Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-08-28

T ##FNfHH 4HFA"A AW##A aNtAH#HAHf N~HAAA'A
IN @ series ~ eempr0mfsez by which
something mas given 10 "a each side.
and our various state governments
have been practically modelled after
the federal government iH a general
WaT. It vas recognized III the begin
ming ~ "a universal principle that
governments must derive their pow
erg from the consent ~ tire governed,
Uut obviously this could not mean the
consent ri an ~ the governed. and
therefore the right Of & majority a.
control was necessarily admitted n
e true that mal0riiies arr sometimes
~fyrannleal and unreasonable and that
the rights ~ the minorifg may be
sacrificed. but this i an evil not 10
BE- avoided in any such form IL gov
eminent as we have attempted 20
ereafe. This having been conceded
md established. the broad question
arose as 20 how the viii 81 fhe major
lFg should be fnlcaied ard recorded
There were NOT lacking in those early
days advocates ~ diFeet legislation
bF the voice ~ the people. or Fl that
could not be had. the expression Of
the popular sill with t1e least pos
s. Die Formally or Intervention 81 any
kind. One ~ the earliest subjects of
discussion was ar to Whether the leg
islature should consist 81 q single leg
blafige assembly or II more than one
somewhat differently constituted. II
Is probably not generally known to-
day that IN P~ennsylyania. largely due
IT, The influence ~ Or Franklin. the
state Legislature az first consisted 81
but one legislative house After some
years experience. however in 1890.
Pennsylvania adopted q constitution
modelled quite closely after the con-
stituti0n Of the United states. with
tWo legislative bodies So far as am
his is the ohig state since
the formation ~ our Union which
has had a single legislative body.
We are an more familiar with the
federal constitution and the forma-
ton 81 congress than with the con-
stitutlons ~ the various states. but
IL may be said in general terms that
they all create. with minor differ
enees, one general form Of represent |
taiive government. IN which the
power Of the people IS. by the people, |
committed 20 designated officers in
the three great divisions ~ govern
ment. Legislative. executive and judi
ciaL AT present we are concerned |
only with the consideration Of the ex-
ercise of legislative power All OF our |
-
fh4n.rIat"u
committing 70 legislators selected By |
the people the duty Of enacting laws.
There can be no doubt that the mi
tiative and referendum would tend 10
revoluttonize this idea, and one Of
the principal questions TO be an
aered ia ~ 70 whether everything
that We haze been doing AZ 70 our
y = !, '',iehl y i"'i1 man
'"7 "s'n ~aHu"ihehiaIlE
'"F Hl"Hisht tH'. We" hf"
.'lsi'ltu "a tiie US .aaefh 10
itn'u" uns @"p tp"plfteiS our
ttl1'aN,h -.itu'.'N ana
iskSi1tl"h p thr people. me
- ~ wy nl'eiatiNf anu refer
'i"i"i Z n't ErHfIahe 20
~ NV N '"ts. some on
lnsHi ait' Vut tnry oeileNe that our
irHfht tv'ui7 pl government can be
$500 anu nehelhsiaiN Supplemental
~ tue au"'ll'h o. theHe TWO PROPOSE
IONS "hlcn tend 10 give as thcy be-
hi"fr "'ilhil' Expression 10 the
p"tu"AI Will
- d . Itst ,onsioef me I~ounaatlpn
~ ne "'f"' W MAKE thFHt 'i"hs"7
," MAJ WHl'h mas hr"usht about
- ihuon interest," 70 TINS practically
'i'ti'ea HlHv N"1l"H ~ u uIgrn that
iA Impossible 70 eject legislatures
y mon WIN Fesp"nd To- the desires or
rue p."pl" enc Wnlch Viii not
f"ihpl ana inevitably succumb ~
ius 'orrnptlhg Influences OF indlVld-
laiF anu corporations possessed OF
y tath ana power ana desir"us OF Sc
.utlhs statutory rnaclments Tor their
uIposrs ar inc expense "i the
senttal puhllt- A. 9 consequence *
- beHeNed th"t ~ the people retain
~ thflf hahos ~" power % force
lpoh the l"klslalufe 10y the tntiiatiNe