The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923, November 25, 1910, Page 5, Image 5
'"lfl,""'"- M v The Commoner. NOVEMBER 25, 1910 3 a j' f rs ' r The Initiative and Referendum in the Country A Great Campaign for "Club and Poker" System i Being Made in Many of the State of the Union Nine Have Already Adopted It Status of the Movement as Found After a Canvass of Every State THE ROLL CALL OF STATES 1. Adopted: Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Nevada (referendum only) 11. 2. Time set to be acted on by legislature: .California, Nebraska, North Dakota 3. 3. la an issue and has been declared for by on or both leading parties, or by legislative candidates of one or both leading parties: Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Pennsylvania, Rhode iBland, Wyoming, Arizona, Now Mexico, Wisconsin 9. 4. Not an issue: Indiana, Iowa', Kentucky; Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Alabama, Connecti cut, Florida, Georgia 25. 6. Has been an issue and was rejected: Dela rnrc 1 The initiative and referendum la, no longer an issue in Nebraska. There is no doubt that the next legislature will make arrangements ior giving the people a chance to vote on its adoption because the platforms of both partiea have declared for it. Delaware is the only state in the union in which a referendum Is not required for the adoption of constitutional amendments. Many states have for many years referred matters of local . government directly to the people. The big issue before the people of many states right now is the initiative and referendum on all legis lation. Eleven states' have already adopted the Initia tive and referendum; one, the referendum only. In many other states the issue is being fought out, with one or both of the leading partiea favoring it, and in these states the legislature now being elected will enact, defeat or shelve such bills. The roll call of states reveals a rapidly grow ing sentiment in favor of the initiative and referendum. This Is the nation-wide struggle for this popular legislation: Arkansas Adopted by a majority of about 20,000 on September 12, 1910. (Constitutional amendment.) California Never been considered by legisla ture. Republican platform favors it. Question will come up in next session of legislature, January 1, 1911. Colorado The Initiative and referendum, submitted by a special session of the legislature In the form of a constitutional amendment, car ried at the last election by a vote or 3 or 4 to 1. Florida Never been considered by the legis lature. Some discussion of it. May be brought up at next session of legislature, April, 1911. Idaho Never been considered by the legisla ture. It is now an issue. Democratic platform declares for it. If they control next legislature, will probably be enacted. 'Illinois Never been considered by the legis lature, but republican and democratic platforms declared for it. At the last election the people voted '.'yes" by 2 to 1 on the question of wheth er or not they wanted a constitutional amend ment providing for the Initiative and referendum to be submitted to popular vote. Kansas All party platforms promise its sub mission to the people as a constitutional amend ment. It will unquestionably be adopted. Maine Adopted by popular vote September 14, 1908. Massachusetts Has been considered in the legislature for many years, but' has never passed more than one house. No probability of its adoption, in the near future. Missouri Missouri adopted It by constitu tional amendment in 1908. SimilaT to the Ore gon plan. Montana Montana adopted it by constitu tional amendment in 1907. Nebraska Considered by the last legislature (1908), accepted by the house, rejected by the senate. The rejection by the legislature made the question an acute issue in the state. The 0 0 0 0 0 0 0000000 PROPHETIC WORDS OF LINCOLN "I heard President Lincoln toll General Grant and General Meade toward the end of the war that tho initiative and referendum was bound to become univer sal in tho United States," Bays A. II. McCormick, Kansas legislator and union army veteran. "In General Meade's tent, whilo wait ing during a thunder shower, and after I had deliverod a message to tho gcnoral,' President Lincoln, evidently continuing a conversation interrupted by my arrival, turned to Genoral Grant and said: " 'General, the day will come, but it will riot bo In your day or mine, when every state in tho union will have tho initiative and referendum. Whon that day comes tho people will rule; tho people will rule.' As he said this ho brought his fist down on the tabid with such vehemence that he overturned the ink bottle." 0 0 0 0 0 A POKER AND A CLUB Initiative If the lawmakers of a city or state fail to enact lows demanded by the public", a potitl6n signed by a certain percentage of voters is filed and tho pro posed law Is said to be initiated. Tho people then vote on It at the next elec tion, or at a special election, and If It carries, it is law, in spite of tho legis lature. Referendum If the legislature or council enacts a law which is not liked, a petition may be filed and tho operation of the low is suspended until It can bo referred to the people at a general elec tion. Then, unless a majority vote for It, the law is a dead letter. The Initiative cures the bad habit of letting good laws die in pigeonholes. It Is a good poker for use on lax law makers. The referendum ruins the' business of the lobbyist and grafter, because a crook ed legislature cannot "deliver tho goods." It is a fine club for use on crooks. These two weapons of popular govern men areespecially useful In the matter of franchise grabs and crooked tax laws. 00 ' three parties republican, democratic and popu list have declared for It in their platforms, and It will undoubtedly be submitted as a con Btitutlonal amendment to the people by the next legislature, January, 1911. - Nevada Referendum provision adopted March, 1909. No provision for initiative. North Dakota Both party platforms declare for It, and it wilL-probably come up in next legislature, January, 1911. Oklahoma Included In the constitution of .the state on its admission to the union. Oregon Constitutional amendment adopted by the people by vote of 62,024 for to 5,668 against it, June 2, 1902. Pennsylvania In 1907, bill to establish It passed the house, went to the senate and died there. It is not now an issue, but at the pri maries last spring several legislative candidates were nominated with it as one of their planks. Rhode Island Bills introduced have all died in committee. Democratic platform declares for it. South Dakota Legislature of 1897 submitted constitutional amendment to people. Adopted at general election November 8, 1898, 23,816 for, to 16,483 against. Next legislature passed act, approved March 3, 1899, carrying Into offect tho provisions of this constitutional amondmont. Utah Constitutional amendment adopted in 1900. Washington Defeated in tho logislaturo of 1907. May bo presontod at tho next fiosslon, January, 1911. Wisconsin Passed by sonato at 1909 session of logislaturo, defeated in houno. Will undoubt edly bo adopted by noxt legislature. LaFollottc's republican platform promises it. Wyoming Considered by legislature 1892; killed in committee. Democratic platform de clares for it. Republican platform Ignores it. Possibility of action by noxt logislaturo. Arizona Tho democrats have won a majority of delegates to th constitutional convention in session now, and they are plodgod to put tho initiativo and referendum and recall Into tho state constitution. Now Mexico Constitutional convention con vened October 3. Tho democratic party favored initiativo and referendum. Tho republican party neither favored nor opposed. Tho issue will bo submittod separately to a vote of tho people. In only one state has tho question boon put before tho people and been defeated. That was in Delaware a fow years ago. In every othor stato'whoro tho voters have had a direct say-so about it tho initiativo and referendum has won easily. From tho Omaha Dally News. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ."THE WORLD DO MOVE" 3 0 .Governor-elect Eugene N, Fogg of. Massachusetts created a sensation when ho issued a statement demanding that Senator Henry Cabot Lodge withdraw from tho field for re-election. In tho ovont of a refusal Mr. Fobs declared ho would go into every section of tho com- 0 monwealth in a campaign to dofeat the senator. Mr. Fobs' statement In part follows: 0 "In the name Of tho majority of tho sovereign people of tho commonwealth of Massachusetts, I demand that Henry Cabot Lodge surrender his seat In tho United States sonato by withdrawing 0 from his contest for re-election. "His election to tho senate would be a repudiation of the great victory of the people at the last election. He was on trial as much if not moro than Governor Draper, and if he had been the candidate 0 my majority woild have been double what it was. 'The issues on which the fight watf made, on which I was elected, were on honest tariff revision downward, lower 0 duties on the necessaries of life, free raw materials, an untaxed food supply, reciprocity with Canada, and more de- mocracy In our form of government) 0 "We all know where Senator Lodge 0 stands on the issues and where he has stood all these years. To elect him would be a step backward and Massachu- 0 setts has never learned to walk back- ward. 0 "I shall never sign his credentials ex- cept at the end of a campaign which will make the last one look like an afternoon tea party. " "He must surrender or fight. He 0 must defend his position before the people. Tho people of Massachusetts will not permit him longer to manipu- late the legislature. I am ready and if 0 he does not retire will be on the stump in every section of tho state, and we will find out where the people stand. "Senator Lodge is not in touch with . the new order of things, with the pro- gressive spirit of the times. He does not represent the people, the men and women In the ordinary walks of life." 0 0 1 1 9 u ft i M 1 Ir.l Jl vr . ay. - . v L !. ' -u KJ-