| Show THE referendum I 1 SALT LAKE CITY march 12 1895 your editorial on the dum in last evenings evening NEWS has hae been read with great interest and loaa much as I 1 have had bad the opportunity for a number of year to observe the practical workings as well as the results of the referendum I 1 desire to add a few words in support of the institution not only in town and city but also to in state slate govern government mentel t it la in more apparent every day that a closer union between the legislative bodies and the people whom wey they represent should in some rome way be affected eted in order that the will of the people may be more lully fully respected by those whom they nave have to serve them true rrue the right of petition in IB granted to the people L tut lut ut it ii does doea not always follow that thai petitions receive that careful consideration to which they are entitled legislation Is too often the result of powers of 1 combination and money and that uis die graceful machine known as an the lob by has haa often been more powe Pow rui orul in the shooting enacting of laws lawa than the will anu wishes of the people through the re referendum forend um will wiil the laws which have been framed by the representatives be referred back to the people for or acceptance or rejection this cal have but a beneficial influence upon legislatures anti and people and serve at the same time as an important factor to in education you very truly refer to the lad fact that thai this grei t principle of more MOM legislation was known to and andin in usage among we the ancient inhabitants of this continent centuries ago permit me to show that this great privilege wat war also iso ei joyed by the founders of our aaion W D mccracken McCrac tian in aih swiss solutions lf cf american prot lems sayi the as as separate institution seems to have existed attebe at the very dawn of our national history although unnamed audun and unnoticed by students tf i f comparative politics the ai tides of union framed by the united ou lonies of NOW new eug land in 1643 were referred t the approval of the inhabitant under the rhode island colonial constitution as early as 1660 the fundamental law required that all laws passed by bj the general assembly should be submitted to the people and the law after stating this continues i As alfou wee further enact that it ape aringe by the raburne of the boates that the madore parte of the art frt arte e inhabitants of this collady have disapproved or any such law or lawes then tue the sayd law or lawes lawas to be of noe doe force although any one town or other should bould be wholly allent alent ll ent P this law was wai in operation seventeen aeTen teen years until superseded by a royal charter from Prom that day to this the he principle of the referendum has baa been to 10 use in one form or another in the different of our union and in accordance therewith the enabling act under which we are new privileged to draft the constitution for or the state of utah provides that the same ame shall be submitted to the people for ajr approval or rejection reJect toD together with the referendum should be found its ita natural twin elster the 1 1 or right of a certain number of legal voters to propose laws or initiate mesa ures themselves through the medium of the governed here again mr mccrackan bayt if the he right of the initiative it must be remembered in not only the he privilege of petition enjoyed by the of every state which makes make any pretensions whatever to oal cal liberty it 19 is a constitutional demand not an ime irregular gular re quett 9 all political particia par are or abound be alike interested in the measures herein mentioned inasmuch as aa they tend to more direct legislation THEO BRANDLEY |
