The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1912-05-01
OFFICIAL PAPER OF cHoUTEAU COUNTY
WEDNESDAY, MAY l, 1912.
Initiative IS

The method of making laws by
popular vote is q new departure In
Montana politics that will be given
. test at the general election next
November. 1t ie announced that the
campaign conducted by the Peoples
Power League, to secure the neces-
sary signatures to four initiative Pc
titions, has been successful, and an
Official proclamation has been issued
by Governor Norris notifying the
Montana electorate that the four pro-
posed laws will be submitted to popu-
ar vote.
The task OF obtaining the necessary
signatures was not so easy and simple
. proposition as it fret appeared to
the friends of the movement. The re.
quirements were that eight per cent.
OF the voters in at least two-fiths OF
the counties must sign each OF the
initiative petitions, and that the ag-
gregate number of signatures must
equal at least eight per cent. of the
total vote of Montana. These re.
quirements did not. seem difficult until
attempt was made to comply with them.
In the absence of any personal or
financial interest at stake, however,
the work of securing the necessary
signatures was undertaken by volun.
teers in several of the counties, each
solicitor devoting part Of his leisure
time to the work. There we're no cam.
paign funds with which to hire help
for this canvass, there were no special
benefciaries of the proposed legisla.
ton from whom financial aid could be
expected-the campaign was made by
citizens who believed the promotion OF
the public welfare and the relief of the
community from the domination of
scheming politicians was sufficient re.
ward for their efforts.
The titles of the four measures or
behalf of which initiative petitions re
ceived the necessary number of sigma
lures are:
IA law to provide for party nomi
nations by direct VOTE"
IA law to instruct the members Of
the legislative assembly to vote TO,
and elect the candidates selected by
the people for United States senator
from Montana"
IA law to limit candid ates' election
expenses; to define, prevent and pun
ish corrupt and illegal practices II
nominations and elections; to secur.
and protect the purity of the ballot
to provide for furnishing information
TO the electors and to provide tn
manner OF conducting contests fo1
nominations and elections in certain
cases."
1t is understood that out of the 3
counties in Montana, petitions wer
fled from nineteen, of which numbe
fifteen contained at least eight pc
cent. OF the vote of the county. Mil
soula county returned the larges
number of signers for the registere
voting population, there being owe
twice the number of required signere
As 1t is necessary for two.ffths c
the 81 counties of the state to retur
petitions signed by over eight pc
cent. of the voters OF the county, twelv
counties was the minimum to which
measure could be initiated, but thi
was exceeded.
The provisions of the constitute
require a total Of 5 1875 signers in ordt
to place q measure on the ballo
There is some difference in the numb'
OF signers for each of the four mea
ures, there being $500 signers for Il
direct primary bill and only 5,5'
signers for the presidential preferen,
bill. The petition for the bill for Il
selection of United States senator |
the people received 5,572 signers al
the corrupt practices act 1868.
It is believed these reform measur
will appeal 80 strongly to Monta,
voters that they will carry overwhell
ingly at the next general election.
enacted by popular vote, the new la,
cannot be repealed or amended by &
legislative assembly, and can
changed only by re-submission to t
people.