St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current, 1912-10-25
Majority Rule Amendment

Among the thirty-eight meas
ures, which will appear on the
official ballot to be voted on by
the electorate of Oregon at the
coming election on November
9Th, will be the majority Rule
Amendment. This is an amend
ment TO the Constitution of the
State of Oregon so as to require
a majority of all electors voting
at any election to adopt constitu-
tional amendment and pass initi-
ative measures.
This measure is proposed for
the express purpose of preserv-
ing the Initiative Law for the
people of Oregon by preventing
its over-use by its friends and by
preventing its abuse and possi-
bly, its repeal by its enemies.
II scarcely admits of argument
that the Initiative Law as origi-
nally intended by its sponsors, is
a most worthy measure. But
we find it today working over
time" in Oregon. We find it be-
ing grossly abused and perverted
turned from the purpose for
which il was originally intended,
namely, to be a powerful weapon
in the hands of the people with
which to get important and nec-
essary legislation after the sam,
had been neglected or refused b,
the State Legislature. Governor
Woodrow Wilson says: IL is to
be regarded as "gun behind
the door"-to be used only when
the peoples representatives fail
TO represent them.
After its eight years of use
and abuse we find that it is fast
pushing the Legislature into a
subordinate and secondary place.
Beginning with a few measures
and a comparatively small official
pamphlet, it has grown until tc-
day there are 38 measures to be
voted upon. and an official pam
phlet containing over $50 pages
for the voters of Oregon to grope
through in order TO arrive at
anything like an intelligent con-
clusion in regard TO the proposed
measures.
What percentage of the voters
will take the trouble TO give
these 38 measures the requisite
time and attention in order to
vote intelligently thereon? Anc
yet, il is the bounden duty OF
every voter TO do so, because in
the conglomerate mass there may
be important measures affecting
vitally all of the people Of tn,
state. A large majority of thcse
38 measures are ordinary matters
Of legislation which should have
gone TO the Legislature where
members elected by all of the
people are paid for the purpose
Of passing upon the merits or de-
merits of such measures, and
who are az least supposed 10 be
competent to render an intelli-
gent decision thereon. And yet,
we cannot expect any change IN
the number OF measures on the
ballot 80 long as we have an un-
bridled and unprotected initia-
tive law that allows every paid
propagandist, every faddist and
fanatic who may be able 10 raise
the price with which TO hire an
army of professional petition
circulators 10 go forth and solicit
signatures TO a petition at SC
much per name.
What is there 10 prevent spe-
cial interests from initiating
measures containing jokers,
which, if let TO pass, may work
untold injustice 10 the people OF
Oregon? Will the electorate OF
Oregon take the time and trouble
10 study this official pamphel
sufficiently 10 select the good
measures from the vicious ones
the wheat from the chaff. SC
TO speak, and pass favorably OF
the good ones and reject the bac
ones? We say no. and to sub
stantiate our claim we need only
call attention to the fact thai
you may go forth today less
than two weeks before elec tion
and consult ten business anC
professional men whose business
and professional training hal
taught them to look carefully int
important matters before ren
dering a decision thereon, ant
ask them if they have looked
carefully into the 38 measures
proposed and if they have reat
the 250 pages of the official pam
phet. We make the statemen
without fear of successful con
tradiction, that at least sever
out of the ten will admit the.
have not read the pamphlet a
all, and if so, have only given l
a superficial glance. If such b
the case with the man who /
supposed to give these matter
close attention. what can be ex
pected of the busy mechanic an
laboring man whose attention !
centered in other directions an
whose environment is all alon
other lines?
The ranoadu el1O0aetad at IN