The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1909-07-12


eight per cent for the initiative or a
state petition and FIVE per cent for a
statewide referendum.
In Nevada this year the legislature
submitted to the next Legislature n
constitutional amendment for the mi
tiative for constitutional and statute
law, and the initiative and referendum
for municipal law. The state already
possesses the referendum for constitu-
tional and statute law. The members
of the legislature elected next year
will determine whether or not the
amendment will be submitted to the
people,
The Wisconsin senate has passed a
resolution for the submission to the
people of an amendment to the consti-
tuition whereby they-the people, can
veto the acts of the legislature ex-
cept emergency measures.
In municipal affairs the initiative
and referendum is forging ahead with
leaps and bounds. Throughout the en-
tire union the Des Moines system OF
wy 5ONSl Iu6
initiative, referendum and recall, is
meeting with almost universal APPROX
al; while in Kansas this years legis-
lature has established an initiative
and referendum in all the cities of
the state. Following are the states
wherein the initiative and referendum
are used in some of the cities or in
all of them: Texas, Mississippi, Ten
nessee, Oklahoma, Missouri, Iowa, Co
dorado, Kansas, Nebraska, California,
Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana,
North Dakota, South Dakota, Mime
sofa, Delaware, Massachusetts and
Maine-a total of twenty states. In
Illinois the legislature will probably
authorize cities of the state to estab-
fish the Des Moines system. In Michi-
gan and Ohio every ordinance grant
ing a monopoly must be referred to
the people.
The states where the initiative and
referendum are in full operation today
for statute and municipal law are Ore
gon, South Dakota, Montana, Missouri,
Oklahoma and Maine. In all of these
states except Maine and Montana the
initiative applies to constitutional law.
THE RECALL.
In Nevada this years legislature
submitted to the next legislature a
constitutional amendment establishing
in the people power to recall their
public officers. The system exists in
Oregon and in a considerable number
of cities. Throughout the revolution
airy war each member of the continent
tai congress could he recalled by the
legislature that sent him.
This year the recall has been sue
cessfully used in Los Angeles, Calf,
and in Junction City and Estaeada,
Oregon.
LIMITATION OF CAMPAIGN CON
TRIBUTIONS.
Oregon, Colorado and Nebraska are
making a brave effort to solve the
campaign contributions problem. It
will be recalled that in 1906 President
Roosevelt in his annual message to
congress recommended that the peo-
pie, through their government, should
pay the legitimate expenses involved in
the election of their public officials
Mr.. Roosevelt suggested that only the
two leading parties should receive
government funds. Mr.. Bryan, Sena-
tor LaFollette and others suggested
that the third parties, also, should re-
ceive a proportionate share of the ex-
pense money. Colorado, in true wes-
tern style, is making the experiment
A law has been enacted which pro-
vides: THAT the expenses of con-
Quoting the campaigns to elect sUale,
district and county officers 1T general
elections shall be paid only by the
state and by the candidates for Of
flee at such elections, in the follow
ing manner"
The state is to pay twenty-five cents
for each vote cast at the preceding
contest for governor. to he distribute
ed TO the party chairman in propor-
ton to the votes cast by each party.
OF this, one-half is to be transmitted
TO the county chalrmen in proportion
to the votes cast IN each county.
Candidates are prohibited from con-
tributing to campaign committees any
thing to exceed twenty-five per cent
of the first years salary.
Individuals and corporations are
prohibited from contributing, directly
or indirectly, any money or property
of any kind or character to any can
didate or to any committee of a po-
litical party, or to the chairman there
of, or to any member or officer there
of. The penalty for violation shall
not exceed two years in the peniten-
tiary or a fine of not to exceed $4,000,
or both. The same penalty is provid-
d for any member or officer of a
political committee who shall violate
this act.
In Nebraska the legislature has pro-
Vided for publicity for contributions