. Loyal citizenship. le. Fmthermore, in several stales andmany cities the people possess the power of iniliativeand referendum. By initiative is meant the potter of proposing laivsby petition. A constitutional amendment, a law, anordinance, or a charter change is proposed by someindividual or committee. If a certain specified num-ber of voters attach their names to the proposition,it is submitted at an ensuing election. If a majorityis in favor of the measure, it becomes law. By referendum is meant the submission to thepeople of a matter that has already been enacted as referendum is i
. Loyal citizenship. le. Fmthermore, in several stales andmany cities the people possess the power of iniliativeand referendum. By initiative is meant the potter of proposing laivsby petition. A constitutional amendment, a law, anordinance, or a charter change is proposed by someindividual or committee. If a certain specified num-ber of voters attach their names to the proposition,it is submitted at an ensuing election. If a majorityis in favor of the measure, it becomes law. By referendum is meant the submission to thepeople of a matter that has already been enacted as referendum is instituted by petition. \\ iiere theright of referendum exists, the operation of allmeasures except emergency measures is suspendedfrom thirty to ninety days to allow those opposed toit to circulate petitions. If enough signatures aresecured, the measure remains suspended and isplaced on the ballot at the next election. We speakof the use of the iniliative and referendum as directlegislation. 101 102 Loyal Citizenship. Fig. 51. The citizen rulers of ancient Athens listening to their greatstatesman Pericles, who led them through the power of persuasion. Legislation by the people themselves is the dis-tinctive feature in direct democracy as contrasted withrepresentative democracy. The ancient Atheniancitizens, when they met in a single body and madetheir laws, were practicing direct democracy, and thecitizens of some New England towns are still doingthis in local affairs (Fig. 51). Our republic is arepresentative democracy. The vastness of modernpopulations has compelled the resort to legislationthrough representatives. However, through the de-vices of the initiative and the referendmn there hasbeen a return in recent years, in some measure, todirect democracy. Serious business for the voter. In many states,voting on propositions has become a very serious The (yilizefi as Lawmaker io;i part of llio cilizons husincss. For example, in De-cember, 191 1, the ])(()ple of California vot
Size: 1729px × 1445px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, bookidloyalcitizen, bookyear1922
