The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1906-03-13
WILL THEY SIGNs
Watching Benton Legislative Candi-
dates and Statemen: No. /. +

est III tue 4ucSllou Va "Aoe lAS OSA-
ton candidates for the legislature
are going to do with reference to
statement No. l." The provision,
as everybody knows, is a plan to
settle at the June election, the ques-
ton of what man shall be elected
senator, leaving the matter of le-
gally electing him to the session of
the'1egislatrre In Statement No.
u the legislative candidate prom
ises that he will vote In the legisla-
ture for that candidate who receives
the largest vote at the June cleo
ton.
The plan makesit absolutely easy
to eliminate the senatorial deadlocks
and hold ups that have debauched
every legislative session that has
been held In Oregon for dozen
years. If a majority of the repub-
lican members elected to the legis-
1atrre sign Statement number l.
and, when they go to the legisla-
ture, stick to it, 1t will take just one
day, and no more, for the leglsla-
ture to elect a senator. Before
hand, ar at the June election. the
people themselves will have decided
by popular vote which one OF the
candidates In the field they desire
the legislature to elect, and all that
will To necessary to complete the
job will be for thelegislature to rat
ify the peoples choice by legally
electing the leading candidate to
the position.
NOT TO SIGN MEANS sQUABBLB.
If, on the other hand, the 1egis-
lative candidates do not sign estate
ment No. ~ the vote in June will
become a mere mockery and at the
legislative session there will be the
usual and inevitable senatorial row
with 40 days of corruption, graft,
Doodle and barter. 1t rests almost
wholly with the people as to wheth-
er or not they will select the sena-
tor, or continue to leave the matter
to the legislature. If the people
agree among themselves to select
the senator, nothing can stop them
from doing it, for in that event no
legislative candidate could be elect
ed who would not abide by the pop
ular choice as expressed at the bal
lot box.
It is not known what attitude the
1egislative>candidates of Benton are
going to assume with reference to
Statement No. T. So far, there
are no democratic candidates for
either state senator or representa-
tive. On the republican side it is
common report that A. J. Johnson,
of Corvallis and E H Belknap, of
Bellfountain, willlater be announced
as candidates for senator, and that
Joe Edwards, Of Be1lfountain, Ma.
rion Hayden, of Alsea, and Virgil
Carter of Wells, will be candidat $
for nomination to the house of rep
resentatives. Report does not
credit either of the above named as
having announced his attitude on
the subject of Statement No. l.
WHAT A CITIZEN SAYS.
A well-known citizen discussing
the subject yesterday, said, "It
would be strange attitude, indeed,
for man to be willing for the COM
mon herd to elect him to the 1egis.
1ature but not be willing for them
to select the man for United States
senator. If the cornon people have
sense enough to elect state eena-
tor, or representative or governo-
they certainly have sense enough
to select a man for senator. Oh
course all kinds of excu- es are BE-
ing brought forward to prevent mer
from adhering to statement No
l." but that mems bosses, bosses,
bosses. 1t means that the effort
to rid Oregon of senatorial SQUAD.
beIs in the legislature through the
primary election law, is objectiona
BILE to certain gentlemen who dom
want the people to say who shall be
senator. 1t means that somebody
wants a continuation of the ole
Doodle system, and that probably
for the profit they can make out o
it. The schemes, and traffic ane
loot that is worked on Legislative
session in senatorial deadlocks can
not be worked on the people, ane
that is why various subterfuges are
urged to defeat the new primary
plan.
IF CANDIDATE REFUSES WHAT?
The most important thing In til,
whole business is this: Wheneve
any legislative candidate shows a,
unwi1lingness to sign "statemen
No. ~ he is simply looking ou
for graft. He wants senatoria
squabble in the legislature. H
wants long drawn out contes
with Doodle and corruption riot il