The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1907-01-09
CLINT WORRALL
ON INITIATIVE
AND REFERENDUM

] do not want TO speak long. but
/ come from the people to you today
] have been in close attendance on
this convention from the start. and
you have never. in my mind needed
any defence against the unjust accu
sations that have been made against
YOU The men that sent You here
sent YOU to do your duty, and as |
have seen It. and the men who have
had no axes to grind have seen "
you are doing your duty well. What
/ have to say to you is not intended
as a threat or warning of danger. II
never takes words OF that kind to
make lust men do their duty. but
want to say to YOU that you are deal
ING with n question that stands para
mount to any question before the neo
pie today You may talk about the
niger" question, about your blanket
primary, but let one delegate here
cast his vote against the Oregon per
cent as 1t relates 60 the initiative and
referendum. and his political grave
viii be dug as deep as anybody's ON
top of the earth That is no threat
but an honest fact
On the Goth day of last April ! was
invited to address the Farmers Union
state convention at Shawnee. and
discussed the necessity of organization
of the great farming interests OF the
new state of Oklahoma. On the fol
/ lowing night, at a Joint meeting ot
the federated labor and the Farmers
! Union, ! was asked TO speak on the
| initiative and referendum and the
| blanket primary laws. ] considered
this great honor, and was proud to
be able 10 address the delegates from
| these two great organizations. on
! the next day at the convention OF the
! Farmers Union ! was asked To write
| a resolution In regard TO the initiative
and referendum that should be incor
! porated in the new states constitu
tion did SO. and to make II plain
so that no one might err therein. l.
wrote simply that the initiative and
referendum for tho new state should
be modelled after the Oregon law, for
! ! knew that in that state they had
gained grand results.
! am satisfied that a majority on
yon members here have signed a
promise that YOU would vote for that
! resolution as II was written that DAY
/ I'm Shawnee nj the convention of the
greatest union in all the world.
speak of the Farmers t'nion OF Amer
lea The men that have seat you her,
ask YOU today. through me as THEN
humble agent, to redeem the pledges
that you have made.
] rejoice at the great speech yom
president has just made today in ia
vor of this great law, and | thanh
God that I used my Influence to make
him president of this convention, for
know that he stands for the best in
forests of the people.
was slad to see my friend, the
Hon Henry Johnston. on the legisla-
tive department. committee, because
knew his heart was in the right place
and that he stood for the Initiative
and referendum. ] was glad 10 hear
his great speech on this proposition
today
was ono of the first men in Okla
homa who advocated this great law
openly before the people; probably
the editor of the first Democratic pa
per that came ont for. and demanded
that it be placed in our constitution
consider my efforts in this matte
the greatest work OF my life. for
II
DUN as operated in Oregon under th
percentum there, stands as the bul
wark of the liberties of the people.
Men have said on the floor of th'
convention here that the corporation
would use this law If the per cent Was
low TO further their interests and
their schemes, and yet no corporation
LAWYER in all this land wants to sec
this law II, our constitution. ] heard
the corporation defenders and per
iured liars IN the campaign of 1895
go through the north aud say tha
they were afraid the working man
would be paid with fifty cent dollars
il bryan was elected president Every
4 liar of them would have voted FOL
I Bryan if they had thought this pre-
! diction would come true. Let no mar
fear that any corporation would evei
4 use the initiative and referendum
They tand in abject awe OF II.
Pc,er a ten year struggle this grea
law was incorporated I'm the constitu
a ton of Oregon The battle was tough
Y and won by The farmers of that state
n The patrons of husbandry, the oil,
Orange. stood staunch and tru,
\ through these long years. and battie'
for the people and their rights: an'
q when the final vote came for It's adop
ton, with the Der cents that we havl
4 named here in our constitution. th'
4 victory was won by there being G2,00
\ votes cast for the constitutional
amendment and 5000 against
\ In this new state II Oklahoma Their
q are 12S.0CO members of the Farmer
n Union, and have pledged them ol
a the sacred honor of "a man, that
Y the Democrats controlled this oonyeu
a iion the initiative and referendum
& would be written I'm the constitution
3 Will you slap these thousands in th
"A face VIII YOU dare to make me II
y 90 them? Don't you DO II II YOU yalu
N ,hc success OF the Democratic partl
| have placed on your desk an az
h swer 10 the criticism written by Nirg
4 Hobbs concerning the initiative an
N referendum. and ! want YOU 20 rea
n AZ carefully. There Is no just reaso
"a known oi WAR SHY II should not b
Written in bur e0nstitutiOn. As 500
ae / qea mon paf ma and qyniolf fhei