Gunnison news-champion., 1909-06-25

a1s u stf aza-s s&elcus lsse-n- os
gt,s=a aalr2 5u-zzea ss@ss LEGISLATION
azIza -s..aei - me sze@f l-ssa.s.
F--sle-
lh7sgs leza-saflan. { q - Asch t..es.
= Ezsch =<ltatsan - ths TsFes-ut
ssa.s. AL -.Cauz Nli-h EsseA "a al
s--cs.E- g. -s=ss ls-ue- : aus .u.o11ai
.; @ssc1szan fazcms-s szaang ste
F.@a- ;.T alroct .e.l-.ztsaa are II.
initiative 4aG Sic reiercssEm. Tie
sEsil@szss = = -eheEse q pops..~r
essesEE.enz = ~hach Il = m..ds
Po~-4t.s far ias sa;sFs a. q ba-1y H.
luIss-ss nss LAWS thFossh the u.s-
@aUH Z The government The refer
eaGGm : al sn-;It.tsoa ~ virtue Of
.hscA Avs PASSED BY the geuer.l
assembly may be referred 10 the pso-
pc far tR@l acceptance ur ~ yectsoa
I sere are too Kinds of referendun-
tae optional and the eesnpslsorv
he optional l. the only one sk,cA
- used IN tks. country. and by Il.
la~s are referred TO popular voas
on . Petition Of q certain IesosataHs
oi the voser>. Under sscL a sysseU.
the people of the state If unable 10
sscsre dessEei Legislative reforsas
thro1Sa representative. seat to The
legislatures. are able to secure ths.r
local needs either BY initiating lace
themselves. Ut by referendum ps-
tition requiring the Legislative body
TO refer the laws % them for final
acceptance OF reJectIon-
Probably free and Enlimited use
Of the initiative and referendum
would no; tie desirable a. they are
cumbersome and expensive tools at
best, bat the people should have
opportunity to employ them when 1t
Is impossible 70 secure desired leSis-
lati0n in any other way. 4 ireqaent
use Of such a scheme g direct lesis-
tion would probably tend 10 decrease
responsibility oi Legislators and
would be liable to create a great
mass OF unnecessary law.
Another remedy Is tie introduc-
duction Of certain measures for a
limited governmental control # the
political parties IN the various states.
la Massachusetts, a great body Of
laws affecting party organization has
led 10 the taking Of power from the
party officers, committeeman and
conventions, and to handing it over
To the people. BY the statutes of
that state, organization IN both
parties Is made practically the same.
Party committeeman must be elected
every year, and the caucus Is regu-
lated by large body Of laws. The
people get together in the town
meeting to discuss the party issues
and the candidates. and the result
has been the eXaltatIon Of the midi
vldual office holder and the princi-
pies he stands for. rather than the
machine which puts him into his
place. In the counties in other
states. where there is no such leyis-
lation, and where party organization
Is very complete and free from gov
ernmental control, the result is lust
the opposite. for here we find the
individual responsible only u the
party machine
lhe states can secure considerable
control over the parties by passing
legislation which will regulate party
hnanciering When it is realized
that, under present conditions. parties
must have a sound financial basis in
order to accomplish their work. and
that the nature of the party depends
n a large extent upon the way i, is
huanciered. the benefit Of govern
ment regulations can be eompre-
hended. Such control has a
strong tendency TO separai, a state
party organization from thai If the
nation. and to overcome the control
OF the strong Industrial organiza-
tons. and will tend to make ability
rather than tosncial standing the.
basls of individual canditsture.
The natural evolution Of the Do
li'ical party Is tending toward
on-paruzan character. The parties
are lese par;izan than the factions
'hsy replaced, and, as the principles
OF democracy are more and more
realized there is a le.sening in rig
idry of party division lines. In our