Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1910-12-09
Push Those Reforms.

The Commoner calls the attention of
its readers to the fact that the reform
known as the initiative and referendum
has been adopted in eight states. Colo
RADIO, state number eight, has Just
adopted it, Askansas, state number
seven, adopted it on the 18th of Sep
TENDER. In five states, Kansas, Me-
braska, Illinois, Wisconsin and North
Dakota, both the leading parties have
endorsed it in their platforms this year.
In Ohio, Minnesota and Iowa the demo-
Gratis endorsed it and it has the support
of the progressive republicans in those
states. Washington and California
ought also to be in line. Arizona will
certainly make it part of her consti-
tuition, and New Mexico may do so.
There is no reason why the matter
should not be taken up in all the other
states where the reform has not already
been adopted, but mention is made of
the above named states because of
greater activity in these states among
the friends of the reform. Most of the
states that have acted have adopted the
Oregon plan which provides for the sub
mission of a measure upon the petition
of eight per cent. of the legal voters,
and for a referendum vote upon peti-
ton of five per cent of the voters. In
Oregon constitutional amendments are
submitted in the same way as legisla-
tive measures. In some states there
has been variation in detail, but the
tendency is to adopt the Oregon plan as
it stands.
Let every reader of The Commoner
make it his business to bring the matter
before his representatives in the state
legislature, senate and house. The
time is at hand for the people to secure
victory along these lines. The initia-
tive and referendum do not destroy rep
resentative government; they rather
perfect it. Representatives are not
discarded; they are simply brought un-
der control. The people, instead of
delegating all power to their represen-
tatives, reserve the right to correct the
mistakes made by representatives, and
to compel the doing of things that are
desired by the voters.
The initiative and referendum not
only protect the people from abuse of
power at the hands of the representa-
tives, but they strengthen representa-
tives in the hour of temptation. The in
fiuence of the lobbyist is reduced to a
minimum when the legislator knows
that bad measure passed by the leg
islature will be vetoed through the ref
erendum, and that the failure to pass a
good law, desired by the people, will
result in the passage of that law through
the initiative.
Let every democratic member of the
Legislature interest himself in bringing
the initiative and referendum before
the legislature; every progressive re-
publican should enter into rivalry with
the democrats in the advancement of
this measure. And let the standpat
republicans beware; they have already
enough to account for without attempt
| ing to obstruct a measure like the mi
tiative and referendum, which has
proven itself to be the most popular OF
all governmental reforms now before
| the states.
The recall is just as righteous as the
initiative and referendum, and though
not so necessary ought to be supported.
1t is not as well understood, however,
and is not as fundamental; it should not
be allowed to prevent the adoption OF
the initiative and referendum. With
the initiative and referendum the recall
can be secured whenever the people de.
sire it; in fact, when the initiative anC
referendum are made part of the con-
stitution the people are in position tc
secure anything they want-th are
then in control of their government.
"Now for the initiative and referen.
DUN" ought to be the slogan in all the
states that have not adopted it.