Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1911-09-15
Money Power Opposing the Peoples Power.

menes Power Opposing the Peoples Power.
Before long the nine men In tie su.
preme court at Washington will saw
whether or not the people have the
constitutional right to enact laws by
election, called the initiative. and 10
rJeet at the polls the acts of legislators
the principle known as the referen-
dunn. An Oregon telephone and tele.
graph company is fighting law \.
acted by vote of the people, requiring
the corporation to pay the State > per
centsa year of its gross receipts. The
company argues that ballot made leg
lsistion is void because the Federal
constitution declares that the United
states shall guarantee to every State
Republican form of government under
winch laws must be enacted by repre-
senlatives.
Considering .thst the initiative and
| referendum election are commands by
the PEOPLE compelling their repsesen.
tatlves to frame statutes in accordance
| with the popular will, the contention
that this is un-Republican govern
ment is only another example of the
squirting bubble. Various court de-
clsions sustain the validity of the in
itlative and referendum. A few wears
ago the California supreme court held
that the. constitutional guarantee of a
Republican form of government is not
violated by the Los Angeles charter
authorizing direct legislation as to
strictly local affairs by the citizens, in
case the council refuses to enact the
same.
The Oregon supreme court has sim
ilarly held that the initiative and ref
erendum do not destroy the Republic
can form Of government, or substitute
another in its place. "Fhe Republican
character Of the government still re-
MAINS decided the court. "The peo-
pie have simply reserved to them
selves larger share of legislative pow
err
In view of the fact that the funda-
mental law of a State, its constitution,
is adopted aud amended only by vote
Of the people, and is eminent Ameri-
can precedent and warrant for the
people to enact or reject any statu-
tory law. Further example of the legis-
lative power already directly exer-
cised by the people is the municipal
and town vote on borrowing money,
purchasing or erecting walerworks,
gas or electric light plants, aud estab-
fishing other mproyements,
The principle of extending the PEG.
pies power is as violently opposed by
corrupt wealth i'll our country as it
was in Switzerland. In that republic
about half century ago moneyed in
terests polluted politics in ways we
have come to know. 1t is recorded that
corporate greed, money grabbing rail
ways and banks, which furnished the
politicians who soft-soaped the people,
correspondent to conditions that are
gradually realized by Americans:
Broken election promises, a people be-
trayed, franchise grabs authorized, tax
dodgers favored But a day came
when the Swiss in the canton of Vaud
adopted the referendum, Immediately
following particularly aggravating
grant of subsidy to railroad corpora
ton. Other cantons followed, and the
republic was rescued from evils now
threatening our National life. No
longer could lawmakers sell out the
people; they could no longer "deliver
the goods.n With the sovereign power
residing in the people, as guaranteed
under the Republican government, the
right is absolute to compel their pub
lie servants to enact the popular will.
Pittsturg Post.