Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-08
PEOPLE SHOULD
RULE IN FACT
REFERENDUM GIVES CERTAIN
REMEDIES TO VOTERS
RECALL is FORMIDABLE WEAPON
FOR CORRECTION
Larger Power Given the Masses Will
Compel Them to Feel Respon=
sbiIities, and Good
Will Result
BY LIONEL A. SHELDON

All governments by the few, mon
archie, aristocratic and oligarchic, are
founded and maintained on the theory
the people as a body is incompetent
to govern either because of ignorance
or moral defects, or both
Something Of that idea prevailed
during the formative period of our
government. 1t was manifested in
certain restrictions on the right of
suffrage. Election of q president by
direct vote of the people was denied,
and hence it was provided the people
should select from their number men
to do that work for them. 1t is pro-
vided that senators shall be chosen by
state legislatures and not by direct
vote Of the people. There was justifi-
cation for caution, as the country was
entering on an experiment for which
there was no precedent Expression
of popular assent to the proposed sys-
tenn by direct vote was withheld from
the people. They did not vote on the
question of ratification of the consti-
tuition. That was done by the legis-
latures or conventions of the several
colonies.
The early practice was for conven-
tions, elected by the people, to frame
constitutions for the states and de-
clare them the fundamental law with
OUl IdklnS d vote OIL the people on
them. Since the Civil War, in one or
two. of the southern states, .constitu-
tions have been made and put into
force in the same manner. Just be-
fore the war an effort was made to
force the LecOmpton constitution on
the state of Kansas without the ap-
proval of the people.
Amendments to the federal constitu-
ton are made through proposals by
congress and acceptance by state leg
islatures, or by conventions chosen
for their consideration.
Some Restrictions Removed
Many of the restrictions imposed on
the right of suffrage have been re-
moved, but the people cannot elect a
president by direct vote, or United
States senators in the several states,
or accept amendments to the national
constitution. Whatever part the peo-
pie may take in regard to these mat
ters is by indirection and through des-
ignated agencies.
During the last three-quarters of a
century or more the general practice
has been to submit state constitutions
and their amendments to the approval
or rejection of the whole people by
direct vote. This is a recognition of
the referendum principle. In some of
the states cities are permitted to make
their own charters under direction Of
the people and with their assent. And
in some states municipalities are re-
qUired to obtain popular consent to
the creation Of bonded debts, which
are again recognitions Of the referen-
dunn policy. 1t therefore has become
an established principle to the extent
stated and to which there seems to be
aT0Tarnaion1a OT0nnci+fOvo
of public thought and sentiment is to
extend the scope of the referendum.
No evil has resulted to the state or to
municipalities from the experiments
thus far made
Enlargement of the direct power of
the people is more and more demanded,
which especially is seen in the general
sentiment in favor of electing senators
by direct vote of the people.
Not All Laws to Be Submitted
1t is not proposed to submit all laws
to an expression of the popular judg-
ment. That would be impracticable
and unnecessary, as most of them are
not of vital Importance The general
scope of the principle is to so unite
the hands of the people that they at
all times will be able to thwart
schemes for their exploitation, to re-
move laws that fail to do equal and
exact justice and to have a direct
voice in respect to policies and insti-
tutions that generally affect the public
welfare and such as shall respect the
people as the source of all power, their
right to demand that any question
shall be submitted to the crucible OF
their judgment.
1t is unlikely the initiative will be
accepted as readily as the referendum,
or that it will be as often resorted to.
1t means the Origination of measures
by the people, who may not generally
give them that thorough consideration
necessary to results of the highest
value. Yet all policies and measures
OF more general nature have incep-
ton in the public mind
1t should not be presumed that the
masses in the main do not think and
discuss; if they did not they would be
unfit for their own government. When
neglect of public officials or short
comings or abuses in legislation have
gone as far as patience can endure
there naturally is thought of a remedy,
and 1t would be convenient to have
the power to invoke the initiative. IT
IS presumable legislatures and civ
councils will give heed to a responsible
public sentiment yet there have been
numerous cases when it proved to be a
ment is unheeded there should be. some
way to compel respect which would
be consistent with the theory Of popu-
lar rule. 1t may be said the people
nave remedy at the next election in
choosing successors, but in the mean
time infinite harm may be done.
Right of Petition Recognized
The right of petition, guaranteed bv
the national constitution, is a recogni-
ton of the doctrine of the Initiative: if
is true it only amounts to asking or
mplorlng the men in power to do GER
tain things The initiative of latter
day ideals goes farther and demands
certain measures shall be adopted nv
the government, and in case of fai111ra
they shall be submitted to the sover-
elgn power to say whether they shall
become part of the governmental
system. In ancient Athens and in
some other Grecian cities the peonle
expressed their will in public assem-
blies, which is called the democratic,
method of government That method
embodied all measures for maintenance
Of the rule of the people They pro-
posed, passed and repealed laws
elected and removed the officials al
their pleasure.
We cannot copy the Grecian meth
DDS. our domain is too immense
hence we have adopted the ballot box
as a substitute for the public assem-
blies 1t is as democratic and a. better
way to express popular wishes. as If
affords time for reflection and discus
sion and people are not so likely to he
carried away by excitement and emo
lion as in public assemblies The ref
arendum, initiative and recall are re-
formatory measures that will chiefly
De resorted to in municipalities where
r. liz