The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-12-17
GANG RULE AGAIN
THREATENS IN
OREGON
Ex-senator Fulton Leads the Attack
On the Direct Primary-Voters
Idly Watch Machine Recapture
Portland.
Interests That Were Completely De
moralized Year Ago Prepare To
Regain Control of State

state possessed OF almost every known
safeguard against gang rule allowing
itself to drift idly toward 1t after hay
ing delivered itself only recently. from
gang rule. through the vigorous WELD
ing by the people OF weapons de-
signed for use against IL.
That is Oregon.
II was a little less than year ago
that the people of Oregon demoralized
1.-THE political machine that had dictat-
ed their political affairs to suit Is
leaders since the days OF Herman and
Mitchell and the old oregon land fraud
ring, ierkeu its leader out OF the
kUnited States senate aud forced a Re
lpublican Legislature % put IN his place
"a Mississippi Democrat rha' Was
last January The leader was senator
eChas. w Fulton The Democrat was
fGov. Geo. f. Chamberlain NOW Seua-
I TOR Chamberlain.
After that possessed "a she Was OF
the direct primary the Initiative and
referendum. the recall the direct cleo
ton of United States senators with
mitchell but memory and with pro
portional representation and single
tax and lot OF other fine things just
ahead. Oregon looked safe.
More than that Oregon felt safe
and feeling safe she Went 10 sleep or
went about her business without TAX
ing that old. broken political gang in
10 consideration.
Fulton Comes Back.
Most of the people didn't notice or
didn't care much IL they did notice. |
when. about the time OF the election
OF Chamberlain. Fulton came back tO
Portland, retired by the popular vote. /
Fulton found several things in Port
land He found the people guard 4
down He found too, very much 4
disgruntled and discouraged collection I
of erstwhile machine politicians. {
Among them was Jos Simon. one time 4
United states senator This collection. !
though discouraged. was wide awake.
The people had retired them. for I,
abundant cause, and there was no
chance 10 raise the banner of the G. |,
O. r. and float into Office on national
Majority: IL was direct primary
and initiative and referendum state
they were IN Ii looked like a hope
less problem. but they were willing To
listen TO anybody who thought he had
wav OFT.
The erstwhile machine politicians
were not the only worried ones. The
evident determination of the people 10
run their own affairs was source Of
not a little unhappiness To the corpor
ations. II looked for awhile as though
they would have TO pay their just
share OF the taxes, and get their fran
chises from the people, and generally
be content with only 10 per cent profit
year unless the game could be play
ed as IL was In the old days
Put Heads Together.
Fulton and Simon and the Portland .
Railway Light * Power Co tIAe ore
gon transportation. power and light
monopoly. and the Southern Pacif1c
LOBBYISTS. and the lieutenants OF the
Herrin machine. and the meat trust
and the telephone monopoly put their
heads together while Fulton produced
his idea
Pretty soon leading Republicans OF
te state decided that the only way TO
secure a representative municipal
party ticket for Portland was 10 have
an assembly" Of the party and 10
nominate straight Republican
ticket The delegates We're chosen in
the same old way he usual routine
was gone through with the same Old
way and simon was nominated for
Navor with complete CITY ticket OF
machine politicians
Remember. this was IN n state
where the nartf voters are supposed
To choose thor nominee, az a urinary
election. instead of al 70 convention
But this ticket. under the gul,e ~ the
Irregular Republican ticket won a.
the primaries and al the general cleo.
ito, inst because IL bore the name