Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1910-07-07
OPPORTUNITY FOR REAL REFORM
The ORGANIZATION Working


Membership Is open to all, the only
qualification being belief in the ef-
fcacy of direct legislation, or in lieu
thereof. Willingness to study candid
ly the measures proposed.
"As to the publication itself, its Or
igin is humble, and its destiny OBJ
scure Its future depends, to some ex-
tent, upon the attitude of those who
look with fav or upon popular agitation
and education along economic and
governmental line; and largely upon
the support Of those who are already
convinced of the efficacy Of direct leg
islation. 1t has seemed to solve the
problem of eaching the people with
timely word upon this subject, and
therein lies the sole reason for its eX-
istence. Many newspapers through
out the state have published some
phases of the question at the request
of the league, and for those courtesies
the league extends its thanks. X X x
Guarded Re prese ut attye
| System
''Direct lie gislation is nothing more
nor less than guarded representative
system. There is no proposal to do
away with legislative bodies, not in
the least. 1t is proposed however,
that it be in the power of the voters
at large to demand if it seems best,
the enactment of a law, or to demand
the submissi on to the test Of public
osinion, of any measure that seems not
to be directed to the best interests of
the people. The great bulk of the
work of law making will be done by
the legislature, as before. AS is we'll
known, there are, before any session
Of the state legislature, no more than
two or three issues of such great pub
lie import, as to invoke the use OF
either the initiative or referendum.
But with all the experience of our
political pas t, with its broken pledges,
lobbies, bribed legislators, trickery and
subterfuge, with the city of Pittsburg,
and the great states of New York and
Illinois in the throes of sensational
disclosures Of grating and bribe-tak-
ing, and that among those very rep
resentatives' who have been vested
with legislative power under this sys-
TEN; with a thousand lesser instances
of the same sort; can any fair-minded
, man deny that legislation by represen-
tation is in sore need of check, to be
placed at the disposal of those rep
resented? Can such things happen
in Idaho? Have they happened in
the past? We leave the answer to the
= individual reader, for by recounting
E specific instances we might seem to
give part tsan flavor to work which
is avowedly nonpartisan. !; * j;
. "The right of the initiative and ref
erendum, when occasion arises for in
voking either, places the issue or bill
f in question, Immediately before the
, attention Of every voter, just as the
candidacy Of every man seeking office
I is brought before him. The vote O
: the people at large sanctions or re
, fuses the measure 1t becomes law
or is denied a place on the statute
books of the state, in direct and i'm
mediate response to the will Of tht
1 public. Were there nothing else O
good to be said for direct legislation
+ its educational 1orce among voters, it
I qualities as practical school Of poll
tics and legislation, should in them
t selves insure its acceptancy by th'
0 voters of the state. 4 4: x
f School Direct
"The school district is another form
direct legislation and many states anc
! will undou btedly bring as a result th'
. selfgoverni ing town and city. Kansas
, Colorado, Nevada, California, Wyom
:, ing, Montana, Washington and ever
Idaho are examples of this form of di
rect legislation. As early as 10 year
. ago, this tendency was manifested il
- all the states mentioned, and has beel
- growing in favor ever since. Oregon
began with the self-governing schoo
6 district, and is now in the column O
:, those states in which direct Legislation
= = has been adopted in its entirety. L
Z the south, South Carolina, Kentucky
! Tennessee, Virginia and West Virgin
- :, la have been making progress throug
!. the same medium.
- The league has opened official heat
: : quarters in room 210 McCarty bull,
|, ing in this city where the secretary
;s directing the campaign.-News.
us -
lie f. r. Little of the Puget Soun
n | country arrived in (,ranpayillp ri,