REFERENDUM, a system of legisla tion which consults all the electors of a State as to whether new laws shall be confirmed. In some cantons of Switzer land a method resembling the referen dum has been practiced since the 16th century. The present form was adopted in the canton of St. Gall in 1830. In 1848, in spite of Conservative opposition the referendum was, by the action of the Radicals, incorporated in the Swiss fed eral constitution, and in 1874 its appli cation was extended. In all the Swiss cantons, except Freiburg, the referen dum is now established. Accord'ng to the Swiss federal constitution, all con stitutional amendments must be ratified by the Swiss electorate before they be come law. Other measures must be sub witted to the popular vote, if demanded within 90 days after their publication by 30,000 voters, or by the government of eight cantons. During the 17 years, 1874 to 1891, out of 149 laws, 27 were referred to the people; of these 15 were rejected. The referendum has worked
so well that it has conquered all opposi tion to it, and it is now generally re garded as a check on hasty and class legislation. It will be observed that the essence of it is that it submits to the people a single and clear issue upon which they may give their decision. There exists also an obligatory referen dum in eight cantons, where every law and every expenditure beyond a fixed maximum must be submitted to the mass of the electors, and it is not necessary that a demand for this submission to the electors should be made. In Great Britain what may be termed a kind of local refer endum with regard to the "Adoptive Acts" was set up by the Parish Coun cils Act of 1894. There is a growing demand in the United States for the gen eral introduction of direct legislation by means of the referendum, and in several places the system is practiced.