The Detroit times., 1913-04-10

amendments could be proposed by the
| people on petition OF 20 per cent or
! the number who voted in the proceed
ing election for secretary OF state.
I These petitions had TO be signed In
the polling places. The amendment
! thus demanded had to be submitted
to the legislature, which could disap-
prove II, whereupon IL was lost or II
could pass a substitute amendment.
and submit 1t to the people; or II
could approve the amendment, and
submit II TO the people. The people
then had to ratify the amendment by
majority vote.
The new amendment changes this
procedure. Only 10 per cent OF the
| electors who voted for governor in
the last election. need sign the petit
| ton for an amendment. and IL need
not be signed In polling place. The
has nothing to do with
this form OF amendment. The petit
lions must be in the hands of the sec
rotary OF state four months before the
regular election for state officers, at
| which II Is to be voted on. The sec
| rotary then submits II to the people
at that election. and II majority OF
the electors voting on IL approve II,
| II becomes effective after 30 days.
The amendment petitions must be cir
culated by qualified electors; the
signers must write their names, ad-
dresses and date of signature; ana
the circulator must make affidavit
that each signature is genuine.
Under this amendment, woman SUI
frage cannot be voted on again be-
fore the election OF November, 1914.
as that Is the first election for state
officers The initiative petitions must
be in the hands of the secretary OF
state during the first week OF July,
1914. IL the women decide to try
their luck again, they have 10 months
in which to prepare and circulate
their petitions The must secure ap-
proximately $4,000 signatures, but
that ought to be a comparatively easy
task. Apparently, the women SUI
! fragists cannot circulate the petitions,
for the amendment mentions the al
fdavit OF the elector circulating the
same" and women are not electors.
The petitions will, therefore, have TO
be circulated by men who are III
favor Of suffrage.
The other amendment adopted Mon
day refers to the Initiative of laws,
and their reference to the people.
Eight per cent Of the number OF
voters who voted for governor In the
last election, may sign a petition for
law that they wish enacted. The
petitions must be in the hands of the
secretary OF state 10 days before the
opening of the next legislative SEES
a,tt n
the legislature as son as it convenes
and organizes. The legislature must
approve or reject the measure, with
out changing 1t. within 40 days.
IL the Legislature pass the meas
ure, and there is no petition for It's
referendum, 1t becomes law In the
manner OF any other act Of the le9is-
lature, except that the governor need
not sign II.
If the legislature rejects it, or takes
no action on it. or decides on sub
stitute law, the original law and the
substitute must be submitted to the
people in the next general state cleo
ton. If majority Of the voters APP
prove the measure. 1t becomes law.
If they approve both the measure and
the substitute. the one receiving the
highest number OF votes becomes law.
Now as to the referendum. NO
measure except law OF expediency
may become effective before 80 days
after the legislatures adjournment.
Within this period, five per cent OF
the number who voted for governor
in the last election may petition for
referendum. They may ask that the
whole Of an act, or any section OF IL,
be submitted to the people for their
approval Such a petition acts AS
/, stay OF execution, and the bill does
not go into effect until the people
have approved It by a majority vote
at the polls. II it is approved, 1t
goes into effect 10 days after the Sec
rotary of state finds that it has been
adopted.
No act initiated and adopted by
the people can be repealed or amend
ed by the legislature, but the legisla-
ture may propose repeats or amend
ments to the people. Acts adopted
by the people under the referendum
may be amended by the legislature at
subsequent session,