The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1920-11-16
|. FRENCH
ON GOVERNMENTS
IDAHO CONGRESS ADDRESSES
TEACHERS ON VARIOUS
FORMS IN THE WORLD.
Continued from Mondays Daily

/ CONTINUED from Mondays Daily
! The, home was regarded rather as
the unit. Through industrial develop
ment, our population began to swing
largely from the farm to the city and
whereas half century ago, 65 per
cent of our population approximately
lived upon the farms of the United
States and 35 per cent in the cities,
today, the figures have been reversed,
and in approximately the ratio OF in
crease Of industrial life so has in
creased the sentiment for change OF
basis of the voting privilege until
within the last few years in many OF
the states the women were granted
the privilege of voting and through
the amendment to the Constitution
completed within the last two months,
the women of all the state OF the
American Union share with men IN
the responsibility of government.
The same tendency which | have
outlined briefly as having occurred
within the United States has occur
red in other countries. In Great
Britain a century ago, the suffrage
was limited to certain members OF
the male population in such degree
that probably not more than two
fifths of the men were eligible to ex-
ercise the franchise. Today there is
complete manhood and Womanhood
suffrage in Great Britain, and today
in the leading countries of the world,
both men and women share the re-
sponsibity of the ballot or else there
is an unquestioned sentiment tending
in that direction.
Mechanics of Legislation
When it comes to the question OF
the mechanics of legislation, we can
not ignore the fact that there have
been certain tendencies so far as dis
cussion can go. So far as those who
are interested in the question from
an academic standpoint, there has
been something of a change.
The federal constitution limits the
making of laws for the government
as a whole to the Congress of the
United States. So far as the states
may be concerned, the federal Constl-
tuition guarantees a republican form
of government. A republican form OF /
government means representative
government. The thought that has
been in the minds of many of our peo-
pie and probably was in the minds OF
the trainers of the Constitution was
that legislative bodies as representa-
tive of people within the state IN leg
slatures and of people in the govern
nent as whole in the congress,
should exercise the responsibility OF
Here, however, in our
political life parties representing dlf-
'erent factions of thought developed,
and while the right of law wmaking
bodies to function as such was not
nevertheless political
parties through conventions did not
lesitate to impress their demands up
IN those elected to legislative posi-
ions. The support of adherents OF
me political party or another, the
lction of political conventions in the
,assing of resolutions and In the y
rafting of platforms, have played an
Important part in the crystalizing
md shaping Of legislation. Even. SO /,
he responsibility of legislation has
ested with the official bodies. il
During the last 25 or 80 years 5
here has been much discussion OF Il
arrying the responsibility Of legis-
alton closer to the people. The two
vords, initiative and referendum,
uggest the thought that has been in !
he minds Of those who urge a more !
intimate touch on legislative activities
pom the part Of the people. :
BY the Initiative we understand {
hat it contemplates granting to the #
eople the opportunity through petl- y
ion of offering to the Legislative {
ody or to the electorate Of the state
proposed law. BY referendum we K
nderstand the giving of the oppor- 8
unity, as result Of petition or at c
irmative referendum action by (
legislative body to the electorate to I
ass upon measure that has already $
assed the legislative body and but
or the referendum would be valid I
ct. n
No considerable effort has been g
lade to apply either of these prin- t
iples to the federal government, but