Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1907-04-15

a direct vote of the people. but EACH
TIME THIS PROPOSED AMEND
MENT HAS BEEN CHLOROFORNi-
ED in one or other OF the committees
of the senate of the United States.
and though the people have demand
ed and are demanding such an
amendment, there is as little hope OF
accomplishing Il now as there has
been since the senate has become the
tool OF the moneyed barons of the
country. Measures which have pass
ed the house in the interest OF the
people, however meritorious, have
suffered the same fate at the hands
OF the senate, particularly II such
measures tended in the least to regu-
late, control or restrain the greed OF
the privileged classes.
AS a step in the direction of the
correction of these evils there must
be change in the method OF the
election OF senator's. The people
must have a more potent voice I'm
future then they have had in the
past. There is all the more need of
a change because the senate has the
power to refuse to confirm the ap-
pointees of the President to the
bench and to the positions OF trust
where in its opinion such appointees
cannot be safely relied upon To
CARRY OUT THE ENDS AND AIMS
OF PLUTOCRACY AND GREED.
Again, the judiciary is not free from
the criticism of standing by those
who plunder the people. Ten years
ago Il was denounced as treason to
criticise the judiciary OF this coun-
try, but now | presume II can safe
ly be done when II is remembered
that within the year Just passed the
President of the United States him
self has not hestitated to indulge in
the severest criticism of this distin-
guished body in message delivered
by him to congress. Nor Is this cri-
ticism unmerited, for II will be re-
membered that court appointed for
life and confined by the senate has
exercised the power more than once
OF ANNULING ACTS or CON.
GRESS PASSED IN THE INTEREST
OF THE PEOPLE. As evidence OF
this fact have but TO call attention
to the legal tender act regulating the
fiscal affairs Of the government which
was sustained by one court and I'm
validated by the same court after
change in its personnel; and TO tho
income tax decision OF the same
court, which had been sustained by
Il for one hundred years and then
by the sudden change OF mind on
the part OF one vacillating Judge held
unconstitutional and set at defiance,
thus nulllfying the action OF congress
which passed Il, the President who
approved II and the wishes of seven
~ millions OF people who were clam
oring for its enactment, shifting
burden from the shoulders Of those
who ought to contribute TO the ex.
penses OF government TO the
shoulders of those who were least
able TO bear Il.
For the last year or more we have
been hearing how insurance and
trust magnates. tariff and coal bar
ons. railroad companies and other
benefciaries OF special legislation
have been contributing hundreds OF |
thousands OF dollars OF money wrung |
from the common people OF this |
country TO assist In the election OF
officials whom Il was thought could |
be relied upon To CARRY OUT THE |
BEHEsTS OF THE SO-CALLED
BUSINESS INTERESTS.
Governor Chamberlain then asks
what can be done 10 make the people |
the governing body In this country
as our forefathers intended?
This Is 10 be done through the
OF a guarded form
Of representative government
brought about BY THE ADOPTION |
OF THE INITIATIVE AND REFER
ENDUM AMENDMENT To THE |
CONSTITUTIONS OF the several |
states and later Of the United States, |
and BY A SYSTEM OF DIRECT |
OF CANDIDATES |
FOR ALI OFFICES and particularly |
OF candidates for the senate OF the |
United States by a direct vote OF the |
people. Already Oregon has taken
the lead In this, and 10 least twelve
other states OF the Union are follow
Ing IN It's footsteps. Lincoln said
that you fool some Of the people ali
OF the time and an OF the people
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