The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1912-12-13
WHAT SIXTY
PER CENT MEANS

During the last session of the legis
lature the joint legislative committed
of organized farmers and trades IN
ions IN their endeavor to have sub
mitted constitutional amendments tc
provide for the initiative and refer
endum and recall were bitterly Cd
posed by those who professed to be
lieve that majority of all votes cast
in an election (and on constitutional
amendments 60 per cent? should be
necessary to adopt such measures.
With the official returns at hand
let us analyze the results of the re
cent election. The recall amendment
received the highest vote cast on any
of the amendments, but the total vote
thereon fell a little short of so per
cent of the total vote cast for COVER
nor. The amendment would not have
been adopted under "the majority of
all votes cast in the election" scheme
proposed by our opponents. The vote
cast for the recall amendment was
but 95 per cent of the total vote cast
and it would have failed for lack of
Is per cent necessary to make a ma
jority of all votes cast in favor of it..
Under the existing provisions "a ma
iority of the votes cast on the amend
ment" it carried with II per cent for
to 29 per cent against Practically
the same percentages are true as to
the initiative and referendum amnd-
ment.
With the required percentages, 10
for the initiative and for the refer
endum, practically $4,000 and 10000
names will be required on petitions
to initiate or referend measures in
the state. 1t is a big task to secure
$4,000 names to a petition bu it is pos
sible through concentrated organized
effort and will be made use of upon
failure of the legislature to enact
statewide popular legislation.
We have heard no complaint from
our partisan political friends, who be-
lieve in a majority of all votes cast
in the election being in favor of the
initiative and referendum measures,
about the minority vote by which some
of our state candidates were elected.
Congressman Humphrey is not COM
planning because he was elected by
receiving but 80 per cent of
the votes cast for congressman in his
district. Neither have we heard
word of complaint from Governor
elect Lister or his friends, though he
received but 80 per cent of all the
votes cast for the office of governor.
Non-partisan elections would do
away with minority rule in office as
the two receiving the highest vote in
the primaries would have their names
on the ballot on election day and one
of the two would receive a majority
of all votes cast for that particular
office just as under the present law a
majority of the votes for or against
any issue under the initiative and ref
erendum adopts or rejects same.
Three hundred and thirty-one thou
sand, seven hundred and ninety votes
were cast in the recent election, but
only 31S,359 were cast for the office
of governor. Thirteen thousand four
and thirty-one people voted
who were not interested or failed to
vote for a governor. One hundred and
fifty thousand people failed to eX-
press themselves on the constitutional
In neither instance
should their Indifference be taken
into consideration in figuring MAORI
ties.
The above figures show the neces-
sity of a publicity system such as is
in vogue in Oregon, which will place
in every voters hands a pamphlet 60
days before election containing all
initiative and referendum measures
with arguments for and against, to-
gether with announcements of all the
candidates seeking election and their
qualifications for the office they seek.
This system prevailing in Oregon re-
suits in an average vote of about 20
per cent of all who participate in the
election voting on initiative and ref
erendum measures.
The United Mine Workers are this
week holding an election of both ma
tional and district officers by a refer
endum vote thereon. Primary cleo
tions have been held and the final
election is between the two receiving
the highest vote in the primaries.
This is as it should be in state. coun-
ty and municipal elections. The best
man for the job regardless of party
affiliations and elected by a majority
vote of those participating instead of
minority party vote of 80 per cent.
c. R. c.
BREACHES AGAINST WON