The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1912-03-13
HON. VIC GRIMES
EXPLAINS TIVE INITIATIVE. REF.
ERENoum AND RECALL
Opposes tss Reessvsit Policies DIT ID
Favorable 60 Rooesvslt Per-
sosssiy-Aa intervening
Communication

recently about Roosevelts yiews as
TO the initiative. referendum and re-
call. What he thinks 10 not binding
on any one else. II 10 the duty OF
every citizen to think for himself lust
AZ Mr.. Roosevelt has done. These
subject r of asst Importance, and
their adoption means much for our
veal or woe. II 10 time for every
good patriotic citizens to stop and
think. and the duty OF everyone who
can throw any light on any Of these
subjects to do 30. ! dare say there
are many people who favor or oppose
these three measures who do not
know what n Of them mean. II is
the duty OF every patriotic citizen to
ind GU about them-just as much
60 as II was for the boys in blue"
10 shoulder a u In time Of civil war.
In opposing them IL 10 not enough
to decry against them or abuse people
who advocate them: and in fayoring
them IL Is not enough to say Roosevelt
or some other distinguished man fav-
ors them. The truth OF the matter
Roosevelt q taken very moderate
grounds in favoring them. and II the
people Will listen to him. they will
go about such radical changes in a
cautious and judicious manner. And
a n supports Roosevelt for
the Presidency. he Is not bound TO
accept all his individual views about
every economic question. While 7
am Tor Roosevelt, I am decidedly
against the recall unless In case Of
municipal corporations.
n initiative. referendum and re-
caii are usually linked together.
mere is no reason in the world for
'hls. A person may consistently IA
Vor one without favoring the other
Two. or either OF them. In fact I he
1eve the recall would not be SO had
disconnected from the other two. and
believe the other two are decidedly
good without il. but with IL they he
come an element In increasing the
DANGER III we must have the initia-
i've. referendum and recall all togetb-
err then am opposed to all: but n
We separate them. then favor both
the initiative and referendum. and Oh.
pose the recall.
1t might be we'll before going fur.
Their TO say what these measures
mean. The people want to know.
The initiative reserves To tho nao-
pie the right n power to make laws
OF their own initiative, without re.
gard 10 the legislature.
The referendum reserves tn thu nan.
pie the right to have referred 10 them
Tor ratification or rejection any Ia
the legislature may have passed.
The recall reserves TO the neonIa the
right TO arbitrarily recall a public of.
fcer. Va
Metaoin etaoin etaoIn etaoin etaojnl \,
II we have the initiative and rotor
endum We do not need 10 recall n
member OF the legislature. for nv the
time that we can recall him Wa can
ave passed the law by the Initiative
that he refused to vote for. and nm,
der the referendum we can kill the
oad law ne votes for by the time we
could recall him. We can make or
XIII laws over his head. That will be
suhcfent protection.
AS a member OF the state senate
/ nave often wished some means 10
apply directly 10 the people for their
approval or disapprovaI of proposed
measures. have seen the duly elect.
ed representatives OF the people de-
feaung meritorious measures nv
pigeon-holing them in some commit
Zee. They had not the courage 10
vote against the measures on the
moor. but thought the people would
never know their attitude in commit
zee. J recall right now the attitude
OF a majority OF the members Of the
judiciary committee, OF which had
me honor TO be a member. toward n
Dill that had In view the cutting down
OF the enormous salaries or fees OF
some county officers. The county OFF
GERS there lobbying against the
measure were legion. Nearly ALI the
senators wanted TO protect their sher.
ins n county clerks. and were pray.
ing members OF this committee 10
never let this bill out OF committee.
Most OF the members Of the commit.
Tee didn' need much urging for they
we're Just as anxious 10 protect their
sherins and other county officers
against the people. There we're
dozens OF cases like this one
The people should eservs TO them.
selves the right TO act when their
CHOSEN representatives 10 not and will
not Another advantage Of the iri,L
ative. the people NAV pass upon eco
nomic questions free from political
hies or prejudice They will vote az.
cording 20 tho merits ~ the measure.
and not because advocated By anv
particular party.
think Of an example, where the
referendum could have bean used
very properly and IN nv opinion n
advantage In the session Of 1900 =
bill psssed The legislature i-nereasing
the per cent allowed sherf1s ~,
making collections The bin sdded
thousands % dollars to the sIre,dv
prtucely Incomes % sherffa
when leFfslators 80 fer frrv~' 80
p~opi-s Interests. the people should
nee the ~r-f-r~ufum and Ism the bad
Avs passed an willing - frus,
The p~rpie - % The night Thing n
the last analysts DO T. 40 20 thsn any
say Who vfn say they ar. ~
safer than q member - M iegisia
fur- eiecf~f and controlled b. fhs