The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-01-17

he did not with sufficient ardor hold
| to the Jacksonian precept that Ito the
victor belong the spoils.''
A movement was inaugurated by os-
tensible friends of Senator Charles ".
Fulton to induce pledged members Of
the legislature to repudiate their
pledges
| THE legislature is Republican: there
| fore it must not elect a Democratic
senator"
| That was the sum and substance Of
the argument. 1t Was not denied the
| people had decrecd that they wanted
| Democratic senator None question
ed that Chamberlain had received his
ma jority
The matter took On national signifi-
| tance. Fulton sought to transfer the
| contest to Washington and fnileU to
| induce President Roosevelt to advise
Reputation. Instead he declared re-
| pudiation would be 'politicaily 1isas-
| trous and morally reprehensib!e," &C
cOrdiEg to one report
| 1t then was taken to Hot Springs.
Va. where Judge Taft was resting"
by talking politics with about seventy
politicians day. Judge Taft follow
ed suit and refused to counsel repudi-
| alton.
| National Chairman Hitchcock was
| taken in hand and given a course Of
instruction in the political ethics of
the Fulton Republican code. At last
reports this dignitary was looking at
the Gm,moral morsel offered by the
! pretended friends of Fulton and con-
siderins whether or not to advise re-
| pudiation.
Fulton a Political Cat.
| The voice Of the eastern and south
ern press has been we'll nigh u:lani-
nous that Reputation Of those
pledges would spell dishonor. One
would think that National Chairman
Hitchcock would make haste to repu-
date Republication and declare for po-
| litical honesty.
One interesting fact connected with
| this state issue become national is that
| the pretended friends of Fulton have
been merely using him as a political
cat to pull the chestnuts from the FIRE
for otter political monkeys Every che
but Fclton has seen that he co'<.o
bring 10 his party no claim for elea
ton. because his own party primary
rejected him for another Republican,
H. NJ. Cake.
| Eut it has been apparent that old
time politicians desired to break down
the Oregon direct primary nomina-
| tons law and We're using Fulton t.
Go it. never intending to give to that
present senator the hot chestnu1s lie
had pulled from the fire. never intend
| ing that he should be the successor to
! himself.
i Honor In the Balance.
| The Ohio senatorial election resolved
| into an outcome creditable to the Re
publican party of that state.
| Believers in the newer idea of poll
tics-that the people and not the pro-
fessional politicians should rule-will
hope that honor may not be banished
when the Oregon legislature meets.
They will hope for redemption of sol
EMMY given pledges. They will de-
| spise those who have sought to manu-
facture reasons why promise Is not
a promise.
Furthermore, let notice be served on
the western state that whoever should
accept election as senator under plan
to repudiate these plainly given
pledges would come to Washington
covered with a cloud whence he could
not emerge in ten successive terms Of
service.
He would be anathema to all who
retain belief that politics need not be
Invested Of all honor. He would be
pointed out as one who profited from
dishonor. It might even be that he
would remain hopelessly under suspi
cion that he bought his senatorship.
and let it be said right here that some
men have bought senatorships. but
! few who have done so have enjoyed
their incumbency.
Amusement. incredulity, disgust
these emotions together form the COM
posite Of feelings with which people in
other states view these proposals from
certain Oregon politicians to riot in
dishonor, and I do not exaggerate
when / assert that that state will re-
cover very long hence from the blot On
its good name-which. by the way,
had been completely remade in the
past few years-if 1t carries into execu-
| ton this reputation plan.
So closely knit are the states in
these later years that often such mat
tiers become quite as national as state.
1t is true this time.
Pledges Must 30 Redeemed.
From my advices judge repudia-
ton will not be adopted as Oregon's
new foundation principle for the po-
litical structure she is building. That
structure in many respects has chal-
! lenged the admiration Of the nation.
1t is fashioned along new lines. yet
retains every essential from the old
which made for real popular govern
ment 1t has appealed to the magma
ton. inspired the hope Of those who
would make for the uplift Of our ma