Semi-weekly herald., 1915-01-11
GOV. AMMONS' MESSAGE
TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY Y

ing the imperative demand of closing
up these gaps at once not only to
meet the necessities of our local traf
fic, but to secure the tourist travel
to the Panama expositions, we should
postpone for a year further new i'm
provements on the capitol grounds and
pay to the road fund the S250,000 due
it for money advanced in the con-
struction of the capitol building some
years ago. The circumstances make
this year of real emergency in high
way construction and the plan sug4
gested is the only practical way to
meet it.
Initiative and Referendum Petitions.
The initiative and referendum
amendment was voted for the purpose
of reserving the veto power to the
people in case Of Objectionable legis-
lation by the general assembly and
the right to initiate laws denied by
the legislature.
do not believe it was contem.
plated that all sorts of legislation
should be initiated by petition where
there might not be much care in their
preparation and when the expense
would necessarily be very great, nor
is it likely the people meant to put
off the operation of important legis-
lation unless on the real demand of
of considerable portion of the peo-
pie. Where the general assembly
| fails to enact or enacts legislation
Objectionable to a large portion of the
voters there would be no difficulty in
securing petitions either for initiating
or referring.
In the past there has been much
fraudulent work in obtaining sigma
lures to these petitions and com
panies were organized to secure the
required number of names. The result
was not an honest expression of the
signers so much as it was the solici-
tation of the canvassers who are able
to secure. thousands of signers for
or against important laws for dime
apiece.
During the past two years an or
ganized agency to commercialize the
imitation and reference of laws through
questionable or bogus petitions was
effectively offset by concerted action
of state officials to successfully pre-
vent the reference of many construc-
tive measures passed by the general
assembly, the unnecessary imitation of
all kinds of legislation and the prob
able saving of not less than $780,
600 to the Taxpayers.
feel certain the best interests
of the state will not be materially
injured by discouraging this line of
business and I, therefore, urge most
strongly the enactment of law pro.
hibiting anyone from securing sigma
lures to these petition for pay.
Short Ballot.
WV years dSo liie sHpfl DdliOl was
urged. Experience since then has en-
phasized the necessity of this system
,if we are to have effective, strong
administration. The governor is sup.
posed to, and should be the chief ex.
ecutive, and yet the other state off
cials are elected and may be entirely
out of harmony with him in import
ant public policies. Appointive posi-
tions which should be under the gov
ernor are given to Independent de-
partments. No one would think of
electing the heads of the several bu-
reaus at the national capital. There
the President chooses his own secre.
tary of state, secretary of the treas.
ury and other advisers, who serve
only so long as they may be in har-
mony with their chief. In this respect
the federal government is much
stronger than the state. In order 60
strengthen the state government we
should adhere more closely to the
federal plan. To avoid Objectionable
partizan influences in administration
not only should employees under heads
of departments be chosen under the
civil service rules and kept and pro
NOTED for merit, but the governor
should be chosen at different time
from the presidential election. His
term of office should be four years
and he should not be eligible to re-
election. Through this method he
would have the power to carry ou,
the policy laid down by the law max.
ers while whatever of credit he might
hope for his administration would
have to come from faithful perform
ance of duty or constructive policies
established. Give your governor
ample power to control his adminis-