The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1912-05-15
should be vitally changed SO as to

Should be yltally changed SO as 10
offer to every class some benefit. yet
our bankers would favor, by their ac-
tion in New Orleans, the money trust
Payne Aldrich bill the most vicious
and pernicicus ever proposed by SEN
sible men. God forbid it's ever becom-
ing law in this civilized country of
ours.
| am in favor of the adoption, In
some way, with certain restrictions
and qualifications, Of the Initiative.
Referendum, Recall policy, provided
none of its provisions shall apply to
the State or national judiciary-which
department l believe should be kept
as far as practicable out of the arena
Of politics and political scrambles of
all kinds. BY wise and conservative
plan, under this system, the people
will be enabled, If necessary, to obtain
a more direct control Of the govern
ment than they have ever had. When
the nineteenth century closed only one
State had the initiative and referen-
dunn. Now several have it, and good
many cities are working under the
same. The recall did not come into
existence till 1905, but now the coun
try 1t seems Is dotted with communi-
ties where 1t is in force, and is active
ly used. All these three propositions
n 10 Cn,it1 ri
where the initiative and referendum
have been in force for half century,
the recall not so long. or course
States and cities adopting them can
alter them to suit the local taste, and
the existence Of this plan in one State
or city may not be the same in anoth-
er, according to conditions and cir
cumstances, but the fundamental prin-
ciples are the same. The whole OBJ
ject Of the initiative and referendum
is to allow the people to retain hold
upon legislation, and of course it
would not be practicable to legislate
generally by this plan, but sometimes
in exceptional cases, it would enable
the people to protect themselves
against unjust enactment of unjust
laws. The initiative would enable a
certain percentage of voters, by petit
tion, to have introduced through their
representative, certain measures, and
the referendum would enable a GER
tain percentage Of voters also to ask
that certain measures passed by legis-
pie for ratification or adoption. OF
course the rate of percentage might
vary according to conditions, and II
majority declare against 1t it fails
to become law, or If approved, it be-
comes law. The recall enables a GER
tain percentage of voters, said per-
centage to be governed by law as to
number named, the right to demand
that certain officials appear before the
people to be determined whether he
shall be retained or removed, and as
the majority votes SO 1t would be-
These things would seldom happen,
but 1t would be protection given the
people where needed for instance
where strong and soulless corpora
tlons are controlling legislation
against the will and interest Of the
masses. South Dakota, believe was
the first State in the Union to adopt
this policy, and its laws on the sub
ject are pronounced models of their
Kind along this line by compentent
judges. From information gathered,
this policy is working we'll in the
State of Oregon. / notice in one OF my
papers that the purpose Of this very
policy was explained in a very force
full manner by the highest court in
that State in a case known as Oregon
versus Pacific States Telegraph and
Telephone Co., So, Ore. 1872.
Said the Court, "By the adoption of
the initiative and referendum into our
the legislative department
Is divided into two separate and dis
tinct law-making bodies. There re-
mains, however, but one legislative
department Of the State. 1t operates,
of course, differently from before
one method by the enactment of laws
through that source Of all
legislative power, the people, and the
other, as formerly, by their repre-
sentatives, but the change thus
wrought neither gives to nor takes
from the Legislative assembly the now
er to enact or repeal any law except in
such manner and to such extent as
may therein be expressly stated. The
power thus reserved to the people