure or to such parts of it as the
petitioners have specified.
Thus 1000 people may compel the
Legislature to pass a law or to submit
it to the people If the Legislature
changes the law from the original form
both versions must be submitted to
the people Ten thousand people may
call for a referendum on practically
any law enacted by the Legislature
including laws which have been en-
acted as the result Of the peoples
own initiative 1t is change of far
reaching Importance. 1t remains tt
be seen how we'll it will work in actua
practice.
There is still another provision il
the amendment. The city councils o
cities may pass ordinances providing
for the initiative and referendum il
local affairs. Such an ordinance be
fore it becomes operative must be sub
mitted to the people of the city.
they adopt it, they have established tn