The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1913-02-26

peace or safety of the people of
The state. 1t has also been held
that if the legislature does say
that a bill is necessary for one of
these three objects, neither the
courts nor the people have a right
to say that it is not Immediately
necessary. In this legislature the
democrats are putting this clause
in the highway commission bills,
the public utility bill, the rate
making bill, the banking bill and,
in fact, in every bill which seeks to
control, regulate or in any mall
ner affects the corporate interests
of Colorado. Senator Burris and
Speaker Skinner, the originators OF
the proposition explain their posi-
tion by saying 1.-The initiative and
referendum is weapon intended
for the use of the people. 1t was
never intended for the use of cor
poyations and they have no right
to expect to use it." This is their
only reason for denying to the
people the right to pass on these
measures.
This position taken by the lead
ers of democracy will. no doubt.
do more to make the initiative and
referendum unpopular than any
other one thing that could happen.
The spirit OF the arguments that
were made in favor of the direct
legislation principle four years ago
was to the effect that it would give
the people the right to pass on all
bills and that it would not deny
them the right to pass on any
class of bills. 1t was repeatedly
maintained that under the work
ings OF the direct legislation prin-
ciple corporations and private cit
izens alike would have the right
to appeal direct to the people and
present their case II they felt that
they had not received a square deal
from the Legislature. Not once
during the entire fight that was
made for the direct legislation
principle was the statement ever
made that a saving clause could
be put in a bill which would pre-
vent anyone who felt that his in
terests were injured by it from
appealing to the people. The en-
tire matter harks back to the Ques-
ton of reform and just how far
will the refOrmers go in their one
sided attempts to rule.
The legislature has now been In
session fifty three days and the
only bill that has reached Cover
no Ammons for his signature, or
approval is the short appropria-
ton bill which pays their own sal
aries. This, notwithstanding the
fact that all leaders gave out ex-
tended interviews at the beginning
of the session that they would be
through and home in 60 days.
I'VE have a bill here the object
VI WHICH 70 Colupel lue
to equip their engines with head
lights that are only manufactur-
ed by one factory. we have an
other bill that is intended to COM
pei them to equip their roads with
block signals that are only manu-
factured by one factory. 1 do not
charge Interior motive but this
seems strange. We have bill to
compel the railroads to employ more
ion. We haven't a single bill that is
ing their incomes. We ALSO have
bill increasing their burdens
through inspections and supervis-
ion. We havn't a singel bill that is
intended to invite capital to build
railroads in this state. For my
part 1 am in favor of. knocking
the enacting clause out of every one
of these dod-gasted bills and let
ting the railroads run their own af
fairs" So said Senator Cornforth
in the senate Friday afternoon.