ate under some system of cumulative voting. The work of such a
council would not be in any real sense legislative; and its creation
would simply constitute a candid recognition of the plain fact that our
existing legislatures, either with or without the referendum, no longer
perform a responsible legislative function. It would be tantamount to a
scientific organization of the legislative committees, which at the
present time exercise an efficient control over the so-called
legislative output. This council would mediate between the governor,
who administered the laws, and the people, who enacted them. It would
constitute a check upon the governor, and would in turn be checked by
him; while it would act in relation to the people as a sort of technical
advisory commission, with the duty of preparing legislation for popular
enactment or rejection.

But how would such specific legislative proposals originate? Before
answering this question let us consider how important bills actually
originate under the existing system. They are in almost every case
imposed upon the legislature by some outside influence. Sometimes they
are prepared by corporation lawyers and are introduced by the special
corporation representatives. Sometimes they originate with the party
"bosses," and are intended to promote some more or less important
partisan purpose. Sometimes they are drawn by associations of reformers,
and go to the legislature with whatever support from public opinion the
association can collect. Finally, they are frequently introduced at the
suggestion of the governor; and of late years during the growth of the
reform movement, the executive has in point of fact become more and more
responsible for imposing on the legislature laws desired or supposed to
be desired by the electorate. Of these different sources of existing
legislation, the last suggests a manner of initiating legislation, which
is most likely to make for the efficient concentration of governmental
responsibility. The governor should be empowered not merely to suggest
legislation to the council, but to introduce it into the council. His
right to introduce legislation need not be exclusive, but bills
introduced by him should have a certain precedence and their
consideration should claim a definite amount of the council's time. The
council would possess, of course, full right of rejection or amendment.
In the case of rejection or an amendment not acceptable to the governor