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VOLUME 11, NUMBER g
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Voters as Legislators
George J. King, Lecturer National Referendum League
On ono day every other year the people of
Oregon aro their own legislators. On that day
they can go to the polls and by their "Yes" or
"No" onact or reject statute laws and constitu
tional amendments as they may seo fit without
any dopondonco upon political parties, politi
cians, or mpinbers of. legislatures whatsoever.
This last was tho fourth gonoral election in
which they havo taken up the law making busi
ness on their own account and It proved to bo
tho most sovoro teat to which their legislative
capacity has yot boon put. Thirty-two measures
wore on tho ballot to bo disposed of. Some
wore proposed by tho people themselves through
"initiative" petitions. Some were referred by
tho legislative assembly. Ono was an enact
ment of tho logislaturo which tho people hold
up and decided through tho "referendum."
Tho following data just received from tho
corrected report of the secretary of state will
show what disposition tho voters of Oregon
made of tho measures.
Six questions wore referred to tho peoplo by
tho logislaturo. Of these, an act to build a
branch insano asylum In eastern Oregon waB
approved 50,134 to 41,604; an act proposing
a now constitutional convention was rejected
23,143 to 59,974; an act to provide separate
districts for members of tho logislaturo was de
feated, 34,000 to 64,252; an amendment re
pealing tho uniform rate taxation syBtom was
rejected 37,619 to 40,172; an amendment,
urged by tho business men, authorizing tho
state to own and build railroads was defeated
32,844 to 46,070; an amondment paving the
way for tho "classified property" tax system
was defeated 31,629 to 41,692.
Oftho initiatlvo measures, the voters reject
ed state wide prohibition by a vote of 42,540
to 61,221 and a bill carrying the amendment
into effect by 42,651 as against 63,564. They
accepted the liquor men's pledge for strict regu
lation and adopted a municipal homo rule bill
by a narrow margin 53,321 "to 50,779. An
amondment for county local option in matters
of taxation was adopted 44,171 to 42,127. An
employer's liability bill passed 56,258 to
33,943, and a bill to create an employer's lia
bility commission "to investigate the question
and report," was rejected 32,224 to 51,719,
and a long contest ended. The struggle of the
throo stato normal schools over appropriations,
which has long disgraced tho state and inter
fered with tho work of every legislative ses
sion for a gonerotion was settled by the people
taxing thomsolvos for the support of the best
school and turning down the other two. Nine
bills having to do with new county divisions
were all rejected by the tremendous average ma
jority of 43,357. Tho voters took the ground
that local questions had no business in state
elections. But the proposals would have not
been made had the legislature properly attend
ed to this business, as it should have done
"Woman's suffrage was again rejected 35 270
to 59,065. A private Ashing monopoly on
Rogue river, a public water, was adopted
49,712 to 33,397. Good roads found favor the
vote was 51,275 to 32,906. A unique bill ex
tending the primary Bystom to delegates from
tho political parties to national presidential
nominating conventions was enacted 43 363 to
41,624. Proportional representation was defeated--
7,0 31 to 44,366. A proposal for a
state official gazette, to bo sent free to the vot
ers bl-inonthly, containing news and reports of
what the state and county officials were doinc
was rejected-29 955 to 52,538. An amen
incut providing that a three-fourths vote In a
Jury Verdict on civil cases should obtain; that
Judges of tho higher courts are not to reverse
or send back for retrial cases when it shall be
clear that substantial justice has been reached
5? BZ lower courts' wns adopted by a vote of
44 538 as against 39,399. This important judi
cial reform is calculated to expedite justice nra
VOntJUr?n,tMn?erins' and end the power of
wealthy litigants to keep cases in courts tiH
poorer opponents are worn out
But one act of the legislature was held un
by the referendum; a bill increasing the salary
71.B0S. WaS rectQdl3ri61 to
JSt0tal V0te ca8t in thG election for the
Jft off governor was 117,690. Comparing this
vote with those cast on the rflanonHwi JL
we find that a general average11 Tl ?? 25
The Commoner
of tho electors "legislated" on the proposed
laws and constitutional amendments which were
of a statewide nature. Tho average on the nine
county division bills was 66 per cent. There
Is a great diversity in the per cent of vote? cast
on different problems. On tho prohibition bill
it stood at 90 per cent, which was the highest.'
On one it fell to 62, the lowest. This is about
the average shown in previous elections. That
is, soven or eight men out of every ten exercise
their rights to determine the legislation which
shall govern them. This disposes of the ques
tion everywhere raised in connection with the
problem of direct legislation as to whether the
masses of the people will interest themselves
in legislation oven if given a chance.
It is also noteworthy that no conflicting bills
were enacted, although several proposals, in
direct opposition, were presented. An interest
ing matter of study also is the range of majori
ties for or againBt the different propositions
which indicates discrimination.
That tho mass mind is conservative and will
not blindly embrace every proposition advanced
is shown by the enactment of only nine of the
thirty-two measures. The voters will not ap
prove of things they do not understand, however
excellent they may be in themselves. Very gen
erally tho voters mark "No" against every meas
ure they do not fully comprehend. A large
number have told me that this was their prac
tice. On the other hand, when the public mind
has on.ee formed on any issue, the needed legis
lation cannot be long delayed by any amount
of obstruction from whatever source.
One need not dwell long in Oregon to dis
cover that the rank and file of the citizenship
keenly enjoy this direct exercise of their sov
ereignty. It has proven a great educator and
infused them with a courage and interest in
public affairs. They have power; they can get
things done. Effort is worth while.
The old political machines are in a very bad
way. They can no longer deliver the goods
and the old era of corruption in politics is fast
passing away. All attempts on the part of the
politicians to overthrow the initiative and refer
endum have failed. The people are satisfied'
with the system and are alert. The overwhelm
ing rejection of the proposal for a new consti
tutional convention is direct evidence of this.
It was openly charged by the people that the
movement was a scheme on the part of the cor
porations and bosses to frame a new constitu
tion, from which the Initiative and all other
advanced methods adopted by the people there
by, should be carefully "cut out." The charge
was not successfully denied, nor could it well
be since the promoters of the plan were noted
anti-referendum" men. And so we may take
the majority of 36,831, against the proposition
a two and a half to one vote as a test of what
the people of Oregon think of the initiative and
referendum after eight years of practical ex
perience with,its workings.
SHIP SUBSIDY IN THE SENATE
(Continued from Page 4)
No sooner had the result on the subsidy bill
been announced than another sharp conflict was
precipitated. Senators Nelson and Borah were
both on their feet, but the former first obtained
recogn tion "I move that the senate take up
AlLS" leaSiDg f Cal lads
Mr.Borah0"011 SUbieCt t0 amendment?" asked
The result of the adoption of Mr. Nelson's
motion would have been to give theAlaqkn wn
Im1?6 Sf unfinIsed businlssYa i tht calendar
WhJC hai been vacated y the subsidy 2m
and Mr. Borah had counted on gettw that
chaiJ!16 mti0n iS DOt amenable," ruled the
This was an awkward predicamGnf n
an instant the senate was Srow? int and -in
Bion. The situation waTrelievedbvi0 ?U"
to adjourn, offered by sLaorHale7 mUn
Mr. Borah was not disposed to quit and h0 .,
many ot his foliowers WHa
"The .vote is thirty-seven in ii,.f
gordian knot by ttas nis vote in'tnTa
oltfneayU"nah1n'iettet0fSn30oUrn a"6r an
tho conflict oVer tta reso utio tTSBJbat
elections senators nVd'
Practical Tariff Talfe
j One of tho familiar methods of juggling with
the tariff schedules is to change the' rate's from
one basis to another, to make them ad Valorem
where they have been specific and specific where
they have been ad valorem, but the late con
gress improved upon that plan by jumbling
them in some schedules, so that the new rates
are both ad valorem and specific. This is useful
in obscuring the vision of the investigator, who
must be possessed of more than ordinary mathe
matical ability to determine whether the new
rate is an increase or a' decrease. This device
was employed in the rearrangement of tho tariff
on cotton cloths, the change being excused on
the ground that the appraisers had through
various interpretations of the Dingley law, actu
ally reduced many of the rates therein. The
complaint was registered by the manufacturers,
through Mr. Aldrlch, and the senate, which is or
was Mr. Aldrich, forthwith proceeded to fix tho
rates as they desired. Afterwards he insisted
that it was a mere equalizing of the rates and
that no raise was really made, all things con
sidered. This is not true.
.Cotton cloths have been in vogue for many
years, but their popularity has been greatly en
hanced through the necessity of tire common
people turning to this class of goods .because the
price of woolen cloths has been mounting up
ward. The new tariff represents the efforts of
the cotton manufacturers to get in on the divi
sion -of good things on a basis similar to those
enjoyed by the woolen manufacturers. Here
are some examples taken at random from the
schedules, which shows what was accomplished
in the interest of these men, the fact that a cor
responding raise has not been made in prices
being due to the .fact that business. -conditions
have not been as good as anticipated. The
opportunity is there, and it is safe to say that
it will be taken advantage of when possible.
Take the tariff on white goods, a staple which
forms a large part of the purchases of women
for personal wear. Under the Dingley tariff this
bore a tax of 35 per cent upon value, the square
yard being taken as the basis. The wholesale
price of this at the time the law was enacted was
A: cents per square yard. The old tariff,
therefore, was 6.05 cents per square yard. The
new rate provides that on all cotton white goods
above 16 cents and not exceeding 20 cents, 8
cents a square yard. If mercerized, wiiich is
orten the case, another cent is added." This
5S568,? total addition of n6arly 3 cents a square
JwL Per'cent increase. Plain cotton
cloths are increased, on the lower values, over
?m.ier e? ' an? the higher Priced eoods, the
increase is as high as 125 per cent. If mer
cerized an arbitrary figure .of 1 cent a yard is
JTELft adTdi"1n alough Senator Dolfiver
and Senator LaFollette effectively proved that
the actual and entire cost of mercerization
ranges from one-eighth to one ceTtTsquare
On the plainest sort of cotton cloth, the col
ored weaves worn by persons oT the humblest
means, the increase is 52 per cent. The tariff
Sef sqiSSif7 bm on the cheapest k,nd aver-
S. 7 hi a square yard- Tae new rate
ceJs CottonSQnW? yard',or If neroertaed. 8
cents. Lotton cloth dyed in plain colors par
ried an ad valorem rate of 40 per cent Under
the specific rate of the new law this rate is in
creased to 67 per cent of the value on the lower
priced goods. Colored sateen, commonly used
for women's skirts and waists andToV Hnings
dut esCretoen;arinden the new ngemiS t of
outies, to (nearly 50 per cent. The beautv of
points 'Se'Sr "? ViWed fro the Us and"
creLes as thn SaC;tUre,r Is that the rat In
creases as the market price advances.
in oUonclh W68.4 terms' ange
IZTXV SVE 5m2enUsaCa
crease in raS in686, Pr,ducts' and a the in
puraose of 2 ?aced ,there for the specific
raised the rrfSSf 5 PSSible for PrIces to
ably clear! Cm to effect Is remark-
. C. Q. D.
