Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-03-25
ACTION WORTH WHILE.

While there are rumOrs OF proposed
steps to suspend certain laws passed
by the last legislature, it might be
timely here to suggest that If any &C.
ton is taken that the initiative and
referendum be- repealed by popular
vote, so that North Dakota can purge
it's constitution of tits freak at the
next session of the legislature.
1t is within the power of the people
to do this at the next general cleo
ton. If this is done, the legislature
car ratify the wish Of the people and
the next session will not be haunted.
BY this bette noir during its %delibera-
tons in 1917. 1t takes twenty-five
per cent Of the voters in at least each
of half the. counties in the state to
refer an amendment to the constitu-
ton. ( s.5s.
The Tribune. believes if the matter
We're put in its true light to the PEG
pie of North Dakota, they would
strike the present initiative and ref
erendum from the constitution Ii
the initiative and referendum have
any merit, the one North Dakota is
operating under is devoid Of all vir-
tue. a
In 1912 a very significant analysis
was made of the Bessessen initiative
and referendum, which we desire to
quote here and to say that the pity
Of it all vas that it fell on barren
soil:
"Our last census gave us a popula-
ton Of 577,05G. This amendment on.
ly requires 10 per cent of the votes
secured in a majority of the counties
to initiate a law. The population of
the least p%opulous counties constitut.
ing a majority of the counties have a
population of only 155,560, or % per
cent of the population Of the state,
the remaining counties having u per
cent. 1t is proper to assume that the
ratio of electors to population is
about the same in all counties. There
are 100000 electors and $4,000 are to
be found in these least populous coun.
ties, constituting a majority of the
counties. Now a petition signed by
10 per cent of the electors in these
counties, that is, by $500 voters, will
initiate a law and require it's submis.
sion; that is, 2.S per cent of the en-
tire electorate of the state, or less
than One-Ealf Of n per cent of the
intire population, is sufficient to in
itiate a law"
These figures would have to be re-
vised some now, but the point they
illustrate is as conclusively true as
when the application was made.
1t was not long ago that the State
University Of Oregon was suspended
through the filing of referendum peti-
tons. The signatures to the petitions
were obtained by a Portland c
under contract at a fixed price Of
three-and-a-half cents apiece.
Governor Hanna and other state of.
fiGeials. recently met in conference
wsehEthe oil company officials so that
this state might be protected against
accidents due to lack of proper IN.
.spection. The saving emergency
clause not having been attached to
the oil inspection law, it is not effect
i've until ninety days after adjourn
ment of the legislature. .
The companies could have taken
advantage Of this fact to postpone
the collection of inspection fees until
the ninety-day period had expired,
Human ingenuity could not devise
a better plan to defeat the will of the
people and suspend good and whole.
some laws.