East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-06-03
THE RESULT IN OREGON.

Inc result OF the election III oregon
is being watched with keen interest in
other states and it seems that the su-
preme test of popular government has
come. In the state of Washington the
people are following closely the work
ing of the popular measures in this
state and 1t Is probable that within
two years Washington will have
ADOPTED the progressive laws now in
force in oregon.
As an illustration of the sentiment
elsewhere on the result of the election
t.: this state, the following from the
Walla walla Statesman is taken:
Yesterdays election in Oregon
means more than that a lifelong DEM
ocrat is to occupy one of that states
seats in the United States senate. It
means more than the personal tri-
umph Of Governor George E. Cham
berlain.
Yesterdays election in Oregon
means that the people of our neigh
boring state have cast party fealty to
the winds and that the day of the
machine is over. On no other grounds
can be explained the mandate of the
people that a strongly republican leg
islature, chosen at yesterdays election,
shall send a democrat to si; in the
nations highest council.
George Chamberlain, however, isn't
senator yet, and if he ever takes the
oath of office before the vice-presi-
dent of the United States, it will sig
nalize a greater triumph for the moral
idea in politics than was scored by
the popular governor in yesterdays
election.
Although the majority of the repub-
leans elected to the legislature have
pledged themselves to vote for the
senatorial candidate receiving the
greatest number of votes at yester-
days popular election, this vote will
not be taken until the legislature con-
venes, and if the majority of the men,
bers of the legislature decide to vlo-
late their pledges and to vote for Mr..
Cake or even for the discredlted Mr..
Fulton. the election of either of these
gentlemen will be valid from a purely
legal point of view.
1t is all very we'll to assume that,
in view of the pledges taken by the
legislators, such a course of action
would be beyond contemplation. Those
who know anything about practical
politics know that there will be plen-
ty of temptation for the legislator to
violate his pledge to the voters.
1t matters not whether Mr. Cake,
true to his promise to abide by the re-
suits Of the election, declines to permit
his name to 60 before the legislature.
If he does, some other republican will
be found who will be willing to take
a tainted toga, and will resort to every
known expedient to secure it.
The influence of national politics
will be strongly felt in the state house
a Salem, and it would not be surpris-
ing were the full power of the repub-
lican national organization concentrat-
ed in Oregon to overthrow the will of
the people as expressed at the polls
yesterday.
Were they left to the dictates of
their own conscience, it would not be
at all unusual for the republican leg
islators to follow the cue of their con-
stituents and place manhood above
party; but, If in spite of the influences
which will surround them, those Or
egon legislators can take home to their
constituents an unbroken pledge, they
will be entitled to the everlasting graf
itude OF every patriot in the nation.
Oregon faces the supreme test in
popular government.