Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1910-04-28
FOR Direct
LEGISLATION
APPEAL FOR A SQUARE DEAL IN
OUR LAW MAKING.
The Direct Legislation League of the
State of Washington Would Have
legislative Candidates This Year
Pledged to the Initiative and Ref.
erendum.

The letter below, from Christo-
pher w. Horr, secretary of the Di-
rect Legislation League of the State
of Washington, will be denounced
by every privileged interest and ma
chine politician in the state, but, fer
that reason, will be studied with
deep interest by those in harmony
with government OF, by and for
the people:
SEATTLE, April 81. - Shall
the people of this state have,
what those in Oregon. Maine, the
two Dakotas, Montana, Missouri
Oklahoma and some other states have
secured, the right to propose de-
sired law for public discussion and
vote? That is, shall the voters have
right to take the INITIATIVE in
making a law that the people want,
and that the state legislature has not
seen fit to enact?
1t is some work to devise a good
law, to write out its full text, and
to obtain for it the attested sigma
ture of eight per cent. of all the legal
voters of the state. No one is going
to undertake SO much work unless
there appears to be sound reason why
the said law should exist; nor un-
less there is expectation that ma
jority of the people will vote for it
when it comes to them for approval
or disapproval at the next election.
The referendum is the referring of
an unsettled question to the voters
for their decision; and no law pro-
posed through the Initiative, can take
effect until it is approved by ma
jority vote in Referendum. To secure
the right of Initiative and Referen-
dunn is the only sure way for the peo-
pie to get such laws as they want.
Is it fair or right that the people
should be compelled by the action
of legislature to live under laws that
are injurious or unjust? The people
should have the peower to veto any
harmful law that the Legislature en-
acts. If, at any time within ninety
days after law has been enacted
by the legislature, so many as fve
per cent. of the voters demand by Pc
titicn that the said law or some part
of it, shall be submitted to the peo-
pie for their adoption or rejection,
then the said law should be suspend
ed until the next regular election
when the voters may decide by ma
iority vote, whether the enacted law
shall stand. The people may thus
control the making of all laws, eX-
cent such as are necessary for the
immediate preservation of peace,
health or safety.
The right of Initiative and refer
endum does not do away with the
legislature, but it prevents the legls-
lature imposing upon the people GER
tain laws that people do not want,
and it enables the people to secure
all laws that they believe to be de-
sirablc.
There are wise, far-sighted, hu-
manity-loving men outside the iegis-
lature. Among the people OF the
states taken together, and including
those in the legislature, there is more
wisdom than is possessed by the nun
dred and fifty men who may make
laws at Olympia. 1t is best for the
state that all the wisdom it contains
should be utilized in the making OIL
it's laws.
When money speaks to a legisla-
ture if NAV corrupt a majority tnere-
in. anu secure lSS iolptioiA
ploits the people at large. But mon,
ey cannot induce majority OF all
the electors to vote against tnelr own
interests, and no law that is againsI
the interests of the majority is IKE
ly to pass a referendum vote. IL 'he !.
voters make mistake, the rlehc VI
Initiative and referendum enauie'
them to correct the mistake qulckly;
We should have the Initiative anu
referendum. a4,+o
How NAV the people of this state
secure the right of using the lhitia,
five and referendum in law-maKihg !:
nv electing to the next legislature
only candidates who agree to furthei
the plan of making an amendmen.
To the state constitution, when, II
carried by majority vote in reiereh-
dum at the election of 1912. Will give
the people of this state "a square
deal' in the making of laws.
The state constitution can De
changed only by referendum vote, on
an amendment put before the peo-
nile by the legislature. The consul
tuition requires a referendum vote LOT
it's own amendment, but does not per-
nit a referendum vote on state laws.
The constitution must be amended 10
permit the application of the lnltla-
tive and referendum to all law max
| ing g.,
Stir up the attention of your 1el-
low citizens, urging them to elect
to the next legislature only those
candidates who will pledge them
selves to the said amendment OF the
constitution.
Whenever, in other states, such
amendment of their State constitu-
tion has been offered by the legisla-
ture to the vote of the people, the
amendment has been carried by an
overwhelming vote Of something like