Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1915-10-05
LOCAL JR. 0. j. A. N.
HEAR ABLE ADDRESS
J. A. RalstOn, Presdt. Direct
Legislation League Of Maryland.
TALKS ON AMENDMENTS.
Initiative and Referendum Discussed
Citizens Should Think for Them
selves

selves.
] Members of the two local lodges of
the Junior Order United American Me
chanics. No. 80. and Severn Council.
with few others, listened last night AZ
the KNIGHTS of Pythias Hall to an able
address by Jackson II. Ralston. OF Hy
| atsville, president of the Direct Legis-
lation League Of Maryland
Mr.. Ralston gave an able address.
discussing the four proposed constitu-
tional amendments which will be sub
mitted to the voters at the next general
election, incidentally referring TO the
general subject of direct legislation.
II is seldom that Annapolis audiences
have the opportunity of hearing such
strong presentation of a matter OF
large public interest and II would have
been well if every citizen of the com
munity could have heard Mr.. Ralston
The proposed amendment referring
10 the referendum was the matter chief
" discussed. Mr.. Ralston explained the
provision of the amendment. He said
that it provided that whenever the Leg
islature passed an Act, with a few ex-
ceptions. 10000 voters, not morethan
5000 should come from Baltimore city
or any one county might petition the
Governor that the law should be held
in allegiance, and that it would not be-
come effective until it was submitted to
the people at the next election. and re-
ceived their approval. He said that
seventeen states already had this pro
vision, and that it was found to work
we'll
President Wilson was quoted in the
matter by Mr.. Ralston, to the effect that
this provision was like the "gun be-
hind the door," not for regular use, but
as an invaluable protection. Mr.. Raj.
ston said that if the Legislature passed
law which would deprive the people
of their rights, they could protect them
selves by the referendum, but that the
provision was even more effective by
serving notice on the Legislature that
the people had this right, thereby pre-
venting much hasty and improper leg
lslation.
Incidentally, Mr.. Ralston discussed
the initiative. generally a companion
measure of the referendum. He said
that proposed amendment to this eff
feet failed to receive Il constitutional
majority by one vote in the Senate.
and that it was hoped that it would be
submitted by vote of the next Legis-
lature. BY this measure. he said, a
certain number of voters could pro-
pose legislation which would be sub
mitted to the popular vote, and become
effective if'it received a majority vote.
The amendments relating to yeform
in taxation and to prison reform, i'm
cluding the permitting of indeterminate
sentences. were discussed only briefly
by Mr. ,Ralston. on account of the limit
ed time, but he approved both of them
as in line with better thought and pro-
cressive ideas along these lines The
main points in the amendment propos-
ing degree of self-government for the
counties was discussed. This provis-
ion, if passed, Mr. Ralston said, put
Maryland among the progressive states
of the Union, and stamped it as the
most progressive state of the East. He
alluded to some of the trivial subjects
which were made the subjects of leg
islative acts, and which took up the
time Of all the lawmakers. For in
stance, he said, the Legislature had
been called upon to discuss a Law for
bidding the taking of mad toms and
scaly cats" from Frederick county
and to prevent swine running across
the court house yard at Prince Fred
erickton. These, and thousand other
matters, he said, could better be left to
the County Commissioners and permit
the members of the Legislature to con
slider more weighty matters.
Answering one of the objections to
direct legislation. Mr.. Ralston referred
to the fact an allusion had been made
to the small number of votes usually
cast when amendments were proposed.
This, he said, was because the mat
ters were generally trivial. like per
mitting the Sheriff of Baltimore city to
/ succeed himself, but that when import
ant questions were involved, the peo-
pie did net show their interest, as when
the grandfather clause" Ia connection
with the registration, was the matter TO
be decided. The fact that the people
had a right to settle legislation for
| themselves, he said, constituted con-
tinual incentive to think over, discuss
and study questions, and constantly de-
veloped the capacity of the citizens to
think and act for themselves.