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taken the place of secrecy in legislative procedure。 The
gathering of expert testimony by special legislative commissions
of inquiry is now a frequent practice in respect to subjects of
wide social import； such as workmen's compensation； widows'
pensions； and factory conditions。
A number of States have resorted to the initiative and referendum
as applied to ordinary legislation。 By means of this method a
small percentage of the voters； from eight to ten per cent； may
initiate proposals and impose upon the voters the function of
legislation。 South Dakota； in 1898； made constitutional provision
for direct legislation。 Utah followed in 1900； Oregon in 1902；
Nevada in 1904； Montana in 1906； and Oklahoma in 1907。 East of
the Mississippi； several States have adopted a modified form of
the initiative and referendum。 In Oregon； where this device of
direct government has been most assiduously applied； the voters
in 1908 voted upon nineteen different bills and constitutional
amendments； in 1910 the number increased to thirty…two； in 1912；
to thirty…seven； in 1914 it fell to twenty…nine。 The vote cast
for these measures rarely exceeded eighty per cent of those
voting at the election and frequently fell below sixty。
The electorate that attempts to rid itself of the evils of the
state legislature by these heroic methods assumes a heavy
responsibility。 When the burden of direct legislation is added to
the task of choosing from the long list of elective officers
which is placed before the voter at every local and state
election； it is not surprising that there should set in a
reaction in favor of simplified government。 The mere separation
of state and local elections does not solve the problem。 It
somewhat minimizes the chances of partizan influence over the
voter in local elections； but the voter is still confronted with
the long lists of candidates for elective offices。 Ballots not
infrequently contain two hundred names； sometimes even three
hundred or more； covering candidates of four or five parties for
scores of offices。 These blanket ballots are sometimes three feet
long。 After an election in Chicago in 1916； one of the leading
dailies expressed sympathy 〃for the voter emerging from the
polling…booth； clutching a handful of papers； one of them about
half as large as a bed sheet。〃 Probably most voters were able to
express a real preference among the national candidates。 It is
almost equally certain that most voters were not able to express
a real preference among important local administrative officials。
A huge ballot； all printed over with names； supplemented by a
series of smaller ballots； can never be a manageable instrument
even for an electorate as intelligent as ours。
Simplification is the prophetic watchword in state government
today。 For cities； the City Manager and the Commission have
offered salvation。 A few officers only are elected and these are
held strictly responsible； sometimes under the constant threat of
the recall； for the entire administration。 Over four hundred
cities have adopted the form of government by Commission。 But
nothing has been done to simplify our state governments； which
are surrounded by a maze of heterogeneous and undirected boards
and authorities。 Every time the legislature found itself
confronted by a new function to be cared for； it simply created a
new board。 New York has a hodgepodge of over 116 such
authorities； Minnesota； 75； Illinois； 100。 Iowa in 1913 and
Illinois and Minnesota in 1914； indeed； perfected elaborate
proposals for simplifying their state governments。 But these
suggestions remain dormant。 And the New York State Constitutional
Convention in 1915 prepared a new Constitution for the State；
with the same end in view； but their work was not accepted by the
people。 It may be said； however； that in our attempt to rid
ourselves of boss rule we have swung through the arc of direct
government and are now on the returning curve toward
representative government； a more intensified representative
government that makes evasion of responsibility and duty
impossible by fixing it upon one or two men。
CHAPTER X。 PARTY REFORM
The State； at first； had paid little attention to the party；
which was regarded as a purely voluntary aggregation of
like…minded citizens。 Evidently the State could not dictate that
you should be a Democrat or a Republican or force you to be an
Independent。 With the adoption of the Australian ballot； however；
came the legal recognition of the party； for as soon as the State
recognized the party's designated nominees in the preparation of
the official ballot； it recognized the party。 It was then
discovered that； unless some restrictions were imposed； groups of
interested persons in the old parties would manage the
nominations of both to their mutual satisfaction。 Thus a handful
of Democrats would visit Republican caucuses or primaries and a
handful of Republicans would return the favor to the Democrats。
In other words； the bosses of both parties would cooperate in
order to secure nominations satisfactory to themselves。
Massachusetts began the reform by defining a party as a group of
persons who had cast a certain percentage of the votes at the
preceding election。 This definition has been widely accepted； and
the number of votes has been variously fixed at from two to
twenty…five per cent。 Other States have followed the New York
plan of fixing definitely the number of voters necessary to form
a party。 In New York no fewer than 10；000 voters can secure
recognition as a state party； exception being made in favor of
municipal or purely local parties。 But merely fixing the
numerical minimum of the party was not enough。 The State took
another step forward in depriving the manipulator of his liberty
when it undertook to determine who was entitled to membership in
the party and privileged to take part in its nominations and
other party procedure。 Otherwise the virile minority in each
party would control both the membership and the nominations。
An Oregon statute declares： 〃Every political party and every
volunteer political organization has the same right to be
protected from the interference of persons who are not identified
with it； as its known and publicly avowed members； that the
government of the State has to protect itself from the
interference of persons who are not known and registered as its
electors。 It is as great a wrong to the people； as well as to
members of a political party； for anyone who is not known to be
one of its members to vote or take any part at any election； or
other proceedings of such political party； as it is for one who
is not a qualified and registered elector to vote at any state
election or to take part in the business of the State。〃 It is a
far reach from the democratic laissez faire of Jackson's day to
this state dogmatism which threatens the independent or detached
voter with ultimate extinction。
A variety of methods have been adopted for initiating the citizen
into party membership。 In the Southern States； where the dual
party system does not exist； the legislature has left the matter
in the hands of the duly appointed pa