Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1910-07-19
ABUSE OF INITIATIVE
WAS NEVER INTENDED TO sU-
PERsEDE LEGISLATURE.
Doctor Embree, One of Its Original
Promoters, Says 1t Was Designed
As Emergency Measure.

DALLAS, Or, July 16-CTo the
Editor. )-As the proper use and un-
expected abuse of the Initiative and
Referendum is subject of much dis
cussion at the present stage of politics,
especially in the State of Oregon,
deem 1t to be a matter of interest to
the public as to what was the under
standing of the originators and pro-
moters of that measure when it was
first placed before the voters in po-
litical state platform.
The Peoples Party of oregon, In its
state convention in Salem some time
prior to the June election of 1896, was
the first political party that made the
initiative and referendum one OF the
planks Of its platform. This system
of lawmaking was new to all the MEM
bers of that convention, save one or
two, so the nature and scope of the
measure was fully discussed in the
committee room as well as before its
adoption by the convention. !, being
one of the members of the committee
on resolutions, and having never given
The cpCOi1A tiAO06AAt ~ AANN~
tigation, made careful note of the ar
gument in its favor. The fact is, there
was not dissenting voice against 1t,
either in the committee room or in the
convention.
The main idea and the chief argu-
ment in behalf of this system of law
making was that 1t would be a reme-
dial measure to help the people OBJ
tain relief in the way of needed legis-
lation at such times as the Legisla-
ture refused or neglected to heed the
necessities and crying demands Of the
public. The thought that 1t would
afford a few men an opportunity to es-
tablish side show to supersede the
oregon Legislature was never inti-
mated nor suspected by anyone, SO
far as know. Being thoroughly
versed, by mingling with leading Pop
ulists and by reading the recognized
authors of books and papers of that
party, l am prepared to publicly as
sert that no genuine Populist ever en-
tertained the thought OF concentrating
political power into the hands of one
man, or of superseding the Legislature
with a little gang of men in one or
two counties self styling themselves
'The Peoples Power League"
Was Emergency Measure.
The right to amend and make laws
through legislative acts to be submit
ted to the voters, if deemed expedient,
for their approval or rejection was
very specifically emphasized. The idea
of loading down the election ballots
and poll books at every election with
the vagaries of some political para
noiac was never thought of. / know
we. as a body of men, were very jeal-
GUS of our political rights. / am sure
that If the present use and abuse had
dawned upon our mental vision, that
would have been the last the voters OF
Oregon would have heard of the ini-
tiative and referendum. AS it is, that
measure and fusion with the Demo-
Gratis killed the Populist party, and 1t
will in the future work out the same
end for whoever dares undertake It,
That famous convention was the
last grand play the Populists made in
Oregon. 1t started the ball rolling. 1t
elected several members to the Legis-
lature, and here III 'let the curtain
drop" All who are conversant with
the history of Oregon know what hap
pened. To say the least, it is blur
on the pages of our history, and the
damned spot will not out"
The leaders of that convention, after
scuttling the Populist ship. changed
crews and by so doing have been re-
ceiying honors at the hands Of the
party against which they hurled all
their darts of venom. AS an illustra-
tlon, IL might be cited that one of the
friends and influential hackers Of that
convention is now occupying a Repub-
lican seat in the United States Senate
AS for myself, / always had doubts
concerning the practicability of this
law and its application to a people
who occupied so large an area Of ter
ritory, with so many diversified inter-
ests, and especially in a state filled
with so many statesmen "polit-
ical reformers." 1t will require men
with brains as large as Mount Hood to
comprehend all the laws ground out
in this state in the next ten years. Il
the same ratio at which measures are
being submitted this year is maintain.
ed.
T. V. B. EMBREE.