Washington telegraph., 1920-04-09

hnal passage, there is never but
one question asked and that is.
Does the Representative from
that county favor the bill?" If
so, 1t becomes a law without a
dissenting vote.
If there is to be any reform
or relief along these lines. if is
evident that it must begin at
the ballot box; and in my judg-
ment, we have reached that
period in which the people of
this State are going to speak
out in no uncertain terms in
condemnation of this and other
evils which have and will dis
cuss during this campaign.
The Referendum
In the general election of
1910, the people of this State
by an overwhelming vote.
adopted amendment number 10
to the constitution. This
amendment reserves to the
people the right and power TO
propose laws and amendments
to the constitution; and also
reserves to them the right and
power to approve or reject at
the polls, any Act of the Cen
eral Assembly. All Acts and
proposed amendments to the
constitution are subject to the
referendum, except as to laws
necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public
peace, health or safety. The
people under the referendum
have ninety days after the en-
actment of any law in which to
file a petition with the Secre-
tary of State, asking to have
such law referred to the people
for their approval or rejection,
unless the legislature tacks on
to the bill what is called the
emergency clause, in which
event the bill goes into effect
Immediately. The purpose and
effect of the emergency clause
as used by the legislature, is to
prevent and defeat the people
from exercising their right to
approve or reject any law
passed by that body. By an
examination of the Acts of the
last legislature, you will find
that the emergency clause was
attached to nearly every act
by that body, regardless
of whether an emergency did
or did not in fact exist. There
is rarely ever an emergency
calling for the immediate en-
forcement of any law. The
courts have held, however, that
this is a question for the legis-
lature to determine, and the
courts will not inquire into it.
Practically all the rights
given to the people of this State
by the referendum amendment
to the constitution, have been
abrogated and swept away by
legislative will, assisted by
Judicial Interpretation.
A proposed amendment to
the constitution will be voted
on at the next general election
which will, if adopted, in some
remedy the evil to
which l have referred. The
number of that proposed
amendment is 13, and | GER
tainly hope it will be adopted.
Roads and Highways
My friends, the advent of
the Twentieth Century finds
the people of this country max
ing rapid strides along many
lines of material progress and
advancement, no part of which,
in my judgment, is of greater
Importance than the substan-
5ial improvement of our system
Of roads and highways. The
chief executive of this State
can be of no greater service to
his people, than to encourage
in every reasonable way the
continuation of the spirit that
has heretofore prompted the
good roads movement in this
State; and every enterprising
citizen should be alert in build
ing up and disseminating the
good roads propaganda. But
while | am a good roads en-
l can not indorse the
character of road legislation
enacted by the present legila-