Little Falls herald., 1914-09-11

one representing q community Opposed
to county option and standing as a
local option candidate vote for it.
Whether there will be a. change in the
unit or continuance Of the present
system will be determined by the char
acter Of the next legislature, and it
will be, in effect decided as soon as
the election returns are known. No
Recommendation Of a governor will
make man pledged to support coun-
Fty option vote against it; nor one
pledged to oppose vote for it.. The
voice of the people is mightier than
the voice of the governor-when they
speak legislators must listen, and the
governor as well, and both bow to
sovereign authority. In November,
then, the electors themselves will di-
rect the course to be taken, and that
course should be followed by the mem
bers Of the state legislature and by the
chief executive.
Initiative and Referendum
The democratic party favors initia-
tive and referendum legislation. Now
that we have a non partisan legisla-
ture there is probably less sentiment
for it than formerly. It is in line, how
ever, with the progressive spirit that
has 50 strongly manifested itself in
political affairs during the last decade.
Minnesota ought to have it. I am dis
appointed in the proposed constitu-
tional amendment to be submitted to
the plebiscite this fall. The proposal
amendment has been severely criti-
.cised by friends OF. the initiative and
referendum. No doubt the legislature
had good reason for adopting the form
Of amendment it did, but it is unfor-
tunate, ] think, that the proposed
amendment goes farther than to sane
tion the initiative and referendum and
to authorize the state legislature to
prescribe the manner in which laws
may be initiated by petition and re-
ferred to the electors for determine
tion. It would have saved, if adopted,
the injection Of much detail into the
constitution, which should ~ contain
broad and fundamental declarations
upon which legislation may build.
Primary Election Law Faulty
The primary election law has been
severely criticised, and there is little
question that the primary elections as
now conducted deserve considerable
criticism. If there is a spirited con-
test in one partisan primary and none
IN the other, it is probably true that
many voters participate in the pro-
maries Of the political party to which
they do not belong; sometimes, it is
said, voting not for the candidate they
believe the strongest and best, but for
the weakest, expecting to defeat him
in the general election. E In my Spin-
ion, there is much less Of this kind of
voting done than people imagine, but
sif some republicans vote in democratic
primarieswhy not all republicans; If
some democrats vote in republican
primaries why not all democratsi We
have gone very far nth non-part rtisan-
ship il this stat not 60 farther
and let all voters irrespective of po.
litica1s affliation participate in all pri-
mariesl 5..
Lengthy IS this letter is, even refer.
ence To- several impo ortant and interest
ing questions has been omitted, and
those touched upon, cry briefly dis
scussed. wish s. were possible Tor Its
writer g greet personallJ each of those
yho5may hesf sitt a.
ours YER tlslly
Signed s *, nm lond