Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-08-07
nrernn and Nebraska

FORMATION tnat thlrty-tWO measures were
TO be submitted to the people Of oregon
at the coming election.
/ deem II but fair to myself and to the
oregon system Of popular government to
say that the time for filing petitions for
the submission OF measures under the in
itiative did not expire until July $, and
most Of the measures to be submitted were
filed shortly prior to that date. It~would
have been impossible for me in a speech
delivered on May to have predicted what
number of measures would be submitted.
wish to say, also in answer to your
editorial, that the submission of this num-
Der Of measures is by no means discredit
to the initiative and referendum. An in
spection Of past records will show that the
people Of Oregon have not adopted meas
ures unless there was need for them Ex-
perience in the future will show the same
thing These thirty-two measures will be
extensively and thoroughly discussed.
Discussions Of public questions have made
the people Of oregon the most intelligent,
the most progressive and the most inde-
pendent people in the United States. In
states where the people have no oppor-
tunity to express their views upon public
questions there is no occasion for them to
study or discuss matters of legislation. In
Oregon the voters are compelled to give
their attention to problems of public policy.
They know more about their government
than do the people OF any other state, and
they take more direct interest in the adj
ministration of public affairs. Several
times legislatures have made mistakes so
serious that it has been necessary to call
pial
rect their errors. 1t has not been neces-
sary to call special sessions of the legis-
lature to correct errors of the people, not
withstanding your assumption that they
are not capable Of acting intelligently.
JONATHAN BOURNE
We cheerfully give publicity to this
statement from Senator Bourne. which
acqults him of any intention to SUP.
press the information that at the COM
Ing election thirty-two measures are to
be submitted to the people of Oregon
under the initiative and referendum
law. Senator Bourne declares that al
the time he made his speech in the
senate there was no possible way to
ascertain how many measures were to
be voted on this year, but that does
not alter the fact that since the adop.
ton of the initiative and referendum
the number of measures submitted al
the polls has grown from two the first
year to eleven the second year, to nine.
teen the third year and to thirty-twc
the fourth year.
The point which The Bee undertook
to make was predicated upon the argu
ments advanced, not by Senator
Bourne, but by the advocates of the
initiative and referendum in Nebraska
that the experiment SO far in Oregon
was abnormal and that the number O,
measures might be expected, to de
crease from now on These advocate,
of the initiative and referendum admi
what Senator Bourne seems to deny
that the multiplicity of measures mus
prove confusing and disturbing ant
bsubversive Of sane Liquidation, con
tending, however, at the same tim,
4 that the right to initiate OF to blocl
legislative measures by popular vot,
would be chiefly useful without exer
cising. s~#
1t is plain from Senator Bourne
own statement that in Oregon the in
itiative and referendum is not merel,
a potential safety valve, as has beef
urged, but rather a mechanism for tn
active propagation of all sorts of freal
proposals If the people of Orego,
have heretofore rejected measures 70
which there was no need they are en-
titled to credit. But why they shout,
want the people of every other stat
to be similarly afflicted is not explain
able except on the theory that miser
loves company.
We must take issue with Senate
Bourne in another assertion when h
declares that "the people of Oregon
are the most intelligent, the mos
progressive and the most Independent
people in the United States" w
claim for the people of Nebraska. VIII
have the smallest percentage of iInt
eracy of any state, at least equality 4
intelligence, progressiveness and IN
dependence with the people of orego
or any other state. We go turtle
and venture to stand squarely upo
this proposition-that Nebraska. with
out the initiative and referendum. ha
had right along, and has today on II
? statute books, legislation more prc
! gressive and going further In the d
3 reetion of real reform than has Orego
with the initiative and referendum 8
any corresponding date. Judging b
8 the enactment of salutary Legislation
s the Australian ballot law, the regul,
: ton of the liquor traffic, the upbuilc
Ing of its public schools and uniye
sity, laws governing the labor {
i women and children, laws providiu
for full compensation for inture
8 workmen and removing the limit ,
recovery Of damages for death, raj
road rate legislation, direct primarie
= corrupt practices act and all down II
list, the people Of Nebraska have rule
. and are ruling with as much INTEL
gence and with as good results as Il