The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-07-22
STATEMENT NO. |
Political Critique Worthy the Reading of Every
Voter in Oregon.

led him into expending y large sum
Of money on the election in q hope
less race for the office,
But whether these perjured Demo.
Gratis voted for Cake or Fulton il
Imakes no difference They intended
to vote icr the weakest man, and their
oifense Is not in voting for one or
1.-THE other, but IN falsely pretending to
be Republicans and thus corrupting
1.-THE ballot-box and destroying the in
tegrity OF the primary election BY
turning traitor and voting against
itheir own nominee. Ii this Is not a
fraud then there is nothing that can
be fraudulent. And II this crime
against the ballot-box Is condoned
the Statement members OF the Legis-
lature might as well dispose OF the
Senatorial Office as public auction
What words can truly proclaim the
dishonor and infamy OF such trans.
actionl Throughout the lengthy let
ter OF Judge Lowell recently printed
in The Oregonian, this fraud Is spo-
lken OF as the game" Of politics 9th
er letters printed in The Orcgonian
demand that the fraud be carried out
BY the election OF Chamberlain TO the
Senate, II is possible that there are
respectable citizens who think politics
is nothing but a game; that we are
now down 10 the ethics OF the race
track and the card room on vital
questions affecting the very existence
of a republican form OF government
For years angry protest has gone up
against the alleged crimes OF the bos-
res. In former days when the water
deposited his own ballot there is no
doubt that bosses bought and sold
voters like cattle, and stuffed and
robbed ballot-boxes in desperate
straits. But that was in violation
OF the law and with open prison doors
staring the offenders in the face. But
here is case OF ballot-box stufiiing
through perjury and fraud directly in
pursuance OF the very letter OF the
primary law, and no criminal prose-
cutiou can ever reach the malefactors.
il you doubt il read the law.
But we are told that the people
must rule, that Senators must be ell
ected by the people, 'Vox popnli,
vox Del" But the primary law does
not secure election by the people. Il
is in its present form scheme to
cheat the people every time; and that
is why it is opposed. Under this
law anybody can compete Tor the
great Office OF United States Senator
A few dollars expended in the sa-
looms vii procure names enough 10
get on the ballot. There is no limit,
no standard, no safeguards, and no
cooperation among voters Every
county has its fayorite son and he
must run; every selfish interest has
its advocate, and he must run; the sa-
looms can nominate the Prohibition
the trusts run their lawyers;
the city outvotes the country, the
outvotes the church, and
money sweeps everything. In the
melee-the game the plain people
are confused, divided, cheated, and
man nominated by fraction Of the
party vote that nobody wants, This
game" has been thus worked twice on
the people already. Bourne was a
man, thousands Of Demo
Gratis voting for his nomination, and
he got the election as choice be-
tween two evils. Gearin could have
beaten Bourne as Chamberlain has
beaten Cake if he had made can
vass. He would have done so had
he not been assured by interested
parties that a Republican Legislature
would not elect him. II would not
do to have Gearin elected then, for
such result would have raised such
an uproar that there would have been
no show for Chamberlain now. And
Chamberlain is a minority man too,
not getting majority Of the votes
for Senator as stated by Judge Low
ell The total vote for Senator was
l12,364. Chamberlain got 52,42l votes
nearly 1000 less than a majority. If
the people are to elect, the gross de-
fects OF the primary law must be
amended SO as to secure a square deal
and not have honest voters cheated
by the ballot-box stuffing of corrupt
schemers. Mr.. Swinford, Of Eugene,
has suggested very good plan. But
IN the meantime what is to be done
with Chamberlain?
The Republican Statement" mem