Gunnison news-champion., 1910-09-09
- - - a sAw
=. E g. e -
-' -'E. 80

fsttN,t =. f'f'i l<~'f@ " tHHNSSS
are 10 have "a eppostsnsty ~ decade
whether OF not taev wssh ~ .ast.ase
sheer owa lass Ths, this eppor-
tsnsty IL 10 he oifesed 10 ase 10 sossse
eseeps.s,aallv clever msa,palas,ng
An whsck Il ususs he admsssed the re-
psblscsss 9os very msch the worss
1t u But 1t d,dpt mske say 9sess
smouat ot asAereace Which wsy the
minorstv nsembers of the senate
jumped a. they were uacomfsrtablv
located between the devil and the
deep sea tew of them are able ~
state clearly. even st this late dav
which dsrectioa they started or
where they landed
When u wss realized that the re-
publlcans IN the senate we're deter
named If possible TO block all lee,s-
latloa IN the extra session, the dem
ocrats began lay,ng plans 10 heat
them at their own game In ssder
10 pase the initiative and reteren-
dlum bill Vt was necessary b. hav ;
hive republican votes, and the pros
pect of getting more than two was
very slim at hrst II Was then the
idea Was conceived 10 burden the
measure with unreasonable restr,c-
tlons, thus giving the republicans a
chance 30 make their bluff about
favoring real reform Legislation, such
as the people demanded The
scheme worked admirably. aud the
anglers history records no case
where a hungry sucker grabbed
more greedlly Tor the bait, or got
hrmer hold The bill as introduced
in the senste, and 30 all inten,s and
purposes receiving the hearty snp-
port Of the caucus of that body, pro-
vided that Is per cent Of the voters
must sign q petition to initiate or
refer Legislation, that 81 per cent
should vote ON proposition 70 en-
little it to consideration, and there
we're other obbscsssnAble fesssres
that really nallhhed the reel psrpose
Then the republican members pulled
of their great spectacular grand
stand play, expecting TO Rlorify
themselves and their party without
in the least slter,ne the case We
won stand fr any such fake meas
are, they shouted. The dear pe,-
pie want the pure Oregon initiative
and referendum law, and ought To-
have il. We will sspport such
bill or nothing" When they were
given sufficient time TO spread this
TO ell corners Of the state, and to
emphasize and reiterate in the cor
porstion kept newspapers that the
present administration would stand
for nothing but fake bill, the dem
ocrsts called the bluff bv reporting
out the Oregon law a. passed by the
lower house. In the vernscalar of
the street, the republicans had one
hung on EN-" To vote for the
measure put them ''in bad" with
their own party. To vote against it
"queered" them with the whole peo-
pie. They chose the easier way and
a majority reluctantly responded
"Ayel" One stayed With his con-
victions and voted neessively. while
two hiked out TO avoid going on
record.
Within the democratic cascus
there was also q clever scheme
worked, which is more responsible
than any one ching for the 6aal pas
sAxe Of this, the most important Of
direct leaislstion measures. Sooe
menbers we're coNscieutiosslv hold
iAe out for high percentages aud
other restrictions and apparently
had the backing Of otbess in the
caucus who in reality Fsslised that
m acceptable lsw msst be enacted
in order to make good With the peo-
pie. At the psychological moment
senator Csrrineer changed the whole
situation by moving thst The house
bill be taken up and Supported by
the democratic body, sad soon after
the republican bluff was called.
No other messure requires two
thirds vote, consequently the OBJ
strvcsionists are out Of the running.
and other pledges will be redeemed.
In the initiative and referendsm,
however. practically every democra-
tic promise has been delivered, -
the adoption Of this measure places
the matter Of making or accepting
laws entirely in the hands of the
people. The passage Of this bill
leaves no excuse for third party or
.ocialiet ticket. The deoccrats have
msBe good in giving Colorado the
initistive and referendum, without
frille or obstsclee. but N - PesSect
shane ss was ever asked by The most