Catoctin clarion., 1906-03-22

For the first time in some years shall at
tempt letter to the CLARION in which
hope some information may be contained
Inasmuch as your general election comes Id
November, many of your readers are not a,
this time watching political events othel
than those being enacted In your own and
neighborinE state legislatures, aud yet these
| are not OF such vital interest In the political
world as struggle about to be fought to the
bitter end here in Oregon at our June elec-
tion. Oregon is about to inaugurate a bat.
tie of ballots which may completely revolu
tionize the manner OF the choice Of U. g.
Senator, If wen by the people, and if won by
the politicians, the interests may 90 frost
the buds Of hope that We may have years
and years of political serfdom and stencil
arising from the United States Senate, the
like of which has never yet been smelled.
Oregon is not SLOW She enacted an 1nitia'
tive and Referendum statute, and among
other beneficial propositions presented to
the people, by the people, wns the question
of direct primary law. and through 1t an
attempt to elect two U. 8. Senators by direct
vote of The people. OF course our State con.
stitution has not been amended too meet
this, but means bas been provided where
hy it can be done and It 10 Of this that l shall
now tell you. hoping each one who has not
read of it before may feel ~ I do and give
US his moral support at any rate.
A petition Yves circulated and resolved
more than the required 1880 signatures, af
ter which the words yes" or mo" were vot.
ed upon by the people as TO whether they
would enact this primary law set forth in
the petition. "Yes" wen overwhelmingly,
and now upon April s0,h We shall vote in
the primaries and elect one candidate for
each respective Office. Candidates for State.
District and Congressional Office must file
With the Secretary OF State petition of can.
didacy, bearing the names Of voters, on or
before March 3Oth. Petitions Cor county Of.
fees may lie filed April 4tb. The name Of
each candidate whose petition rs regular 10
placed upon the primary bsllo, for April Goth
Now here comes the rub. The people who
have enacted this primary lav whereby any
old citizen may become candidate, put
little tobacco sauce 10 this seeming political
pie in the shape OF a STATEMENT No. II
which may or may not be signed rs an ex-
preston of good faith by those who dcsire
to 60 to the Stale Legislature rs rcprc senta-
tive or senator. Some candidates publish
their intention to run fer Office In the old
time way, seeming 10 ignore the preference
Of the people that they should subscribe to
statement No. 1 which IS about as follows
That in JOINT convention upon vote for u.
s. Senator, Il will vote for the candidate for
q. s. Senator who received the majority vote
of the people at the June election and for no
other" Now this is how that Is brought
about. Candidates for U. 8. Senator are
voted upon at the April primaries and one
candidate is elected by each party holding
primary election, whose name is put upon
the general election ballot at which time on
ly one can he elected. Now be lie Republic
can, Democrat, Socialist or what not tue
candidate who took the pledge no one Is
morally bound to vote for him tor U S. Sen
ator at the election in the House Of State
Representatives next January or FEBRUARY,
1907. Some people here arc so interested in
this election and 50 hrm in the belief that
this is the best and the quickest way for the
people to be actually and truly represented
in the U. 8. Senate, that they would not vote
for one Of the Apostles or man just as good
unless he signed this statement, and that is
my sentiment in part, for fully expect and
intend to use every bit of spare time. in CIV.
cry possible way can assisting 10 defeat I'll
candidates who do not take this pledge. Ore
gon owes it to herself to be the first state to
repudiste the appearance even that the Grim.
insl Mitchell ever really represented the peo.
pie, aud because she is 80 rich In everything
worth having or giving she should have the
proud pleasure Of saying to the world: !
have shown you how the people can again
haye their own. Gee, but hope We win!
Frank Whitman.
v.tnrnuts - q NJ NTnntinO