Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-23
GOVERNOR WARNS
PARTY OF DANGER

THIS Is government Of maiOriues and that
to provide for any other plan than that
written In our present constitution would
Institute dangerous possibility
The letter Of Attorney General A. NJ.
Crawford follows. and A. is interesting TO
NOE that experience In oregon in the opin-
ION Of this official has proven that the
Nebraska law, II Il Is TO be satisfactory
must be carefully guarded upon these two
important points. Il will be noted that At
to,ney General Crawford is firmly in favor
OF the general principle fthe right Of
the people to act through the initiative and
referendum. but points out clearly the
necessity OF the requirement Of a major
ity vote Of the electors voting and the petit
ton signed by liberal percent Of the
voters Of the state.
Quotes Oregon Letter.
The letter is Of considerable length and
after commenting in a general way upon
the advantage Of allowing the people to
express their will through the initiative he
deals with the particular points mentioned
above as follows:
You say, that to amend your state
constitution requires a majority vote Of
all the electors voting at that election. l
believe this to be a wise provision, as It
prevents too hasty and IN considered
changes in the fundamental law.
I'm our state an amendment Of the con
stitution requires only a majority vote Of
all voting on the amendment, and has re
suited in the adoption of some amendments.
the wisdom OF which remains to be proven.
Many voters who are in doubt as to
whether the proposed amendment should
be adopted or rejected fail to vote on the
10 aN.av.
majority This rule, l believe. should
also apply to measures. for II there is
not a sufficient demand for the act to
procure majority vote, the law can prob
ably be well dispenser with until a greater
number of the people are sufficiently in
terested to vote for It. I would suggest
but one exception to this rule, and that, in
cases where the legislature has passed an
act, the same receive the approval of the
executive, and the referendum invoked
thereon. This law having been approved
both by the legislature and executive
branches OF the state government, should
not be set aside, except by a majority
vote Of all the electors voting at that
election.
we have no law whereby a voter, By
marking in circle, or I'm any other man
ner, may vote his entire party ticket or
vote Tor measures or against measures
without marking each one separately.
However, 1t might be as to candidates, as
to measures, I deem II unwise. II the
voter must mark each measure separately
he is much more apt to examine and un-
deTstand the same before he votes. He
will not be able to take the easy course
Of marking one mark for yes or no against
all measures or candidates at one time.
Interesting the People.
CAS- far as my observation goes. the
initiative and referendum in this state
have caused the people to take greater
interest in the laws which govern them
and the candidates for office. They read
the pamphlets containing the laws and
the arguments pro and con, and are not
more liable to make mistakes than the
average member of the legislature. 1t has
proven a great educational factor in this
state
I would suggest several amendments
to our laws, however, One, that more than
per cent of the voters be required to
sign a petition to invoke the initiative.
Then It will not be resorted to by design
ing persons to promote some private en-.
terprise. would suggest from 10 to Is
per cent, and in noS case. less than 10 per
cent. II might be wise to require a meas