East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-04-02

That the machine politicians of
Oregon are not alone in their organ
ized effort to defeat the popular
election Of United States senators, is
shown by the following editorial
from the Yakima Republic giving n
brief review of the senatorial situa-
tion in Washington.
The Ankeny push apparently con-
templates doing all that 1t can to
nullifyy the law which aims so far as
possible to give the people Of this
state a chance to elect the United
States senator.
For many years-indeed, ever since
the senate became the stronghold OF
the Interests" of the country--the
people have sought to devise meth
cd of selecting senators by popular
vote. The senate, which seems to
care very little for the desires of the
people, quite naturally refuses to be
a party to the submission of consti-
tutional amendment.
Various schemes have been resorted
to by the people to get back this
right to elect senators. One of them
is the scheme which is a part of the
new direct primary law OF this state,
and the only part that is a genuine
and useful reform.
Our primary law says that candi-
dates for the state legislature may, II
they desire, file with their declara-
tions pledges that they will, If elected
vote for the candidate of their party
for United States senator receiving
the highest popular vote.
1t does not provide that they must
do this. for that would be unconsti-
tuional II merely gives men who
ask for the suffrages of the people
a chance to say that they will do as
the people want them to do in case
they are elected; and the presump-
tion is that honest men will be glad
to make a promise of that kind
The law provides for putting the
names of the senatorial candidates on
the official ballot.
If the candidates pledge themselves
and at the ensuing session of the
legislature fulfill their pledges. the
man whom the people want will be
elected senator on the first day of the
joint session.
As we predicted months ago, soon
after Mr.. Jones became a candidate.
the old crowd of politicians. most Of
whom are pretending to be for An.
keny, but are, as a matter of fact.
after the spoiIs and the rewards of
political manipulations, are against
that pledge.
They advance all kinds of reasons
why a candidate should not take IL.
and propose all kinds of substitutes
for 1t.
The other day an Ankeny leader in
Seattle frankly told the editor of this
paper that he would use the best eff.
forts to secure an unpledged delega-
ton from King county, and he said
that many other republican leaders in
that county would join in this at
tempt.
A dispatch in yesterdays Times.
ostensibly from Olympia. states that
movement for an unpledged legis-
lature will be general, as It is strong
ly feared that in the event there is a
large democratic minority in the
legislature, the unpledged holdover
senator's may hold up the legislature
and make the choice of senator inn
possible. That, Of course, is a pre-
text.
The arguments for a popular de-
termination of the senatorial question
are overwhelming No man can buy
seat in the senate under this sys-
tenn. The legislative business of the
session will not be lnterferred with
by senatorial politics, because there
Will be none. Bartering of public
offices for legislators votes will cease
The senatorial political machine will
be wiped out Corporate influence
in our state politics will be largely
destroyed, and business and political
ideals will be elevated to just that ex-
tent.