[11] Universal suffrage has meant in the past only manhood suffrage. With the ratification of the woman suffrage amendment to the National Constitution, universal suffrage will become for the first time a fact.
APPENDIX
SOME DEFINITIONS
Habeas Corpus: Both the Federal and State constitutions guarantee to the people the right to the writ of habeas corpus, “unless where in cases of rebellion or invasion, public safety may require its suspension.” This is an order that may be obtained from a certain judge commanding that a prisoner shall be brought into court without delay. This writ secures to any person imprisoned for any cause the right to be heard immediately, in order that the purpose of his detention may be made known, the facts be examined, and the prisoner either released or remanded for trial. This is one of our most highly prized rights, and is based on a promise contained in the Magna Charta.
The Initiative and Referendum give to the voters the power to initiate legislation, and the right to compel a referendum on any legislative act.
The Initiative enables the people to enact some measure that they may desire, when it has been ignored, or defeated, or amended out of shape by the Legislature. The initiative may be used to pass a new law, or to amend or repeal existing laws. If a group of citizens can get a certain percentage of the voters to sign the requisite petition to a measure, it then goes to the Legislature, and if it is not adopted by that body, the measure must be given to the people for their decision by popular vote. If a majority of the voters indorse the measure it becomes a law without waiting for action by the Legislature. In Oregon, initiative measures go directly to the people without being submitted to the Legislature.
The Referendum provides that a certain percentage of voters may demand that any statute passed by the Legislature must be submitted to the voters, and approved by them before it becomes a law.
The existence of a provision for the initiative and referendum is said to reduce the need of interference with the work of the Legislature, and the actual number of measures coming to a popular vote is very small.
The Recall provides that the voters who put an official into office may vote to remove him before his term of office is over. If people are dissatisfied with the conduct of a public official, on petition of a certain number of voters, he may be compelled to submit to a new election so that the voters may pass judgment on his conduct of his office.
The Red-light Injunction and Abatement Act is recognized as the most effective way yet found of minimizing the social evil. The usual method of handling such offenses is to arrest the woman and fine her. The injunction and abatement act puts the responsibility on the owner of the property used for this business. If it can be proved that it is used for immoral purposes, the house is closed, and the owner fined and put under heavy bond to insure its not being used again in this way. Property used for this purpose brings much higher rent than when used for legitimate business, so that this procedure strikes at one root of the evil. New York State has an abatement act, but it is not well enforced. It is not easy in many cases to find the owner of a piece of property.
The Tin Plate Ordinance puts the name of the owner of a building on a plate outside the building, and thus prevents the concealment of his or her identity. It was first put into operation in Portland, Oregon.