Page:The Referendum and the Recall Among the Ancient Romans (Abbott, 1915, hvd.32044080048069).pdf/5



I have been reading lately several books and essays on the initiative, referendum, and recall. Most of them show that fine enthusiasm or that withering contempt which is called forth by the appearance of a new idea on the political horizon. The recall, it seems, was adopted by Los Angeles ten years ago; in Seattle it has been used seven years; Utah has had the referendum for fourteen years; Oregon for twelve; and minute studies have been made of the practical working of these two legislative devices. The conclusions which are reached are a bit confusing to the reader. One writer finishes his article on the experiment in Oregon by remarking, "Both reason and experience demonstrate the practicability and importance of the initiative and referendum," while another tells us that "legislation is being enacted [in Oregon] by minorities to the prejudice of the best interests of the majority." Upon the advantages which the recall has to offer there is even a greater difference of opinion, but most judicious students will probably accept for both institutions the conclusion which President Lowell reaches for the referendum in a recent number of the Quarterly Review that "as yet it is too early to say what the effect of the institution will be. A generation must pass before that can be determined."

That is a gloomy prospect for us to face during our declining years, and for our children in their early manhood. If those who believe in the efficacy of these methods of securing popular sovereignty are right, then the state of New York, if it refuses to see the light, will go steadily down into the depths, while, if they are wrong, Oregon and South Dakota will be set back a generation in their political development. With such a dilemma confronting us it seems strange that no attempt has been made to find out if the peoples of antiquity tried these two political devices; but, aside from an occasional airy reference to "ancient Democracies," I find no attention whatever paid to the long experience which Rome had with both of them, for the Romans