We have already abolished primogeniture, by which the eldest son, to the exclusion of all other children, inherits the entire landed estate of his ancestor, and no one in this country at this day would think of restoring that right, although it still obtains in England. If limitations should be put upon the disposition of vast estates by will or descent, future generations would doubtless look upon our present laws, which allow such estates to be perpetuated in certain families, with the same disfavor with which we now look upon the laws of primogeniture. Evasions of laws limiting the amount of property to be devised or inherited, by conveyance during life, could be prohibited in like manner as conveyances in fraud of creditors are now prohibited. [Illustration] IX. DIRECT LEGISLATION. THE INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM. “No people can be self-governing who are denied the right to vote ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on every law by which they are to be governed.”—ELTWEED POMEROY. THE _Initiative_ gives the people the power to compel the legislature to put in form all such laws as they may initiate or demand by a preliminary vote. _The Referendum_ gives the people the power to reject or ratify any legislation enacted by the legislature. All legislative enactments to be referred to the people for their ratification by vote before they become laws. _The Imperative Mandate_ gives the people the right to vote out of office at any time men who fail to serve the public or who are untrue to their pledges. _Proportional Representation_ secures the representation of all parties in proportion to their numerical strength. _Representative Government_ means government by representatives elected by the people, but independent of the people after election and empowered to ignore or overrule the people’s will. _Popular Government_, or democracy, means government of, for and by the people. It will be possible only when all officeholders are honest or when the people’s representatives are made subject to the people’s will by the adoption of the referendum. History proves that permanent popular government without direct legislation is impossible.