Semi-weekly herald., 1912-11-25
THE INITIATIVE AND REFEREN-
DUN.

The Republican believes in the iri-
tiatiye and referendum in princip,e.
1t contains reserve power which
may be employed for great good in
case of need. But, like many another
thing good in principle, the initiative
and referendum is subject to abuse
in practice.
Certainly the late campaign ard
election gave abundant illustration If
not on that account condemn the iri-
tiativc and referendum in itself. Con
demnation should be directed against
the improper use of the power to ini-
tiate new legislation or to subject 10
direct scrutiny and judgment meas
urcs which have received the sanction
of the Legislature.
The late campaign witnessed rot
of indulgence in direct legislation, and
ii would be strange indeed if the evil
Of such excess had not been disclosed.
There are possibilities of evil not
only in the excessive number of meas
ures initiated or referred, but also
in the form in which they may be
presented. To head bill with a
pleasing but misleading title is wrong
in any event, and if done with the in
tention to deceive it is dishonest. 1t
is an attempt to gain votest by rep
resenting matter as something diff
ferent from what it really is. Votes
secured in that way are obtained un-
der false pretenses. Why should this
not be condemned, if to obtain money
under false pretenses is justly made
a penitentiary offense?
The Mothers Compensation act"
may be given as an illustration of
how misleading titles may be used.
Everybody sympathizes with the
mothers. The suggestion that in some
way they be compensated may CON
vey on definite idea; but it is pleas
ing, and the title cannot fail to have
won for the bill many votes.
| Wait until the new law is enforced.
Every county or Juvenile judge in the
state today may be honest. But if
one may take the word of the re
formers" for it, dishonest officials
have been elected in the history Of
Colorado, and what has occurred may
occur again. Suppose political ma
chine elects some corrupt fellow as
county judge for the purpose of con
fund. The expenditure of the money
being left to the discretion of .he
Judge, it can be used for corrupt po
litical purposes to large extent with
out restraint, The result may bc
imagined.
The people who were induced b.
the title of the bill to vote for il
did not perceive this feature or fore
see the possibilities of evil which i!
| contains.
There WAS no grs4t emerEsnc Y, no
tcFSaass TSztsssc evil which called for ths
. fnitfation OF this measure. 1t woul'
much better have been left for actitol
: by the legislature. In the Legislature
its language would be subject to scru
tiny. The expenditure of the none,
could be placed under proper and ade
quate restriction. But the people wh'
initiated the measure were not willin.
to wait a few months. So they causet
it to be initiated. Intentionally o.
otherwise, they placed above it ;
misleading title. They secured it.
adoption. 1t may do some good. Blu
it is almost sure to do great dea
of evil which with care could have
been avoided.
| This is one among many illustra
tions of the misuse of the initiatv,
and referendum in practice. To con,
denim this wrong use is not to con.
denim the principle, and in time the
public will learn to appreciate this
distinction.-Denver Republican.