Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1917-03-22

II State Legislature were actually
always representative and If 1t also did
its full duty there would be no ne0es-
sity for the Initiative That State
legislatures do not always do their
duty; that they are guilty of sins omis-
sion to be corrected by the Initiative
or In some other way, just as they are
guilty OF sins of commission which may
be corrected by the Referendum, must
assuredly be admitted. If proof we're
necessary IL was afforded by my last
letter in which / pointed out the man.
ner in which the General Assembly
treated four constitutional amendments
adopted by the people less than two
years ago. That legislatures equally
fail and must eyer fail to be thorough
~ representative Is absolutely true,
as viii be evident from a moments
thought We send men to the legis-
latura who Ggree with the majority
upon certain general propositions,
but assuredly do not represent them on
all. AS voters we make the best we
can OF the situation. When they meet.
those propositions upon which the ma
jority ia large part unite, may never
come before the Legislature In any
shape, but an infinite variety OF other
propositions are voted on, about which
the legislature received on mandate
from the people. Some propositions
may be rejected although the majority
OF the people sincerely desire their
adoption and vice versa. For wrong
full rejection or refusal 10 submit TO the
whole people today we have no remedy
and popular government falls.
a representative government Is one
which represents. We may we'll
enough be represented In ninety cases
out Of one hundred by the average
Legislature. The matters usually de-
termined by 1t are not OF the gravest
Importance and even II errors exist we
may we'll put up with them, but deeper
matters OF principle should, as the be-
lievers in the Initiative and the Re-
ferendum feel, be subject 10 review at
all times by the people, the legislature
often falling to be representative for
reasons given.
South Dakota among the States of
the Union, was the first to rise 10 an
appreciation of this apparent govern
mental defect, and adopt the Initiative
and Referendum as part OF its gov
ernment In so doing II followed an
example set by Switzerland where, IN
both national and caftonal govern
ment, the Initiative and Referendum
have protected the people for scores
OF years. Oregon quickly followed the
lead OF South Dakota and from that
time ~ the present some eighleen or
nineteen states have followed their OK.
ample, among them the states OF the
entire western coast and Maine on The
East, northern states like Ohio and
oh
Mississippi and Arkansas, Republt-
can states and Democratic states.
No state OF the Union having once
adopted the Initiative and Referendum
has ever retraced this step. The poo.
pie, feeling themselves in Just control
of their government, have been sNcecd.
ingly jealous of an attempt 10 take
away their poscr.
Ia the foundation of our government
leaders OF con stitniionAi conventions
felt an extreme reluctance TO trust gov
ornamental coatroi 10 Tie hands Of Tire
people. For this reason they provid.
sd, save IN tho adoption oi cdnstliu-
lions, exclusively for representative
government They may have been 70
q measure oxcusable at that time, bs,-
cause Tho average intelligence 81 the
American citizen 81 one hundred aud
fotty years ago wss Indefinitely lnRor
than today. Schools we're a rarits
Acn could not NEST together 20 com.
pare ideas with Size same freedom as
nos, Newspapers we're almost IN
kuoWu and tie republican idea was "a
cgnde, though sell founded In priuci-
pile, IS WE'RE the social installations Of
The day. The theory gheu was that Tie
people, ignorant as shay we're, could
select superior ipeu 10 govern bat we're
not themselves equal - bearing any
portion OF the direct responsibilities
~ government Furthermore The ma
ehinery oi direct l0gi station on a side
scale had mol bern Invented. although
a very crude approximation 81 the
idea sas embodied ia The State Con-
stitati0n Of Georgia Today these
conditions have changed and the mass
of the people arc as wise on ths aver
age IS our Legislators
Snms conception Of iruly artuncrotic
government existed in Maryland even
IN tho beginning UuP yery term
General 4 sscmbiy'' meant at the time
OF The formation of our Colonial GOV
ernment, the physical gathering to-
gether OF al the people, The theory of
representation coming into play quick.
81, however. because 81 the difficulty
81 The people assembling together due
10 thsir humber, distances from the
capital aud condition OF roads.
The Initiative and Referendum have
bcen on trial IN this country for eigh.
tfen years. When the people ~ Mary
land are asked u adopt thn Initiative,
they are entitled ~ know something 81
ms workings in the states uf the Union
when have tried II out and the ques-
tons naturally arising should be- met
This ] shall cndehyor 10 do briefly 10
another letter
JAcKsos n, RALsqoS.
HTattsville Md. March IL 1917.