Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-07-08
POOR COMFORT FOR THE "HoME RULERS"

Those home rulers who depending the 1n1tla-
tive for opportunity to submit that doctrine to the
ple for need feel too great citation at the
pect and those ultraconservave citizens who fear
full because Of the Republican promise to enact laws for
carrying into effect the constitutional amendment already
adopted providing for this innovation in government need
not worry even if that promise is kept.
The reason why element should not grow enthu-
sasc and the other element need not feel too great
prehenson is because of the following provision found
the initiative amendment which is part of the
'stitution:
Provided that legislation thus submitted shall s require the eP
Suppose this amendment had been effective and the
home rulers had asked for the submission of home
rule bill under this initiative amendments according to its
provisions their bill would have required at the last cleo
ton just So 748 affirmative votes to have become law
though there had not been single vote cast against
We assume that not even the most enthusiastic 'home
rulers will believe that such bill could muster such
support in this state There 105495 votes cast for
governor two years ago. and submitted under
the initiative clause Of the constitution at the cleo
ton would have had to receive onehaf that many votes,
52,748 affirmative votes in order to be adopted.
No measure has ever received any such vote in this
state, and should predict, will receive
such vote. The initiative amendment itself popular
measure received only 918 votes and adopted with
only 15 1876 votes against it. Under its TERMS however,
any of law submitted under it, would have been
defeated if had received that many votes without
single vote against it. Under this amendment which
the Republicans with great flourish of trmpets propose
to make reflective if ''home rule" bill for instance
had received 5247 votes in the last election with not
single vote against it. it would have been defeated simply
because the vote received lacked vote of being
5orty of all the votes cast for governor at the cleo
ton
Why should the "home rulers" or anybody else be
placed under such handicap The prohibtonists will
have great advantage their rule brethren To
make part of the fundamental law of the state
hibon against the manufacture and sale of liquor
majority of the votes cast upon that subject will be all
that is required but in order for the home rulers
get law adopted allowing municipal units to deter
mine the question for themselves their plan must
majority Of all the votes of the state assuming that all
of them vote for governor The prohbonsts would not
need to vote at all against home rule because their fail
to vote would count against the just much
their vote would count; but the "home ruler the
other hand if he wishes to defeat prohibition must get
busy and cast his ballot silence would aid probi-
ton in his case while silence the part of the pro-
hibtionist, would count against "home rule"
The referendum amendment to the state constitution
received 43 658 votes with only 400 votes against and
the amendment adopted but this principle had been
submitted under this initiative law which the Republicans
promise to make effective it would have been defeated
that vote because there not enough affirmative
votes.
The recall provision of the constitution was adopted
by vote of 81 875 votes for it to only 1859 against but
law to be submitted to the people under the
proposed enactment of the Republicans it would have
been defeated it had received many votes in its favor
cause it is proposed that the affirmative vote shall be
great onehaf the total for governor irrespective
of the votes against it.
This is why we say the ''home rulers" who expect to
take advantage of the initiative law that the Republicans
propose to enact anticipating relief which they will
not be able to get The prohbtoniss had the safe com
fort assured hem but they refused to accept because