The Detroit times., 1911-02-09
WILL CONFER ON
INITIATIVE PLAN
Gov Osborn, Speaker Baker and
Others Will Hold Session in
Capitol Tonight.
(From a stan correspondent.)

LANSING, Mich, Feb. 9.-(Special.)
Coy. Osborn's ideas advocating the
initiative and the recall, expressed in
his message, will probably be en-
bodied in a concurrent resolution for
an additional amendment at con-
ference to be held in the capitol to-
night.
At the conference will be Gov. Os-
born, Speaker Baker, II. A. Holden,
president Of the state association OF
farmers clubs; N. y. Hull, master,
and State Tax Commissioners George
3. Horton. chairman of the executive
committee OF the state grange; George
II. Harris, Of Detroit. president OF the
State Federation of Labor, and, pub
fishers OF progressive papers OF the
state.N
w. Frank Knox, chairman of the
Republican state committee, is here
for toe conference. He said:
The present constitution possibly
may provide the means for bringing
about the initiative, referendum and
recall. IL permits the initiation OF
amendments to the constitution by
petition of 20 per cent of the vote
cast at the last preceding election
for secretary of state. The vote last
fall, which was light. approximated
350,0O0 This would require petl-
ton signed by only 10000 electors.
thus Offering an unusually good op.
portunity to put this section Of the
constitution into operation. This Pc
tition, properly signed by the requi-
site number of electors, requires that
the amendment petitioned for shall be
submitted unless the legislature by a
majority vote, vetoes the submission.
This / do not believe they will do.
The state grange, the farmers
clubs of the state, and the labor or
ganizations are all on record as fav-
oring the initiative. referendum and
recall The cooperation OF all OF
these organizations might easily and
readily be secured and the machin-
cry for securing signatures TO the
petitions thus provided.
"The law provides that these peti-
tions may only be signed on registra-
ton or election day. Consequently,
the campaign for these signatures
would have TO culminate on regfstra-
ton and election days this spring.
There is necessity for organized ef.
fort TO arouse public interest and Sc
cure the necessary signatures TO
these petitions. Such an organization
ought to have the, petitions properly
prepared and placed in each polling
place, with some individual there
whose special business II would be
TO see that voters do not overlook
signing the petitions. | believe an
organization to accomplish this pur-
pose could. be. formed OF the leaders
OF the various organizations in the
state committed to these reforms, and
newspaper publishers who would un-
dertake 10 aid and direct the cam
paign.
After these petitions are signed,
and the genuineness OF the sigma
lures attested TO by the election OFF,
cials OF each election district, they
are then filed with the secretary OF
state who will present them to the
legislature at it's next regular ses-
sion. Then, unless the legislature In
Joint session shall veto the submis-
sion OF the proposed amendments, the
amendments must be submitted TO the
electors at the first regular election
thereafter This would, Of course, re-
uuire two years to- elapse before a
vote could be secured. but these
amendments do not believe will
ever be secured In any other way or
by any other method. SO that the
sooner the wheels are set In motion,
the quicker may this proposition be
put TO the people.
II believe that public sentiment
would readily support an amendment
to the constitution for fouryear
term for governor, making the incum-
bent ineligible for a second term.
personally believe that further
amendment providing for the APP
pointment by the governor OF all state
officers now elected. except the lieu
tcnant-governor. would meet with
popular approval and would be step
toward more efficient state admins
tration."