public men of the State - Rudolph Spreckels, Francis J. Heney, James D.
Phelan, of San Francisco, and Dr. John R. Haynes of Los Angeles, and
others fully as prominent being among the League's most active
supporters.

In addition, the amendment had the endorsement of the State Grange, of,
the Labor Unions, of the State, county and municipal Democratic
conventions, and of many of the municipal and county Republican
conventions.

But there were plenty of reasons given why the amendment should not be
submitted to the people. Perhaps the most amusing came from Senator
Wright, of Direct Primary and Railroad Regulation notoriety. Senator
Wright held that inasmuch as the Direct Primary will result in the
election of high-class legislators, the initiative will not be
necessary.

But the two principal objections raised to the initiative were that:

1. It would lead to a flood of bills being submitted to the people.

2. That the people would not take sufficient interest in the proposed
laws to consider them carefully.

Both these objections were readily answered by the proponents of the
amendment, who gave the experience of States in which the initiative has
been tried.

Oregon, for example, adopted the initiative in 1902. In 1904 but two
proposed laws were introduced under it; in 1906, five; and in 1908,