The Detroit times., 1911-05-02
TO DIRECT
STATES AFFAIRS
UP TO PEOPLE
Voters Of California viii Determine
What They Want in Legislative
Matters Regardless Ct ANY
Political Machine.
Gov. Johnson, in Fifth Article, Tells
Story Of Initiative and
Referendum.
HY HIRAM w. JOHNSON.

SACRAMENTO, Cal, May with
the return of the public service 10
the people accomplished, first In the
matter OF appointments and then py
summary removals of those who had
divided their allegiance between the
people and the Southern Pacinc or
any political machine, came the Ques
\ ton Of perpetuating the powers Win
z the people. ... -.
The determination Of the admins
4 fration to accomplish its design was
Y furnished I'm the Anderson incident, In
such striking fashion that none could
longer doubt the effectuation OF the
pledge made during the campaign.
The method Immediately suggest
ing itself, of enabling the people to
protect themselves in the future and
to perpetuate their power. was the
initiative and referendum. =.
The constitution OF the state OF
California, In common with most con-
stftutions, provided the mode OF leg
islation. To give to the people the
initiative and the referendum-the
right directly to legislate for them
selves, and the right directly to check
any legislation deemed inimical to
their interests-could be accomplish
ed only by the amendment Of the con-
stitution. Accordingly, constitutional
amendments were prepared, present
ed 10 the two houses and with but
little opposition passed for submis-
sion to the people.
A Great step Ahead.
n was believed that the initiative
and referendum could be conferred
Immediately upon cities over which
the legislature had jurisdiction, and
upon counties themselves. According
" biils comforting this power were
passed and have now become laws.
We have, therefore, the initiative and
referendum applicable to the coun-
ties of the state and to cities not
operating under charters that have
been approved by the legislature;
and we have submitted to the people,
for their ratification, constitutional
amendments according the like power
90 far as the entire state Is concern
ed. ..- ....
The arguments that everywhere
have been heard respecting this sort
Of legislation were Of course made.
That Il was populistic in character;
that II was submission to the rabble
for determination Of intricate laws,
and that II was wholly at variance
with representative government were
among the reasons advanced by re-
dictionaries and the interests against
the system now proposed. But few
OF these reactionaries, however, had
the temerity when it came to the
final vote TO vote against the propos-
ed enactments; and. notwithstanding
the dire prophecies Of the newspa-
pers representing the interests"
without great difficulty the laws were
passed and the constitutional amend
ments submitted to the people.
sup TO the People"
The whole purpose was, as l have
heretofore Indicated, the consumma-
ton Of definite plan and scheme
f1rst, by appointments to put the pub
lie service in the hands Of the people,
BY commissions having charge Of
matters OF controversy between the
people and the great corporations to
secure square deal for the people.
and then with the great weapon of
the initiative and referendum to en-
able the people to legislate for them
selves or to prevent legislation which
would undo the good that had been
accomplished.
So far an the state is concerned
the perpetuation of their power Is up
I, TO the people themselves, in the rati-
6cation OF the constitutional amend
ments. When We have enabled the
people thus for themselves to deter
mine Just what they want In legisla-
tive matters, we have done all that
could be done by public servants and
the consequences hereafter rest with
the electorate.
Two Avistors Killed.
sEBASToPoL, May 2.-The mill.
tafy aviator, Matievitch, and his