The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1916-10-26
LIVE WIRE SPARKS
Don't miss the Grange Halloween
party and box supper. t.... -.

It is surprising how many voters
do not understand what the initiative
and referendum measures are, and the
fact that Referendum Measure No. 3
is known as the Initiative and Refer
endum Measure adds to the confusion.
We have on our statutes an lnltla-
tive and referendum law which pro-
vides: First, that any voter may draw
up law and have it either submitted
to the legislature for it's consideration
or submitted to a vote of the people
at any general election. If the people
vote for the proposed measure it be-
comes a law without the necessity OF
action by the legislature or approval
by the governor. In order to have
proposed measure placed on the ballot
it is necessary to present to the Sec
rotary of State petitions on prescribed
forms duly signed by 10000 registered
voters. This method of securing leg
islation is known as the initiative
method. The initiative and referen-
dunn law provides: Second, that any
measure which has been passed by the
legislature may be held up as mop
erative until it has been submitted to
a vote of the people at the next gen.
eral election. In order to bring this
about petition must be presented to
the Cecretary of State on prescribed
forms duly signed by 10000 registered
voters within certain length of time
after the passage Of the law. If the
people reject the law, altho it may
have been passed by the legislature
and signed by the governor, it is
stricken from the statutes. This meth
cd Of multiplying legislation is known
as the Referendum Method and the
law under which legislation is thus
placed on the statutes or stricken from
the statutes is known as the Initiative
and Referendum law.
Now the legislature at its last ses-
sion, passed new initiative and refer
endurn law laying down very strict
rules governing the circulation and
signing Of initiative and referendum
petitions, and the people, feeling that
the restrictions were too severe, in
voked the referendum on It by getting
up a referendum petition signed by
some fifty odd thousand voters and
the law as passed by the last legisla-
ture has, therefore, been held mop
erative until it could be submitted to
the people for acceptance or rejection
at the general election November 2.
This measure is known as referendum
measure No. 3 and in case a voter
wants to support the action Of the
legislature he votes for the act. In
case he wants the new law stricken
from the statutes he votes against the
act.
BY the use Of the referendum, seven
measures passed by the legislature
are to be submitted to the people for
their approval or rejection on the 7th
Of next month. They are known as:
Referendum Measure No. (Initia-
tive and Referendum law.
Referendum Measure No. 4 Gre
call law.
Referendum Measure No. 5 (Polit-
ical Convention law.
Referendum Measure No. 6 (Anti-
Picketing law).
Referendum Measure No. public
Service Utilities law).
Referendum Measure No. 9 pub
lie Budget law).
Referendum Measure No. 8 Port
District law).
There are also two measures to
vote on which have been prepared by
initiative petition. They are:
Initiative Measure No. 10 (Hotel-
mems liquor billy.
Initiative Measure No. "a brewery
billy.