New-York tribune., 1910-03-21
OWEN ON CANNON
Praise FOR HUGHES.
Says political Rascals and
Commercial Pirate" lHWSt 90.

Robert l.. owen, United STATES Senator
from Oklahoma. referred % the overtime"
Of Cannonism and 20 Governor Hushes
efforts 10 secure direct primaries N q"
address before the Society for Ethicai CuiI-
ure yesterday morning in Carnegie nan
The Initiative and Referendum ana lts
Effect on the Political and Physical Lie OF
the Nation was his subject.
when know a lot OF political raseals
are I'm league with a lot Of commercial pl-
rates" said Senator owen. Il don't IKE H.
whether tie government Is called Be9uoh-
can or. Democratic II win not endure m5oi'
lcneer in the United States And the be-
ginning og the end came on Saturday in 'he
House of Representatives when the power
10 run that body was restored 70 the House
Itself where il ought always TO have been
Speaking OF New York politics. he said;
Nv the initiative the people OF New YORK
State mfEhf initiate mandatory, uiiSctt
primary laW a corrupt pfacuces dct Siiu ~
compel q vote in spite OF the Ialiutt Ol =
legislature 10 pass such law as tue peOp-0
N sometimes happens thar even the ma
chine men are compelled, IN order 10 aoate
suspicion and 20 elect the state uk{ uckft; -. ~
Nominate a man absolutely above suspicion :
but II they do yOu can depend upon y til@-
lis power for public service u suiiclSiitl5 ~
handicaDped BY his environment tnat ne
cannot accomplish much substantial con
structiVe service. -.
II has been interestins 20 observe CoE-
eTnor Hughes Of NeN York tlSihS 20 es'%I13
liSh one of the ten commandments. ~
rect primary. i'm vain. Has not this audi
ence intelligence enough 20 know Why u
Is because the right OF lne ptGR,S ~ me
right Of the people 20 select, means 'hT
peoples rule and the overthrow OF one 1 on
the agencies OF OrEanised c9inmeIclailshi
ar
After observing that the political health
of the nation was distinctly bad in many
Of the statrs Senator owen said Of the
initiative and referendum that II was the
remedy TO restore popular government and
TO overthrow machine government which
IL had done in Oregon The speaker re-
marked that oregon had the best LAWS In
the country. and continued:
Machine control of party government.
amOns other evil results. makes lmpCs-
s!ble the passage Of laws needed fot me
protection of the physical health ut the
nation. Notwithstanding the urgent de-
medical and sanitary associations from the
Atlantic 10 the Pacific tor twenty years.
THE physical health of the nation de
peuds uIS'n the prevention of epidemlcs
upOE purity Of water supply, upon clean
air, pure FOODS, sanitary conditions, led-
~Cuablc hours Of labor. pToteCrcH ot chill
pie OF the Uuited states lose 100000 per-
sons annually from preVentable causes
These lives could be- saved by good laws;
they are lost because of bad laws
m l. the rule of the few that has
brought on our political ills. We have
the greatest means of providing our citl-
zens with abundant food. clothing, shelter
education and leisure. all We need is a
more equitable distribution OF the prod
ucts Of human labor. In order 20 re-es-
tablish liberty and 10 make certain the
liberties we have now We must put the
people iu power again The people Of the
United states are conservative, Just, kind
ly. intelligent
The initiative and referendum open the
door 10 political health. and when the peO-
pie have them they viii Eet political health
These methods of reform have been estab-
li~hed in Oregon. Montana. South Dakota.
Oklahoma Missouri and Maine, and they
viii be established I'm all the other states
before many years have passed.
In conclusion. the senator said that such
laws could De established in New York II
public sentiment was educated and the de
mand made of every candidate 20 answer
the question: "WiH YOU or will YOU not
support the initiative and referendum if
slected?"