Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1910-09-09
A cLEAR-CUT STATEMENT
Wallace McCamant Answers Charges
Made in journal Editorial.

Answering an editorial recent,
printed in the Portland Journal, Wal
lace McCamant makes a clear-cu
statement of his attitude toward tn,
direct primary law. His manly and
dignlfied letter is in marked contras
with the public utterances of HENRY
McGinn and others who are opposing
him. He says
In Saturdays Journal note an ed.
itorial devoted to Judge Burnett and
myself making a twofold charge:
"First--That we are necessarily
foes of the direct primary law because
we have accepted the Endorsement OF
the Republican state assembly.
"Secondly--That we know the as
sembly to be unlawful and are there
fore lawbreakers and unworthy to sit
on the supreme bench,
"Dlsloyalty to the direct primary
law is easy to charge and easy to deny.
Facts must speak. have always voted
for the candidate of my party nominal
ted at direct primary. Four years
ago / actively supported Senator
Bourne after the electors had nomi-
mated him at direct primary.
Judge Burnett and l will support
the ticket nominated at the Republi-
can direct primary this year whether
our names are on 1t or not Judge
McGinn, who is leading the fight
against us. has announced that he will
not support me even If am nominat-
ed at fair election at which every
qualified elector in the state may vote.
Which of us is loyal to the primary
law and which of us manifests faith in
popular government, the man who will
abide by the will of the people when
expressed at a fair election or the man
who will disregard It? / contend that
no man can honorably take part In a
primary, especially as a candidate for
office, unless he is willing to be bound
by the result.
"As regards the lawfulness of the
Republican assembly, find this Ian
guage in the Oregon constitutions:
" No law shall be passed restrain
ing any of the inhabitants of the state
from assembling together in a peace
able manner to consult for their COM
mon good.
'The federal constitution contains
similar provision.
The direct primary law like all
other laws must be read in the light
of the constitution and is valid only in |
so far as it is in harmony with the
primary law expressly forbade a
peaceable assembly of any OF the in
habitants. its prohibition would be
and unlawful as in conflict
with the organic law.
THE fact is that the direct primary
aw contains no such prohibition. It
ioes not prohibit the anti-assembly as
'emblies which have evolved the tick
It so zealously supported by The Jour
nal and II does not prohibit the largely
attended assembly which, without So
icitation on our part. recommended
Judge Burnett and myself TO the elec-
ors as suitable persons to be nomi-
lated for the supreme bench.
ION the contrary. section 80 of the
primary law expressly authorizes state
md county committees to make rules
nd regulations for the government OF
heir respective parties. The recent
republican assemblies were held pur-
uant to regulations so adopted by the
roper party authority. It was not for
idden by law, but was In harmony
nth and subordinate 20 the act passed
y the people providing for direct pri-
laries.
WALLACE M'cAMANT.