The spectator., 1920-10-19

an amendment. This makes 1t nearly impossible to adopt needed amendments, as at every general election tens of thousands of vo- ters simply vote for the candi- dates for office and pay no atten- tion to the amendments. This
 means that these votes, instead of not being counted either way,
 are regarded against the meas Thus it may be defeated although
 it had large majority of the
 votes cast upon the measure So difficult is it to adopt an amend ment under the present law that on m average two out of three amendments, however meritori-
 would be defeated at every elec- tion. Proposed Amendment No.
 13 cures this evil by permitting a majority of the votes cast on the measure to adopt or reject it.) 4. Under the present law prob ably the greater part of the time of every legislature is consumed in discussing local legislation that is of little interest or importance to anyone outside of the locality affected. Amendment No. Is provides the necessary machinery
 fof the locality directly interested to transact this legislation. pro-
 vided that it does not conflict with general law.
 5. While it is generally admit ted that many amendments to our constitution area necessifx, the voters of Arkansas have shown their unwilllngness to trust this to constitutional convention. Proposed Amendment No. 13 pro- vides a safe and simple way to keep our constitution amended to date, as the voters themselves can submit amendments. They must be filed with the Secretary of State four months before cleo tion. and they must be suitably l advertised in every county in the state. so there is no chance of the people being fooled into adopting | an Amendment not satisfactory y, l but if they did they could repeal it at the next election under the | provisions of Amendment No. Is.
 6. Amendment Mo-. 3 provides an Initiative and Referendum law | similar to those existing in ma lorlty of the States in the Union. | It has been endorsed by the Farm ers' State Union, the Initiative and Referendum League of Ar kansas. the State Federation of | Labor. and appears as a plank, with Amendments Nos 14 and 15 in the Democratic State Platform. It has received the approval of the incoming state administration and Wm. J. Brgan, Senator Robt. | Owens, several of our congress men and host of private citizens throus shout the state have written letters highly commenting It.
 z. A misunderstanding exists among the people as to the method of initiating laws. This is simple. If the legislature fails to enact a law demanded by the people they circulate petitions to have this law placed on the ballot at the next general election. and, if a majority of the people voting thereon favor it, it becomes a law; and. if a majority do not favor 1t, of course it is defeated. In ordRte secure the placing of this law on the ballot it must se- cure number of signatures, in the case of an act, equcl to 8 per cent of the total vote cast for gov ernor in the previous election. In the case of an amendment. it must secure ten per cent of the total vote cast.
 (rhis safeguards legislation by making it impossible to initiate a law unless there is a real senti- ment in its favor. At the same time the number of petitioners required IS not so large as 10 make 1t an unreasonable task to secure them.
 If you want . People . Govern. ment vote for Proposed Amend