The Prescott daily news., 1909-01-25
INITIATIVE AND
 REFERENDUM
A Once Despised Idea Now Growing
 Fast in Popular Favor.

eral election to vote upon a pro posed amendment to the con- stitution providing for the adop- tion of the initiative and refer endum in this state. The resolu- tion introduced by Senator Ar hold providing for the submission of this amendment was adopted by the Senate Thursday by an almost unanimous vote and there is little doubt but that the meas ure will pass the house with as little opposition
 The unanimity with which the legislators are supporting this proposition has excited consider able comment in view of the fate which has been met by previous measures Of this kind. It is re- called that the first effort to se- cure the adoption of the initia- tive and referdum was made in this state about IS years ago. At that time only one vote was cast in the Senate in favor of the pro- position. This is in striki ing con- trast with the action taken in the Senate Thursday when on ly one vote was cast against the resolution providing for submis sion of the amendment. The chief difference is that now the initiative and referendum is re- garded as Democratic doctrine, whereas IS years ago it was ad vocated by the Populists and ridiculed by the Democrats.
 The first effort to secure the adoption of the initia tive and re- ferendum in Arkansas was made in the early 9O's when the Popul- istic wave had struck the state and then there were a number of Populists in the general As sembly. A resolution providing for the submission of consti- tutional amendment adopting the principle of the initiative and referendum was introduced by John F. H. Russ of Fl .Paiso, sen- ator from the district comprising White and Faulkner counties Men who were connected with the General Assembly at that time declare that the resolution was greeted with jeers and laughter and when put to vote received only one vote-that of the senator who introduced it.
 At the last session of the Gen eral Assembly another attempt was made to secure the Submis- sion of an initiative and refer endum amendment. Tine resolu- tiOn was introduced by Senator Arnold, who is the author of the resolution which now seems des- tined to have easy sailing through the legislature There had been some change in senti- ment since the time when a sim liar measure was offered by a POpulist senator, but the change had not been sufficient to secure the passage of the resolution. When the resolution came to a vote it received only nine votes, while 12 votes were cast against it and n senators were record ed as absent and and not voting
 The ease with which the re- solution is going through at this session of the General Assembly is believed to be largely due to the fact that the initiative and referendum was formally adopt ed as Democratic doctrine by the last Democratic state con- vention which incorporated a plank in it's platform recommend ing the application of the prin- ciple to legislation in Arkansas Several members of the Senate in, speaking on the resolution in- dicated that they were not per- sonally in flavor of proposition but that they voted for it be- cause it had been endorsed by the Democratic platform and was apparently demanded by the people.
 amendment which it is proposed to submit to the voters in Ar kansas, is similar in every essen- tial feature to the section of the Oklahoma constitution which provides for the initiative and referendum and it is declared to be identical with the constitu- tional provision on the same sub ject in Oregon which is one of the seven states which have a. dopted the initiative and referen- dunn as applied to state legis- lation.
 The amendment which will be