Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-12
FOR CAL|PH'S CROWN HAS SWISS ORIGIN
Industrious Potentate Smith De- Initiative Referendum and Re-
cared to Have Won 1t. call Imported Ideas
SHRINERS MAKE MERRY THEIR REAL SIGNIFICANCE
Grand Ceremonial Aa Statement OF Fundamental Pn
Temple ciples as Generally Understood.
FOLLOWED BY BANQUET ADOPTED IN SEVERAL STATES
Aroused Oregon Judge-How the
Admiration System
Initiative, Referendum and Re-
call Imported Ideas.
THEIR REAL SIGNIFICANCE
Statement of Fundamental Prin
ciples as Generally Understood.
ADOPTED IN SEVERAL STATES
Operation and Purpose Explained by
Oregon Judge-How the
System Works.

| What are the initiative. the referendum
| and the recall?
They are words in everybody's mouth
just now. but a pretty fair proportion of
| those who talk about them have a vague
| idea of what they mean.
Summing them up, they may be said to
! ne three instruments whereby the repre-
sentative system of government so long
| in use in this country Will be considerably
| enfeebled and the people will obtain a
| more direct control and management of
| the government than they have ever had
State after state is adopting one or all Of
| these new measures; when the nineteenth
century closed only one state had the
initiative and referendum; now many
states have 1t. The recall did not come
into existence in America until 1906 but
now the country Is dotted with communi-
ties where it is in force and is actively
used.
All these three propositions are importa-
tons from Switzerland, where the initia-
tive and referendum have been in force
for half a century. the recall not so long.
The states and cities that have adopted
these Swiss innovations have varied and
altered them to suit the local taste. so
that definition of the referendum as it
exists in one state does not always de-
scribe the same law in another.
Fundamental Principles.
But the fundamental principles are
usually the same, and may be summed up
as follows:
l. The Initiative-If a certain percent
age of voters wish certain law adopted
they can submit it to the legislature
which must, in turn, submit it to a refer
endum.
2. The Referendum.-If a certain num-
Der of voters demand an opportunity to
vote upon q bill the legislature must
submit it to them. and the people decide
by vote whether 1t shall or shall not be-
come law, just as in New York state they
vote upon an amendment to the state
constitution. The referendum can be de-
manded. not only on bills previously pro-
posed by the initiative, but upon bills
which have their origin in the legislature
itself
3. The Recal.-If certain percentage
of voters demand the right to decide
whether a public official shall continue 10
hold office or must retire to private life,
the question must be submitted to the
people at an election. If they vote against
him he must give up his Office, whether
the term for which he was elected is any,
where near it's end or is just beginning
The initiative" said Henry James Ford
of Princeton University, in an address
before the Economic Club of Boston,
means simply this-that sections of the
people themselves shall have the right to
| initiate legislation and to solicit for it
| the approval of their fellow citizens The
referendum means that If the legislature
passes measure, that measure shall be
| referred to the people before it becomes
a law"
Governor Without Veto Power.
And i'm Oregon the gorernor has no
veto power over measures enacted by the
people themselves.
The operation and purpose of the ini-
tiative and referendum were explained in
| clear and lucid manner by the highest
| court in Oregon in a case known as Ore
gon VS.. Pacific States Telegraph and
Telephone Company, % Greg, 162. Said
the court:
by the adoption Of the initiative and
referendum into our constitution the leg
| islative department of the state is divided
into two separate and distinct laWmak-
| ing bodies. There remains, however, as
formerly, but one legislative department
OF the state. 1t operates, 1t is true, diff
ferently than before-one method by the
enactment of laws directly through that
source of all legislative power, the people,
and the other, as formerly, by their rep
resentatives-but the change thus wrought
neither gives to nor takes from the legiS-
repeal any law, except in such manner
and to such extent as may therein be ex-
pressly stated. The powers thus
reserved to the people merely took from
the legislature the exclusive right to
enact laws, at the same time leaving 1t a
coordinate legislative body with them.
This dual system of making and unmak-
| ing laws has become the settled policy
of the state, and so recognized by de-
cisions upon the subject"
First in South Dakota.
South Dakota was the first state to
adopt the initiative and referendum, and
its laws on the subject are regarded as
models OF the kind. The South Dakota
constitution originally provided that 1.-The
legislative power shall be vested in a
legislature, which shall consist Of SEN
ate and house of representatives"
This was amended by adding a provision
that 1.-The people expressly reserve to
themselves the right to propose measures,
| which measures the legislature shall en-
act and submit to a vote of the electors
of the state, and also the right to require
| that any laws which the legislature may
have enacted shall be submitted to a
vote Of the electors of the state before
going into effect, except such laws as
may be necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public peace, health
or safety. support of the state govern
| ment and its existing public institutions;
provided that not more than per centum
of the qualified electors Of the state shall
be required to invoke either the initiative
or the referendum
When the per cent Or more of the
voters wish to use the referendum on
| any law passed by the legislature in that
state they file q petition with the secre-
of