Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 10.djvu/752

 736 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

At a time soon after the Civil War our own national government seemed to be a hotbed of political and financial corruption ; that has not been the case for many years; yet it did not require the initiative to correct the evil.

Perhaps no country in the world has made greater advance, both actual and relative, during the last quarter of a century than Mexico. From being rent and impoverished by revolution, con- stantly disturbed by factional agitation, corrupted by thieving officials, with little security of life or property, it has now excel- lent laws and wise administration of them, and a government that guarantees justice, and promotes social and industrial progress. And this has been accomplished under a rule the very antithesis of that obtaining in Switzerland.

That the initiative and referendum have not been the sublime successes in Switzerland that the pro-referendum writers have stated can be declared on the best authority. Albert Bushnell Hart, professor of history in Harvard University, and a well- known political and economic writer, made an extensive examina- tion of their workings a few years ago, and professed himself astonished at the little good that had really resulted from them. He declares that under them vicious measures are continually being proposed, and that in many instances measures in accord with the most advanced thought that were passed by the legis- lature have been taken from it and voted down. He says that the result in Switzerland has not warranted the declaration made in this country that it will bring out the more intelligent class of voters.

But we do not have to depend upon Mr. Hart's or any other American's evidence. Leading Swiss statesmen and writers are ample authority. The credit, if there be any credit, of instituting the referendum for ordinary laws passed by legislatures belongs entirely to Switzerland. The popular veto there requires a majority of all the votes cast, whereas a new measure proposed by the popular initiative requires only a majority of the votes cast on the question to become a law.. Mark the distinction. Both the popular initiative and the obligatory referendum were used spasmodically, and frequently with odd results, the first