The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1911-07-22

that perhaps they had gone too far.
and so 1t was provided that initiative
and referendum laws should not
transcend the constitution. This pro
vision itself shows the confusion of
mind under which the trainers labo-.
ed. because to provide that an initia.
tive law shall not transcend the con-
situation is Of little avail when the
constitution itself may be altered by
an initiative amendment with equal
ease and simplicity. Here there are
no limitations land therefore legisla-
ton of any character may be as read
i!y tackled on to the constitution in
the form of an amendment as 1t may
be passed i'm the shape of ordinary
law.
Under the initiative as this provid.
GU pIOpOseu laws Will, vi COuISe, ire
quently be drafted by coterie or
clique of interested persons, perhaps
all of one way of thinking. 1t will not
be considered and debated in public
as legislative enactments are; there
will be little, IL any, opportunity for
the consideration of opposing views
in framing the law. The power Of
compromise, which is a necessity in
the making of laws, will be wholly
absent. There are certain radical re-
formers who decry all compromise as
being partial yielding to wrong.
They recognize no middle ground and
demand that we shall stand for the
right without yielding the breadth Of
hair.
But this is mere begging of the
question. Right and wrong in govern
mental matters are not always, in
deed, not generally, divided by any
sharp line which will enable us to
put our finger upon one side and say
this is exactly right and upon the
other and say this is utterly wrong.
The boundary between the two is a
doubtful zone in which the extent of
the uncertainty gradually diminishes
as we proceed outwardly in either d.
rection, until upon the one side we
reach the clear field of indisputable
right and upon the other of unmis
taxable wrong. But it is precisely in
this middle ground of uncertainty
where honest people differ-that the
deliberate interchange of conflicting
opinions is necessary and the legis
lative function finds its field OF
: greatest activity, and it is precisely
here that the initiative would mos
signally fall, because the proposed
law would be framed, not by those
who all occupy the same point of view
1t is not difficult to obtain signatures
to any petition, and the initiative pc
tition will constitute no exception t.
the rule. Given an active, energetic
self-constituted committee, and II
per cent OF the voters Of the stat
can be readily obtained to sign peti
lions proposing any kind of Law
that anybody will want. Those VIII,
} sign the petition-at least 10 pc
cent of the voters of the state-wil
be committed to 1t in advance; it
: sponsors will be active in advocating
t 1t; what is everybody's business Il
r nobody's business" and in all likel
hood, after the novelty of the system
: has worn off, interest will largel
, disappear and very few people viii
t be found who will take the trouble t
t combat even foolish or bad provis
: ion. A very large proportion of the We
[ tiers will refrain from voting at all VI
I on the question, and under these cond
e tons, with active and interested worl
] done in behalf of the law and