| Show HAS UTAH THE referendum interesting legislative Quest lort Is raised by a local attorney there Is in the opinion of attorney S P armstrong a possibility that the people of utah now hava the right to practice the initiative and referendum in legislation without any action by the legislature says the tribune for years the people hare been vainly petitioning legislatures to pass a law making the direct legislation amendment to Us state constitution operative the legislature has not regarded with favor any proposal to curtail its authority and has promptly filed the petitions and killed the bills the very interesting proposition suggested by mr armstrong Is that the clause in the constitution is all the authority needed by the people to initiate desired or reject undesired laws 1 I have been reading some decisions bearing on the question said mr armstrong yesterday and while 0 authorities are divided there are many decisions which uphold my theory I 1 am inclined to think that the amendment in tha constitution la self enacting that is that it becomes effective even in the absence of a jaw defining just how laws shall he submitted to popular vote I 1 confess I 1 have not yet thought of means by which the matter could be tested but there Is a possibility that a start could be made and the question raised an fn the courts the clause in the constitution to which mr armstrong reference reads tha legal botera or such fractional part thereof as may be provided by law of any legal subdivision of the state under such conditions and in such manner and within such lime as may be provided by law may initiate any desired legislation and cause the same to be submitted to i the people of said legal for approval or rejection or may require any law or ordinance passed by the lawmaking body of said legal subdivision to bo submitted to the voters thereof before such law or ordinance shall take effect amendment adopted november 6 1900 |
