Evening journal., 1913-02-22
DEFENDS The
REFERENDUM
MIR. Knowles Analyses the
Two Principal Objects to
the Bill
Mr.. KANE ALSO
SPEAKS FOR MEASURE

Special to THE EVENING JOURNAL.
DOVER. Del. Feb. 22.-William w.
Knowles in his address to the State
Senate Yesterday analyzed the two
principal arguments advanced against
the Initiative and Referendum amend
ment which has passed the House
and is now In Senate committee. Mr..
Knowles in part said
There are two objections that have
been urged against the Amendment TO
the Constitution of this State provid-
ing Tor the Initiative and Referen-
dum
THE first objection is urged by the
enemies of the Amendment on the
ground If adopted it will enable the
people of Wilmington and New Castle
county to legislate for the whole
State and will thereby place Sussex
and Kent counties wholely at the
mercy of New Castle county.
This objection has no foundation
in fact There is not a single valid
reason that can be urged against the
measure on that ground. but II is
simply put forth as an appeal to the
preiudices OF the people of the two
lower counties with the hope that the
legislators of these two sections Of
our State may be driven into violent
opposition to the Amendment.
II must be remembered, ignorantly
or wisely. he who attempts to array
one section Of this State against
another. or who will attempt TO excite
the prejudlces OF the people of the
two lower counties against the people
OF New Castle county and the city OF
Wilmington without adequate reason
can be nothing less than Benedict
Arnold.
The Fifteenth Section OF the
Amendment clearly gives to each
county the right to decide and vote
upon the measures affecting such
county Whatever measure might be
voted for on behalf of New Castle
county would not be voted for in eth
cr of the other two counties. Under
this amendment Sussex, Kent and
New Castle would be as absolutely
independent and distinct as the fingers
upon the hand, each performing its
separate and independent govern
mental function. and each voting sep
arately on measures affecting the re-
spective counties. Insofar as the
whole State Is concerned. all three
gethcr, but there is no law that could
be righteously formulated into a bill
that would be a blessing TO New Cas-
tie county and a detrment to the
other two counties when applied "a
State matters.
But let us grant for the sake Of
argument under this Amendment that
a bill could originate in New Castl,
county for the purpose OF putting IN,
two lower counties wholcly at tn,
mercy Of New Castle county II sucl
a condition could possibly arise unde
the Amendment. all that would bl
necessary for Sussex and Kent coun
ties 10 do would be to initiate a bill
providing that such a measure shoul,
not apply TO the two lower counties
Thus IL can readily be seen that ever,
county would be absolutely indepen.
dent OF the other so far as measures
affecting county matters are concern.
ed likewise all cities and towns In
the State will have their rights under
local self-government. independent oI
each other
"The second objection urged against
the amendment is that the percea-
tages for filing Initiative and Refer
endum measures are too low The
amendment provides that any law may
be initiated by a petition signed by
eight per cent. or a referendum of Eve
percent. OF the qualified voters, based
upon all the votes cast for all candi
dates for Governor at the genera
election last preceding the fling Of an,
Initiative or Referendum petition OF
a state or county measure In order
that no one may become gunehot a
the percentages proposed in IN,
amendment.
1T will be seen that sixteen statel
of our Federal Union have alread,
adopted the Initiative and Referendum
and none with the exception OF New
Mexico, Nebraska. Arizona. Neyadi
and Maine, require more than eigh
per cent on the Initiative and onl,
TWO Of these, Nevada aud Maine. re
quire more than five per cent. on tn
Referendum
let US talk about our own STATE
We have the Initiative and Referen
dnm IN the State OF Delaware on th
Local option Question.
Whenever a majority of all ia
members elected TO each House of IN
General Assembly from any ono Z
the Local Option Districts i'm thI
State shall request the submission ,
the question OF License or No-Iicens
IN any one Of said districts IN any di
trict In which the majority ma
change to be. the General Assemb
shall provide for the submission
such question TO the qualified electo
in such district at the next Gener
Election thereafter.
The City OF Wilmington has a re
resentation in both House of Sev,
Members -Four of these Members.
any time before the time for the su
mission OF new business to the Legi
lature was closed, could have said
the ninety thousand people or Il
twenty thousand male voters in Il
City Of Wilmington that an electl,
in the fall of 1914 must be held on Il
Local Option Question. When y,
find what per cent Of twenty thou
and voters in Wilmington four mer
bers are, you will see the per cer
required for the submission Of II
Local Option Question to the vote
in the City OF Wilmington is insign
ficant when compared to the Init
tive Petition Of eight per cent as pr
vided in this Amendment. The sma
per cent. Of the number OF men r
quired to submit the Local Optic
Question to the voters Of any OF
Local Option District in the State al
mits OF no comparison to the per Ger
In the proposed Amendment
when we consider the way ar
manner in which the Initiative al