Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 10.djvu/731

 POPULAR INITIATIVE 715

in the popular ballot, and in its last results transforms a constitu- tional representative government into an unconstitutional irre- sponsible democracy.

It is argued, usually with much vehemence, that " the people " have been deprived of the privilege of self-government, or at least of expressing their will by their votes. The first of the three questions of public policy proposed by the Referendum League of Illinois voted for on the separate ballot at the general election in November, 1902, was for a constitutional amendment to give the voters of the state power to initiate legislation upon petition, and rounded out the statement of the question by this stump exhorta- tion : " thus restoring to the people the power they once held, but which they delegated to the general assembly by the constitution." Similar amendments have been sought in a majority of the states in the Union.

It is explained that there was a time when the people of the United States as a whole, having freed themselves from the domination of a foreign power, held all political power and privileges in themselves, and unwisely delegated it when they established a government by representatives under national and state constitutions. Advocates of the initiative continually refer to the New England town-meeting as the most perfect system ever invented for real self-government. They are fond of quot- ing Thomas Jefferson to the effect that " the wisest invention ever devised by the wit of man for the perfect exercise of self- government and for its preservation is the New England town- meeting." They also quote Professor John Fiske:

Government by town-meeting is the form of government most effectively under watch and control. Everything is done in the full daylight of publicity. The town-meeting is the best political training-school in existence. And also Mr. James Bryce, author of The American Common- wealth, who remarked:

The town-meeting has been the most perfect school of self-government in

any modern country It has been not only the source, but the school of

democracy.

Professor Frank Parsons, lecturer in the Boston University Law School, one of the ablest and most radical advocates of the

initiative, says :