Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1906-05-02
AND
Referendum
MOVEMENT TO INCLUDE IN THE
NEW STATE CONSTITUTION
GREAT INTEREST SHOWN
Would Clip the Claws Of Special In
terests and Give More Direct Rep
~resentation to the People.

Oklahoma City, Okla, May q
Great interest has been taken by the
newspapers and members Of the bar
in Oklahoma concerning a provision
IN the new state constitution for the
''iuitiatvc and referendum y. Con-
ditionS in the territory, brought about
by the concentration of power in a
few politicians. is creating a change
Of sentiment that calls for more di-
rect representation for the people,
hence the agitation for the initiative
and referendum in the constitution
for the new state.
hTe passage of the primary cleo
tion bill by the last legislature is the
first step to what may lead to the
election Of every officer in the new
state directly by the people.
Present coalitions are parallel to
those obtaining in Oregon before that
state adopted the initiative and ref
erendum, which has practically put
that commonwealth beyond the reach
of Especial interests This proyiS-
ion has been given to the people of
the two territories in many of the
papers here, and comments upon IT
made by thinking writers in both
sections show that it will be accept
able to the people Of the new state
and that they will demand that it be
made a part Of the constitution.
Speaking of this measure Selwyn
Douglass, who has studied the ques-
ton closely, said:
There can be no objection to this
measure if it be conceded that the
people have the right to govern them
selves. Self-government is the prln-
ciple upon which the American states
are all founded. However, up to this
time We have had little of it in the
Twin Territories. Our legislatures
have been corrupted and We have
been corrupted and We have been
constantly at the mercy of the job
beers and lobbyists, BY the adoption
of this provision in our constitution
and laws. We will no longer be at
their mercy, and the lobby will dis
appear, The destruction of the lobby
of itself is sufficient to Justify the
adoption Of the provision.
''There is nothing mdemocratic or
unrepubIican in the provision, moth
inc hat the strongest partisan in any
party can object to unless he is at
the same time interested more in the
Illegal schemes and financial advant-
AGES of some great combine or corpor-
alton than he is in the welfare of the
general public. \ personal friend in
Oregon writes me that for twenty
years prior to the adoption by that
state of the provision the legislature
of the state had been VIGOROUSLY
corrupted by lobby influence.
He also declares that since the
Initiative and referendum had been
made a part of the organic and statu-
tory law of the state, the lobby had
gone out. Many things have been
accomplished for the welfare of the
people in the state of Oregon by
virtue of the power given them by
the initiative and referendum.
eff the papers of the Twin Terri
tories will make it a part of their
business to frequently discuss and to
invite discussion in their columns on
initiative and referendum as pro-
vided in the Oregon amendment for
a period of three month, preceding
tie election of delegates to the con
stitutlonal convention. very little OPP
position will develop to the adoption
of such a clause in the Oklahoma
constitution.