The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-05-31
BLAMES
MACH|NE:
POLITICS.
OTHERWISE OPL e
WOULD ELECT SENATORS,
DECLARES OWEN
OKLAHOMA STATESMAN
SPEAKS TO RESOLUTION
introduced In Accordance With
! Wishes Of Legislature Of
His State
t4y Associated Prass.l

Washington, d. c., May 3l.--"It will
be better for this country" said Sen
ator Owen, of Oklahoma. today, when
senators and members of Congress
and states legislators and municipa/
legislators are chosen by the direct
vote of the people and when the peo-
pie have the right to recall by nomin-
alton OF successor to their public
servants. The people Will never
abuse their power"
The senator was speaking in the
senate in favor OF resolution intro
duced by him, In accordance with the
wishes OF the legislature of the state
Of Oklahoma, providing for the sub
mission of a constitutional amend
ment for the election of senators by
direct vote of the people.
Such an amendment, he said, would
prevent the corruption of legislatures,
would p event the improper use of
money in the campaigns by men am
bilious to obtain seat in the senate
and would compel candidates for the
senate to be subjected to the seveZ
scrutiny OF campaign before the
people and compel the selection OF
the best fitted men. Further, he said
ii would popularize government and
: tend to Increase the confidence OF
the people in the senate, (which has
been to some extent impaired in req
cent years" 1t would also prevent
deadlocks, he contued, due to politi-
cal contests in which various states
from time to time had been left un-
represented.
Il can not believe" said Senator
Owen, that the senate is conscious
of the widespread public demand for
the election of senator's by direct vote
of the peopleaDl therefore submit evil
dence of action taken by the various
states, showing that thirty-six OF them
have expressed themselves, in .one
form or another, fayorably to the ell
ection Of senators by direct vote OF
the people.
u believe he declared, that the
will of the people Is far more nearly
right In the main than the will OF
any individual statesman who is apt
to be honored by them with seat
are more apt to be sound and honest
than single individual At all events
! feel not only willing but really
desire to make effective the will OF
the people of my state.
"Democ. attic and Republican states
alike west of the Hudson riyere have
acted favorably in this matter almost
without exception Only eight or
nine states have failed to act, and |
do not doubt that If the voice of the
people OF these states of New Eng
land, of New York, Maryland and
Delaware could find convenient ex-
preston free from machine politics,
eve.y one of them would favor the
election of senators by direct vote
and would favor the right of the
people to instruct their representa-
tives In congress and the senate.
Not only the states have acted
almost unanimously in favor OF this
right OF the people but all the great
parties of the country, except the
Republican party, have done so, and
that pa. ty would have declared for it
eYcept for the overwhelming influ-
ence and domination OF machine pol.
itics in its management and the pre-
valence OF so-called boss Influence.
Senator Owen maintained that the
great evil from which the American
people have suffered In recent years
has been the secret but welIknown al
lance between commercial interests
and machine politics, by which cony
mercial interests have endeavored
and often succeeded in obtaining leg
islation giving them special advant
| ages in nation. states and municipal
! tiles, and obtained administrative
Aand iuu.eia immunity so that the
avs have not been properly enforc
d against them.
Il have no desire" be continue5
v seek partisan advantage by poinI
out the weaknesses OF govern
hit under present methods. 1t vii
luire the most vigorous efforts o
honest men OF both parties to re
Ife the government TO condition
Entegriry where tigh purpose1
Tor and the common good exclu
ely shall rule"