PUTTING GOVERNMENT IN THE PEOPLE'S HANDS
Kittle, William
Putting Government in the Peopled Hands The Initiative, Referendum and Recall By WILLIAM KITTLE THE INITIATIVE, the referendum and the recall are three measures to secure a more direct and...
...In January, 1907, A. C. Harper was elected Mayor of Los Angeles for a term of three years...
...But the recall has been used with excellent results...
...That decisive vote shows that the people want the right, under reasonable limitations, of recalling an unfaithful public official...
...The threat of the recall compelled the city council to rescind that vote and restore the property to the city...
...It will not be used until it is absolutely necessary...
...58,381 31.002 Bill instructing legislators to note for people choice for United States senators ----- 69,668 21,162 Amendment authorizing proportional-re presentation law ------------- 48.868 34.12S Corrupt-practices act governing elections - 54,042 31,301 Amendment requiring indictment to be by grand jury 52.214 28.487 Bill creating Hood River County...
...It recognizes the power of the people to make laws...
...The Initiative THE initiative is the proposal of a new law by a petition signed by a fixed percentage of the voters...
...A special election within twenty days determines the recall of such officer and the election of another who will truly represent the people...
...Before the special election, Mr...
...How has the initiative worked in Oregon over a period of four years and at three elections...
...It is directly, the government of, by, and for the people...
...Seven bils were defeated by majorities ranging from 12,004 to 40,201...
...In Des Moines, in 1909, the evident determination to use it if necessary, caused the hostile city council to appoint a police marshal who had the confidence of the people...
...It soon became plain that he was allied with or controlled by the two forces that have given bad government to most American cities...
...The constitution of Wisconsin was adopted on a referendum vote...
...1904 Yes no Direct primary law with direct selection of United States Senator 56,205 16,354 L.ocal-option liquor law - - - - - - - - - ,316 40.198 1906 Equal suffrage constitutional amendment - - - 36,902 47.075 Local option bill proposed by liquor people - - - 35,257 45,144 Bill for purchase by State of Barlow toll road - 31,525 44,627 Amendment requiring referendum on any act calling constitutional convention - - - - - - 4 7,661 18, 751 Amendment giving cit.es role power to amend their charters...
...Every firm or corporation employing an agent at a distance retains the power of recall and summarily uses it in case the agent betrays the interests of his principal...
...They decided not to place their public officials with their friends and families under obligation to a powerful special interest capable of abusing its privileges...
...It not only leaves the question to lie decided to (he intelligent voters, but it also stimulates them to make all the other voters intelligent on public questions...
...Special interests cannot corrupt all the voters, or even a majority of the voters...
...Harper resigned as Mayor and also withdrew as a candidate for re-election...
...The state is a corporation, the people are the stockholders and directors and the representative is the agent who should truly and fairly represent those who elected him...
...These four laws provide for the recall, the popular election of United States Senators, proportional representation and a corrupt-practices act governing elections...
...increasing fixed appropriation for state university from $47,500 to $125,000 annually 44,113 40.535 Real Popular Government IT HAS been said that the initiative and referendum will son-fuse the voters by giving a large number of bills to be voted on at an election...
...The following table prepared by Senator Bourne of Oregon shows that the people voted with intelligent discrimination on the 23 laws proposed under the initiative...
...More than 33 per cent, signed such petition...
...The following table prepared by Senator Bourne shows the same intelligent voting as on the measures proposed through the initiative...
...The only persons who raise the question of cost are those who would be opposed to direct legislation if it were free of cost...
...The new Mayor, George Alexander, was elected in March, 1909, and for a year and a half has proven to be an honest, able and efficient executive...
...The fear of graft in contracts and the actual protection of vice and special privilege, led 200 of the best citizens of all parties to meet and determine on the recall...
...In Los Angeles, its use removed an alderman who had voted to award the contract for city printing to a machine newspaper for an amount $15,000 more than the bid of the other journals...
...The bill requiring railroads to give public officials free passes was defeated by a vote of 59,406 to 28.856...
...The Oregon law requires that the petition for a referendum must be signed by 5 per cent, of the voter...
...39,442 52.346 Modified form of single-tax amendment - 22,066 60,871 Recall power on public officials...
...It would be a perversion of the recall to harass a faithful public official...
...He was administering the city government for the franchise companies and the vice district...
...The threat of the recall forced certain members of the Oregon legislature in 1909 to carry out their pledges to abide by the popular vote for United States Senator...
...Four laws, strengthening and extending the power of the people over their state government, were adopted by decisive majorities, ranging from 14,740 to 48,506...
...After the experience of the last senatorial election in Wisconsin, men of all parties will agree that some such law is imperatively demanded in this state...
...The voters of Oregon have completely demonstrated that they knew in 10u8 how to vote intelligently on nine-teen different measures The most votes on any of the nineteen was 95,528, the least number was 70,726 and the average on all the nineteen was 86,420...
...By the initiative, the people can act if the legislature neglects or refuses to act...
...In Los Angeles, the city council had voted away three miles of river bed worth $1,000,000...
...The primary election measure became a law on a referendum vote in 1904...
...If powerful special interests, by paid lobbies and influence defeat a popular measure in the legislature, the people, through the initiative, can enact it into law...
...Can it be doubted that the recall ought to have been used on such an official...
...This is excellent automatic disfranchisement of those who do not know how to vote and is a chief merit of the initiative and referendum...
...If he believes in popular government, he will favor these three measures...
...But it will safeguard important public interests against transient and unfaithful representatives...
...43,948 26,778 The Referendum THE referendum is the submission of a proposed law to the voters...
...The Coat of Direct Legislation SENATOR BOURNE states: "Anticipating the objection that direct legislation is expensive to the State, I will say that the submission of a total of 32 measures at three different elections in Oregon has cost the State $25,000, or an average of about $781 for each measure...
...The Recall THE RECALL was adopted in Oregon through the initiative in 1908, by a popular vote of 58,381 to 31,002...
...The initiative is direct legislation, by a majority of the voters, at a general or special election and after full and fair discussion...
...POPULAR VOTE UPON MEASURES SUBMITTED TO THE PEOPLE OF OREGON UNDER THE INITIATIVE...
...Five of these 19 measures were submitted without argument...
...There is no danger that the recall will be abused...
...28.856 59,406 Bill appropriating $109,000 forarmories - 33,507 54.848 Ril...
...The law required on the petition for the recall 25 per cent, of the voters...
...It is safe to say that it will almost never be used for "light and transient causes...
...Putting Government in the Peopled Hands The Initiative, Referendum and Recall By WILLIAM KITTLE THE INITIATIVE, the referendum and the recall are three measures to secure a more direct and effective government, of, by, and for the people...
...They were either indifferent to or ignorant of one or more of the questions and so did not plate a cross in the square containing "Yes" or "No...
...It it now so used by scores of city councils in referring important questions to the people...
...The law also requires the secretary of state to send to every registered voter in the state a printed pamphlet giving the title and text of every measure submitted to the people, not later than fifty-five days before a general election and twenty days before a special election...
...POPULAR VOTE upon measures SUBMITTED TO the PEO-PLE OF oregon UNDER THE referendum...
...How has the referendum worked in Oregon...
...69,635 6,441 Gross-earnings tax on express, telephone and telegraph companies ----------- 70,872 6,860 1908 Equal-suffrage amendment -------- 36.858 58,670 Fishery bill proposed by fish-wheel operators - - 46,582 40,720 Fishery lull proposed by gill-net operators - - - 56,130 30,280 Amendment giving cities control of liquor selling, pool rooms, theaters, etc., subject to local option law...
...One such limitation is the filing of a petition for the recall signed by at least 25 per cent, of the voters in the given district at the preceding election...
...It may be demanded on petition of the voter?, or granted voluntarily by the legislature...
...Twelve measures, were adopted by majorities ranging from 1,103 to 48,506...
...From seven to thirty per cent, of those who voted for United States Senator in Oregon in 1008, did not vote on all the nineteen measures...
...At the election in 1908, there were 19 measures submitted, at the cost to the State of $12,362, or an average of about $651 each...
...52,567 19,852 Legislature authorised to fix pay of state printer - 63,749 9.571 Initiative and referendum to apply to all local, special and municipal laws - - - - - - - 47,678 16.73 5 Rill prohibiting- free passes on railroads - - 57,281 16.779 Gross-carnings tax on sleeping, refrigerator, and oil car companies...
...If the representatives will not do what is wanted, the people can do it themselves...
...The people will be just and will be strongly inclined to stand by the preceding election...
...The power to use the recall and the certainty that it will be used if necessary will in most cases bring the desired result—the obedience of the representative to those who elected him...
...Such action could only come from the enemies of popular government...
...The recall works by threat of use as well as by actual use...
...I have no hesitancy in saying that the people of Oregon feel satisfied that they have received full value for the $25,000 they have spent for the submission of measures under the initiative and referendum...
...It also demonstrates the value of voting on each issue separately, on the merits of that issue, instead of jumbling, as at present, several issues and candidates at the election...
...The corrupt practices act adopted by a vote of 54,042 to 31,301 in Oregon through the initiative in 1908, provides that no candidate for office shall expend more than 15 per cent, of the annual salary of that office except that the candidate shall not be restricted to less than $100...
...The voters of Oregon decided that the state can and ought to pay the railroads for any service honestly rendered...
...Upon the other 14 measures there were 19 arguments submitted, for which the authors paid the cost, amounting to $3,157...
...If a man distrusts the capacity of the people to govern themselves, he will oppose the initiative, referendum, and recall...
...Arguments for and against the proposed Jaw can he inserted in such pamphlet at the actual cost of the paper and printing...
...Thus the voter is carefully and intelligently informed on both sides of every proposed measer...
...It shows that the people know how to guard their ewn interests...
...1906 Yes No omnibus, appropriation bill, state institutions - 43.31S 26.758 1908 Amendment Increasing pay of legislators from $120 to $460 per session 19,691 68,892 Amendment permitting location of state institutions at places other than the capital - - - 41,971 40.S63 Amendment reorganizing .system of courts and increasing supreme judges from three to five - - 30,243 50,591 Amendment changing general election from June to November.......- - - - - 65,728 18,590 Hill giving sheriffs control of county prisoners - - 60,443 30,033 Railroads required to give public officials free passes...
...When all parties recognize the necessity of the referendum on measures of the highest importance, why can it not be used as the regular and orderly procedure to register the will of the people...
...Besides, the city had just issued bonds for $25,000,000 to be used for public improvements...
...In Oregon, 8 per cent, of the voters can propose a new law which must then be submitted to all the voters at an election for rejection or adoption...
Vol. 2 • September 1910 • No. 38
