The California Initiative Process: Fighting Big Business
California initiatives, referendums, and recalls are the product of a statewide effort to fight the powers of special interests. At the turn of the 19th century, the Southern Pacific Railroad dominated California’s government. Many citizens felt that their state government was actually run from the SP's central political bureau in San Francisco than from Sacramento. This was during a time when many of the luxuries, or headaches, of today’s election did not exist. California’s senators were appointed by the California legislature, and gubernatorial candidates were selected at conventions. In other words, power was centralized and controlled by a select group. This created many instances where the people of California felt that the government was beholden to special interests and not to the people.
The media was the voice of progressive change during this era. Books such as The Octopus described how the Southern Pacific had its tentacles in every aspect of the state government. Meanwhile, muckrakers exposed the backroom deals which proliferated during the time. Many papers wanted to implement reforms which were taking place across the country. There were calls for direct election of candidates and the governor, as well as the ability to have initiatives, referendums, and recalls before the people. While there were calls for reform by some of the major papers in California, it took the 1906 Republican State Convention to finally unite the state for a push against special interests.
The 1906 Republican State Convention was the embodiment of all that was wrong with California’s political system. Republican Governor George Pardee was seeking re-election at the convention. While he was popular with Californians, he had angered the Southern Pacific leadership. In what can only be described as outright corruption, state officials and delegates were bribed and threatened to throw their support behind another candidate, James Gillett. Governor Pardee was defeated, and there was an outcry from all the major newspapers. In what can only be described as “The Shame of California,”James Gillett and the 1906 convention was a watershed in California politics.
There had been a push for direct primaries during that time, and all of the parties even adopted it. However, it was only after the 1906 convention that there was a serious push to see it adopted. In 1909, the population overwhelmingly passed a direct primary law to select their gubernatorial candidates. The Progressive agenda continued as the state overwhelmingly elected progressive government in 1910 with Hiram Johnson as governor and a solidly anti-machine legislature to support him.
On 10 October 1911, voters would ratify Johnson’s proposals for the implementation of the Initiative, Referendum, and Recall on the local and statewide level. Section II of the California constitution was added to ensure that California’s voters would have final control if the government were to revert back to its corrupt, non-representative ways. This was the culmination of the progressive movement against special interests. For decades, big business controlled the legislature and thwarted the will of California. It took the outright corruption of the 1906 convention to finally unite all of California to defeat the special interests which dominated California politics. These were the policies of an era which strongly believed in the enlightened voter and the right of the entire population to have their voices heard. The will of the people was the force in California, and they had their constitution amended to reflect this sentiment.
The Direct Primary -A Critical Step for California Progressivism
by Steve Brady
Initiative and Referendum Institute
David D. Schmidt's book, Citizen Lawmakers The Ballot Initiative Revolution.