The Green Forest tribune., 1915-02-19
WOULD STRENGTHEN
 |. 6 E. AMENDMENT
PETITIONS FILED BY FEDERA. TON OF LABOR iNSUREs SUB.
 MISSION OF AMENDMENT.
TAXES AWAY THE VETO POWER
One of the Provisions of Proposed Amendment Is That 1t Removes
 the Limit to Number.
Little Rock


 Proposed Amendment No. IA, that will be submitted to the people at the election in September, 1916, has been initiated by the Federation of Labor, proposes to make radical changes in the present Initiative and Referendum law
 One of the most important is that it removes the limit to the number of amendments that may be submitted at any one election, the present max mum being three. Among the other important provisions are tue fol- lowing:
 Prohibition of the veto power of the governor of any measure adopted ty the people under the initiative and referendum; prohibits the legislature, unless by three-fourths vote, to repeal or set aside any measure becoming a law in this manner; prohibits any measure adopted by the people being declared unconstitutional unless by unanimous decision of all members of the Supreme Court, and provides that all measures, both amendments and acts, shall become law when a ma Jor1ty of the votes cast for an amend ment is boiled, instead of a majority of all the votes boiled at an election; also that a petition of 10000 names shall be required to initiate and T. 900 to refer, instead of per cent of thn eral election.
 The amendment also would greatly limit the power of the legislature to attach the emergency clause to bills and thus prevent their being referred to the legislature A two-thirds vote would be necessary to declare an emergency. It would prohibit the de- claring of an emergency on any fran chise or special privilege act creating any vested right or interest or alien ating any property of the state. If a referendum is filed against any emer- gency measure, the measure would be law until it could be voted on by the people, who would then decide it's fur ther fate. The provisions of this sub. section also would apply to city coun- ctls.
 The initiative and referendum DOW CTS of the people are reserved to the legal voters of each municipality and county, who may provide for local leg 1slation by initiative petition contain ing 1o per cent of the legal voters or the county city or town affected. Ref erendum petitions in cities and towns would require only 10 per cent of the legal votes, which shall be based upon the vote cast for judge or mayor at the last election.
 Every extension, enlargement, pur. chase, grant or conveyance of a fran. chlse, or of any rights, property easement, lease or occupation of or in any road, street, alley or park, or any part thereof, in any real property, or interest in any real property owned by 8 municipal corporation, whether by statute, ordinance, resolution or other wise, would be subject to referendum and would not be subject to emergen. cy legislation. The time for filing a referendum petition against municipal or local measures could not be less than 30 days after the passage there of by municipal or local legislative bodies.
 No limitation could be placed upor the number of constitutional amend ments or other measures which ma, be proposed and submitted to the peo pie by either initiative or referendum petitions.
 No measure could be submitted tr the people by the legislature except 2 proposed constitutional amendment O, amendments as provided for in Articl, 19, Section 22, of the constitution.
 Any measure submitted to the peo pie by petition would become a law when approved by majority of the votes cast and not be required to re ceive majority of the votes cast fol candidates in such election Sucl measures would be operative on ant after the thirtieth day after the cleo ) tion at which it is approved. IHe N6IO power or the governor O mayor would not extend to measures ! initiated by or referred to the people Representative Johnson has intro } duced bill for the regulation of tele phone rates, containing the "physica , connection" clause that has caused &, much controversy in the past.
 A bill introduced by MT. Robertso, : of Lee provides for the election O ! members of the St. Francis I,eve , District Board, and to reduce in number from "A to 16.
 Members of both houses are receiy ing many petitions and memorial 2 for an increase of the railroad pas l senger rate to cents mile. : State Auditor Coffman favors th 7 passage of the Rorex bill creating tn office of stats accountant