Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-09-15
INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM.
Woodrow Wilson and Emmett o'NeaI
CIast, on Subject.

woodrow wilson ana Emmett ONea
Clash on Subject.
Governor Woodrow Wilson Of New
Jersey and Governor Emmett O'Neal Of
Alabama, measured swords over the
initiative and referendum on the floor
of the conference of governors in con-
vention hall at Spring Lake, N. Y, last
Tuesday afternoon. Gov. Wilson, as
champion of the measures, replied to
Gov. O'Neal, who previously had de-
nounced them as IAN insidious popular
vagary" and the southern executive
was on his feet in a moment with an
impassioned defense of his position.
Gov. O'Neal spoke vehemently for 10
minutes, bowed, and without a word
walked through a easement window to
the piazza fronting the ocean and with
his back to the convention hall stood In
contemplation Of the view.
Whats the use of my going back In
there?" he asked a reporter who sought
him while thus engaged. Il have al
ready spoken twice and am limited to
two speeches on any one topic. Be-
Hi ITOIu SAcTllOh
want to cool Off"
He did not re-enter the convention
hall until discussion on the topic was
drawing to a close.
Il do not thing Gov. Wilson was fair,
think he was most unfair" he said
before he resumed his seat.
Gov. O'Neal took no further part in
the discussion. When the conference
ended, however, Gov. Wilson grasped
Gov. O'Neal by the hand and remark
ed that he did not wish to be misun-
derstood. Gov. O'Neal later said that
he had stepped to the piazza to meet
Mrs. O'Neal.
There was no mincing Of words in
the Alabaman's denunciation Of the
initiative, referendum and recall.
There Is q movement which seems
to be gathering strength in certain Sec
tions of the country" he said that
tends to weaken rather than strengthen
executive authority and that ID the
system Of initiative, referendum and
recall. The governor has no power
to veto or amend law initiated by
the people and adopted by referen-
dunn.
'Tf the law is in violation Of the con-
stitution, invades vested rights or de-
stroys individual liberty, the only
remedy can be found In the courts;
and where the system Of recall Of
judges prevails, overthrowing as it
does the independence OF the judici-
ary, the courts would degenerate into
tribunals organized chiefly to register
popular judgment on all legal ques-
tions." i
Gov. Wilson did not take the floor
after Gov. o'Neal sat down amid ap-
plause, until several western govern
ors had spoken.
"It seems to me-" he said, that on
the question Of the initiative and re-
ferendum 1t Is necessary that we car
ry the analysis little further than 1t
has been carried. A very important
thing, a fundamentally important
thing, Is the source Of the law. Some
of the laws that we have are bad laws
and they are bad for the reason that
there Is suspicion as to their source.
The people of the United States want
their governors to be leaders In mat
ters of legislation because they have
serious suspicion as to the source Of
the legislation and they have a seri-
Gus distrust Of their legislatures"
Gov. Wilson then cited Great Brit
ain as an example Of a country where
the executive undertakes to formu-
late practically all the legislation for
ture refuses to follow, he dissolves
the legislature and goes to the people
and says:
"Will you send US men who will
follow US or will you not? AS conse-
quence." he said, 'it is the strongest
and most directly democratic govern
ment in the world
Therefore" he continued, what
would urge as against the views OF
Gov. O'Neal is that there is nothing
inconsistent between the strengthen
ing of the powers of the executive
and the direct power of the people"
He spoke of the caprice Of the ma
jority. II have known instances OF
the caprice of the mob," he said, "but
have never known Of any instance
spoken of as a caprice. / have read
OF gentlemen speaking in distrust OF
the people and using that old erron-
eous phrase, mob rule
What is a mob? A mob Is body
Of people Immediately associated with
each other acting under the impulse
of passion, but that does not apply to
a thousand men in community In
scattered portions casting their bal
lots.
"I don't believe there is any dis
trust or the Iunuamental prlnclplcS VI
democracy. ] believe we are all
Democrats II we use small d.
wish for the salvation Of your soul,
that could use a large ID also. /
presume that Gov. O'Neal feels the
same as some others that we are
merely at odds as to the best method
of giving expression with reference to
that great public opinion upon which
all depends"
Gov. Wilson bowed and sat down.
Gov. O'Neal sprang to his feet and
in a voice that carried a hundred
yards away to the roaring breakers
shouted the reiteration Of his belief.
II would rather stand with Madison
and Hamilton" he concluded after re-
peating what he believed the menace
Of the measures. than to stand with
some modern prophets and some Of
our western statesmen"