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Show DON'T LIKE INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM BJfl That the Inltlnt.e and referendum Is having BBS some hard experience and falling to Ingratiate Itself BBB Into the hearts of many Is evident from dally ox- BBBf presslons on tho subject. That Ex-President Tnft f Is not .lone Is dally becoming mora apparent. The BBB) IJescrct News Is tho latest to glvo It a broadside. BBBj V 7 n Its Issuo of Monday It says: B I. Ex-President Tnft ling recently chnrhctcr- BB ft Izcd tho Initiative and referendum ns "the work Bflj of political cranks and directly contrary to the spirit of tho Constitution," BBBf This may sound harsh, but It Is to be fear- BBB' ed that no matter how solid tho theoretical bn- BBBJ sis of that structuro lippcnrs, when npplled to BBS the test of prnctlco It crumbles, and the build- BjBjBJ ing falls. BjBB In this Stntu wo havo Inlttntlvo on the BBS j question of "wet" or "dry" territory, nml reprc- BjBB I sentntlvcs havo taken ndvnntngo of It nnd clr- BBS i ciliated petitions In almost every "dry" town. BjBjBJ Evcrywhero It has been found that men nnd wo- BBB ' men who nro opposed tn licensed liquor Unfile BjBjBJI were Induced to put their nnmes on tho paper BjBjBJI presented to them, not knowing what they were jBjBjB , doing. We havo no doubt that hundreds of BBS ' names wero secured In this way. In tho various BjBB communities. Rut If citizens can bo taken In BjBB so easily on n slmplo proposition llko this, by BjBB smooth tongucd ngents, how can they ho expect- BjBB ed to net Intelligently when questions of ,'i more BjBB complex nature nrp presented to them? l'rcsl- BjBB dent Wilson may have had this very fact In vlow BjBB when ho said: "A government can no mnro make BjBB laws through Its voters than It can make lows BjBB through Its newspapers. What I mean to say BjBB Is that popular Initiative. Is an Inconceivable BjBB ' 1 In Oregon tho Initiative has boon applied, BjBB ' sometimes with startling results. One mansuro BjBB tho I. oh Angeles Times tells us, hud to be re- jBjB . jeeted because the enthusiasts who Inslbted that JPJB " opy the people should mnkg Ijiws forgot to In- BjBjB , sert an enacting clause. Twq Initiative ltiwa BjBB , i were submitted to the people tit the H1U0 time BBJ : j In regard to catching salmon In tho Columbia BBBJ f River. One law to prohibit tho use of nets was BBBf ' promoted by tho companies which used wheels. BBBJ Tho other law to prohibit tho use of wheels was BjBjB urged by the companies which used nets. Tho BjBjBj people voted (or both laws, As a rcsuU, until JPJpj ' tho regular legislature enmo to tho tellef of the PJPJBj public and straightened out tho tnngle by repeal- JBjBjB Ing both lnws, tho "salmon In tho Columbia wero BjBjBjBj safe Among tho Inltlatlvo antics In Oregon Is BBBf nu amendment to the Stnto Constitution so crude. BBBJ 1 y drawn thnt there Is a serious question who- BjBjBj thcr trial by Jury has not been abolished by It. BjBjBj ' Having seen the practical working of tho Inl- BjBjBJ tlntlvo and referendum, tho Portland Oregonlnn, BBS onco In favor of these additions to our political BBBJ machinery, regrets their Introduction. It says: BBB "Tho whole of this modern scheme of BBBJ setting aside Constitution and laws, nnd of BBBJ , forcing legislation without debnte or opportun- BBBJ Ity of amendment, turns out bndly because It BBBJ gives tho cranks of tho country an opportun- BBBJ I Ity which they1 have not self restraint enough BBBJ to forego. It was not Intended thnt reprosen- BBBJ I tatlve government should be abolished by tho BBBJ I new system; but It has been abolished by It. BBBJ 1 The situation Is tho crank's paradise." BBBJ Oov Ye"ev of South Dakota has come to BBBJ n s'mllnr conclusion. He Is quoted ns follows: BBBJ "Don't think for n mlnuto thnt this sys- BBJf tern Is a euro for all evils. It may cure some BBBJ' , old evils, but certain I am that It brings on BBJ . new evils which are very harmful to the state (nnd 'ts neoplo it helps the scalawmi ns often of-ten as the good c'tlzon, If not oftener. Every time n law Is passed to Improve moral condl- BBBJ Hons It Is referended back to the people bv the BBBJ ' rnc-tng element Mid eighteen months must BBBJ elapse before It goes Into effect, even if bv BBBJ ! reason of the delay Its opponents nre not nblo BBBJ to brine about Its defeat." In theory It U ap ery well to regard "the BBBBki il people" as the couit of last resort, but In many J, Instances It Ih found thnt tho people havo not BBBB , I tho detailed knowledge of laws that enables them BBJ ,, to Judgo correctly Tho bti'lderh of the Republic BBBJ -', rea'led this. They, tho'efore, made the gov- hV I eminent represcntatlvo. They provided that the BV , people should select men to represent them In BBJ 'aw milking, ns well as In the Interpretation and ij execution of law, and this 's, really, the on'y , I prnctlcnl method When n man whntn o build BBBB n houso ho emp'oys an nrchltect. becsus be hVJ j j ' himself Is not nn expert In building. If he needs hS i enmebodv to run his nuto for him. ho emplovs hV n chnuffour who knows nil nbout th0 ninchlne hV If h- needs medical help ho calls in n phyBlcltm hVJ' who has studied the subjects pertaining to Mi BBBB calling. In every Individual need, wo turn n H oxpert assistance, and there Is no Initiative and BBBJ referendum except as to whose advice and "" V I j vices to omp'oy. When that is decided the Inl- BB ' 1 B-BBB tlntlvo and referendum ends. Those engaged do tho rest. Thero can bo no different rule In public affalra. If wo need new laws, wo must engage expert law makers to construct them for us. Inw making Is too Important to bo left to tho pleasuro of every erratic street corner orator who can sway sentiment by words without sense. , |