Evening journal., 1911-01-20
INITIATIVE and
The REFERENDUM
The Rev. Robert L. Jackson
Addresses Men of Whining
ton on the Subject
DEFENDS THE REFORM
AND ASKS FOR ACTION

The Rev. Robert L. jackson, pastor
of Hanover Presbyterian Church, has
issued the following address to the
men of Wilmington:
Your attention has been recently
called through the columns of this and
other local papers to proposed
amendment to the State Constitution.
giving the voters the right to initiate
and veto legislation by means of what
are called the Initiative and Referen-
dunn. The proposition to be voted upon
at the present session of the General
Assembly is as follows:
Whenever a body Of citizens de-
sire to have enacted into law a meas
ure which has failed to pass the Cen
eral Assembly they shall file with the
! Secretary of State a petition signed
by eight per cent. of the legal voters
asking that the measure in question
be submitted to a popular vote at
either a regular or special election. II
the majority of the votes cast are Tor
il, il thereupon becomes law. Ihls
is the initiative.
whenever a body of citizens are op-
posed to a measure which has passed
| the General Assembly they may file
with the Secretary of State petition
signed by five per cent of the voters
asking that the said measure be sub
mitted to a popular vote as in the case
of the measure Of the initiative peu-
ton. Should the majority of the
votes cast be against the measure, 1t
! fails to become a law. This Is the
referendum.
1T is not my purpose to discuss IN
detail the workings of this proposed
amendment. ] simply wish to urge
upon you its careful consideration to
the end that you may intelligently ad-
wise your representative as to your
wishes in the matter. You should
secure copy of this proposed meas
ure and give it unbiased, conscientious
study. This is the duty of every voter
in the State of Delaware.
"A careful canvass of the merits and
demerits of this measure has led me
to the following conclusions:
First it does not contemplate any
real reduction of the powers of the
General Assembly. They have the
same prerogatives and privileges in
/ the main as before. They have the
privilege Of passing laws which the
people want; if they do not exercise
that privilege it is their own fault and
not the peoples. II is only when
they neglect to avail themselves of
their privileges that the initiative and
referendum are invoked.
Secondly, II does not mean that we
are to be plunged into radical, revolu-
tionary, economic or social conditions.
The people of Delaware are conserv-
ative people. VIII a conservative
people directly legislating for itself
enact rash. revolutionary laws? The
passing Of this amendment will not
change the essential character of the
economic or political policies of the
electorate of the State. Il will not
overturn the existing order of things.
IL cOntemplates merely the better
ment Of the existing order.
Positively, il means that the people
shall have valid voice in securing
the legislation they need. If for one
reason or another they cannot secure
such legislation through the General
i Assembly it means that they shall
have privilege of securing it through
their own unaided efforts. II means
that special interests in the person OF
lobbyists shall be conspicuous foI
their absence i'm our legislative halls
No corporation is going to spend
money for legislation when it runs the
risk Of having that legislation sci
aside by the will of the people. II
therefore very materially reduces the
possibility of corruption.
1T will be alleged against it thai
It is new and untried. This is not the
| case. II was used by some of the
American colonies. 1t has been il
use in Switzerland for many decades
It is a part of the constitution of ;
number of States. 1t bids fair to be
come a part of the constitution o
more i'm the near future. It is not ;
rash experiment, plunging States anG
communities into all manner of in
dustrial and political chaos. Il is no
the panacea for all our ills to be sure
| Nevertheless it's application shows
to be a corrective of most seriou
abuses and evils.
| 1T will be alleged against it that
is expensive. Had we not bette
spend little money on Legislation
that will enable us to keep what w
II honestly earn in our own pockets in
stead of seeing il, i'm the absence o
such legislation, going into tn
pockets OF those who have not earnel
it. It will be found to be money wei
invested ] may be different frOn
some men, but / like to see the peopl
be allowed to retain the money the
have made. II goes against the grail
y to see big part of it 80 to swell tn
- dividends of nonresident stockholder
= when a few honest equitable law
!. might prevent it.
ct appeal TO you men of Whining
ton and through you to the men G