Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 10.djvu/747

 POPULAR INITIATIVE 73 l

offer was declined, as the Confederates well knew that the more populous North would outvote them. It is upon such evidence as this that the great emancipator is now made a witness to the efficacy of the initiative plan.

In a similar manner the historian W. E. H. Lecky and Lord Salisbury, in England, are made to favor the initiative, the latter on the strength of the utterance:

I believe that nothing could oppose a bulwark to popular passion except an arrangement for deliberate and careful reference of any matter in dispute to the votes of the people, like the arrangements existing in the United States and Switzerland.

From Mr. Lecky we are given the following as evidence :

The referendum would have the immense advantage of disentangling issues, separating one great question from the many minor questions with which it may be mixed. Confused or blended issues are among the greatest

political dangers of our time The experience of Switzerland and

America shows that when the referendum takes root in a country it takes political questions to an immense degree out of the hands of the wire-pullers, and makes it possible to decide them mainly, though perhaps not wholly, on their merits, without producing a change of government or part predominance.

It will be seen from the above that Mr. Lecky in no way com- mitted himself even to favoring the obligatory referendum, much less the popular initiative, and anyone who has read his work, Democracy and Liberty, well knows that he shows positive antagonism to anything like an unchecked democracy.

It must be admitted, however, that the pro-initiative writers quote from a large number of people more authoritatively. One of these is Mr. William Dean Howells; another is Rev. Lyman Abbott ; still another, Mr. John Wanamaker ; all of whom are on record unqualifiedly in favor of the direct-legislative scheme. There are also a number of reputable lawyers and educators com- mitted to the experiment, whose motives the writer has not the least desire to impugn ; and a long list of others, concerning some of whom, as safe authorities on political and social problems, there is likely always to be some divergence of opinion. Among such may be mentioned the late ex-Governor St. John, of Kansas ; the late Governor Pingree, of Michigan; the late Edward Bellamy; ex-Senator Pettigrew; Professor George Gunton;