Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-02-18
InItintive and Referendum.

LINCOLN, Neb,, Feb. Ito the Editor
of The Bee: have received a personal let
ter from Chris NJ Gruenther. vice chairman
OF the democratic state central committee
in reference to the per cent referendum
petition and also note his public statement
in the d-Herald and the editorial en-
dorsing Mr.. Gruenther's position in the
same paper. And / also note his objection,
not only to the per cent required for the
referendum but his further objection TO the
method Of amending the constitution as
proposed. I cannot help but believe that
the attack on the per cent required for the
referendum Is only preliminary and Incl
dental TO the main and serious attack on
the method of amending the constitution,
and 1 wish to reiterate with all the force
at my command that It Is the corporations
and vested interests who are demanding
that the bill be 50 amended as 10 make It
practically impossible for the people to
amend the constitution.
First as to the per cent required for the
referendum. II Mr.. Gruenther has given
any study TO this proposition, he knows
that per cent for the referendum Is the
per cent in every state which has a prac-
ticaI initiative and referendum law, and he
must further know. n he has examined the
question. that It Is agreed by all friends
OF direct legislation that nowhere has the
referendum been abused by reason OF the
per cent contained in any Of said states
Nevada Elone requires 10 per cent for the
referendum but does not have the initiative
Arkansas. Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma
Oregon. South Dakota and Colorado. each
and all require per cent only for the
referendum. and the experience in those
- -.
Gruenther in respect TO the per cent re-
auired,
Now in regard to the statement OF Mr..
Gruenther that 1T is amazing that any
one should fail to see the necessity of dis
tinguishing between the constitution and
statute law" every state with one ex-
ception, that has adopted the initiative
and referendum in fun. has provided that
the constitution may be amended by mere
majority Of the votes cast on the PROPOSE
ton, and do not, require a majority OF all
the votes cast at the election.
Furthermore thirty-four states In the
union amend their constitution by a mere
ajority Of the votes cast on the PROPOSE
ton. and only ten states. including Ne
braska. require a majority Of all the votes
cast at the election, and OF these ten states
most Of them have old constitutions. which
the people in vain have been trying for
years 10 amend without avail Nebraska
has tried about twenty-three times to
amend its constitution. but not until the
fiction OF counting straight votes was
adopted. was II able 20 pass an amendment.
Notwithstanding the fact that many amend
ments proposed received an overwhelming
ma jOrity OF the votes cast upon the propo-
sition The constitution Of Nebraska pro-
vides that II an entirely new constitution
! Is proposed. then a majority Of the vote
/ cast upon the proposition il sufficient 10
adopt and yet the conservatives argue that
! II a specific amendment Is 10 be made. the
constitution becomes 40 sacred that We
must have az least 81 per cent OF the entire
vote cast to adopt the amendment
] The objections raised 10 the proposed
measures now before the legislature have
not come from the people generally, not the
masses. but the classes; not from the pro
J eressives but from the standpatters and
the men and the party who are throWinE
obstEcleC In the progress OF direct leElsla-
ton viii, Ia my iudgment have Eeason q