The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1913-08-07
FAVORED BY PROGREssNEs
Followers of Sen. I.aFollette Promise
to Take Up Fight to Secure Big Vote
in Favor of Proposed Amendment
to the State Constitution.

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state over the question as to whether
the initiative and referendum shall be
cardinal principle Of the Wisconsin
constitution and as if bitter fight is
to be waged in the state to prevent
the adoption of the Initiative and
referendum resolution by the people.
1t is understood that there is an asso-
citation in the United States, of per-
sons who are opposed to direct legisla-
ton in any form, and it is said that
this association will take hand in
the fight in this state and will try 70
prevent the adoption of the resolution.
If so, a campaign may be lively from
a literary standpoint, as it is under
stood that MOST of the work of the anti
initiative and referendum league con-
sists in the dissemination of literature
appealing to the voters not to support
the initiative and referendum resolu-
ton at the polls. Another source of
opposition to the initiative and refer
endum may be the University of Wis
consin. In recent public addresses
President Charles r. Van Hise of the
University of Wisconsin has shown
opposition to the initiative and refer
endum so far as it might be applicable
to the university measures, and has
very clearly demonstrated that he,
himself is fearful that an initiative
and referendum on university appro-
priation bills at least, might be harm
full to the university.
There will also undoubtedly be q
literary campaign in this state IN fay-
or Of the initiative and referendum.
There is an organization which has its
headquarters in the west and which,
by the way, has been Influential in Sc
curing the incorporation in the constl-
tuition of several western states of the
initiative and referendum principle
which is DESTROYS to see the state OF
Wisconsin adopt the principle as por-
tion of it's constitution, and this organ
ization will undoubtedly wage the same
fight in this state that it has waged
in other states in the Union in favor
Of the principle.
It's campaign organization has proven
effective in other states, and it is more
than likely that it will make Wisconsin
strong battle ground and will try to
secure the adoption Of the principle in
this state. 1t can be said that the
mere adoption of the initiative and
referendum clause in the constitution
of Wisconsin does not mean that all
the machinery has been set in motion
necessary for. the use Of the initiative
and referendum. It simply means that
a constitutional right has been grant
ed to the Legislature to legislate on the
subject. If the proposed amendment
to the constitution is adopted by the
voters of the state at the next general
election it will mean that the next
legislature will have before it the task
of passing laws which shall provide for
the submission Of questions by refer
endum to the people, and also of pro-
viding method by which the voters
can ask that subjects refused atten-
ton in one legislature shall be given
attention at the next session.
The LaFollette leaders ia Madison
do not seem to think that there is any
question but that the initiative and
referendum constitutional amendment
resolution will finally be incorporated
in the Wisconsin constitution. They
say that Senator LaFollette has made a
demand for direct legislation one of the
corner stones of his fight in this state
and that the voters are so well posted
on the question that there is no doubt
but that they will give it support at
the polls no matter what may be the
fight of the opponents of the measure.
Not all progressive leaders, however,
are in favor of the initiative and ref
erendum and there may be some sur
prises in regard to the sources from
which some of the opposition to the
proposed measures will emanate. 1t
can be said that the constitutional
amendment resolution on the subject
of the initiative and referendum which
has now been adopted by two Wiscon-
sin Legislatures has been carefully pre-
pared and that by many advocates of
direct legislation it is considered the
best constitutional amendment resolu-
ton on the subject which has been
either offered or introduced in any
state. The resolution was first pre-
sented in the legislature Of two years
ago and it received its passage both
IN tn legislature and in the present
Legislature without a great deal of
opposition.