Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1913-06-13
SPECIAL ELECTION NEEDFUL.

OEhC1EAL hGhO 11ON N6hOI OL
Irrespective of the question of tn
legality of the law providing for
special election on referendum meas
ures, passed by the last state legis
lative assembly, and known as th'
Day bill, The Observer believes tina
the best interests Of the people de
mand that the election be held. The
primary motive behind the Day bill
is the settlement of all questions af
fecting the laws passed by the legis
lative session, or such Of them as
have been subjected to the referen,
dunn. 1t is neither right nor just tC
the people to hold up all such meas
ures for two years, and whether the
laws are just and meritorious, OF
otherwise, the matter should be set
tied as quickly as possible. 1t is the
abuse of the power and objects Of the
referendum that forms the greatest
objection to it. Under the present
constitution, nothing is more easy
than to hold up legislation and pre-
vent the enforcement Of laws passed
by the legislature. Interests affect
ed may, by the expenditure of a few
dollars and the employment of paid
petition hawkers, successfully pre-
vent a law which may be distasteful
to them, from going into effect
they may hold it up for two years
when, as matter Of fact, it may be
just law, one demanded by the peo-
pie, yet the will of the people is over
ridden and set at naught.
Only about 1000 names are nee
essary on a petition to refer any
measure and these names are easy to
secure. All that is necessary is a
little time. 1t has become a com
mon practice to apply the referen-
dunn to any measure that is unpopu-
lar with some certain element or
special interest, and it is openly as
serted that, while "we may not win"
we can at least hold up the law for
two years" The writer calls to
mind case in point: A certain law
was passed by the recent legislature
which affected a small portion of the
people of the state-probably not
more than 200 persons. 1t required
that these people must do certain
things which would mean the curtail-
ment of a certain amount of their
profits and entail upon them consid-
cradle additional expense. But there
was no opposition to the law during
its passage through the two houses
at Salem, except from four or five
lobbyists. Those who examined the |
bill and were not interested in the
fortune of the few people it directly
saw much merit in it, and
declared that it was a just measure
and should be passed. There was
no particular fight on it, and it pass
ed both houses by substantial major
tiles and was signed by the governor.
Right here was where our 200 friends
got busy. They said "we will refer
this bill and hold it up for two
years" They donated to the com
non fund, employed petition chasers
and made an active canvass for sig
natures. 1t took only a month to
secure the necessary 1000 names,
hundreds of people signing the peti-
ion without knowing aught of the
Measure or its possible merits or de-
merits, and so the bill has been re-
erred. The promoters behind the
scheme do not expect
hat the law will lose when the peo- !
lie have an opportunity to vote on !
T. and they will probably not put up ,
/ strenuous fight in its favor for the ,
cry evident reason that the more
hat is said about it, the more GER
ain it is that ii will be endorsed: v
ut they hope that there will be {
othing doing until the fall of 1914. II
Ii was to prevent such undesirable T.
Ondiions that the Day bill was pass {,
4. People assert that the cost of h
special election next fall is an un- {,
lst burden on the taxpayers, but the p
lies with the taxpayers
Had there been no ref
there would have been no =.
ection, and it remained for the peo- /
e TO say whether they wanted to GO
the great expense of a special ~
ection There has been no restrict ~ ~
n thrown around the possible elect y
n. The people were given the full 81
and the freest power to do ex- CO
tly as they desired. Every bill
ssed by the legislature could he .,
Serred if desired. Popular govern Il,
mt has been given a substantial ~,
ost and the state al large has been IN
'en chance 10 pass, and that az
ickly, upon all new laws. h,
L is a fact that the movement 20
re the Day bin declared uneonsti-
ional and thus 60 prevent the pc
cial election, has come from the be-
pie and the interests opposed b mi