Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-06-08
ELECT SENATORS
BY DIRECT VOTE
SENATOR OWEN or OKLAHOMA
WOULD PREVENT coRRUP-
TON OF LEGISLATORS.
POINTS TO GREAT EVIL OF Sc
cRET INFLUENCE OF COM
mERcIAL INTERESTS.

washington, May Sit will be
better for this Country said Senat-
or owen of Oklahoma yesterday,
when senators and members of con-
eress and state legislators and mu-
nicipal legislators are chosen by the
direct vote OF the people and when
the people have the right OF recall
bv the nomination of a successor to
their public servants The people will
never abuse their power" The scr
tor was speaking In the senate in IA
vor of a resolution introduced by
him. in accordance with the wishes
OF the legislature of the state of Ok
lahoma, providing for the submission
of u constitutional. amendment for
election of senators by direct vote of
the people.
Such an am ndment, he said,
would prevent the corruption of leg
islatures, would prevent the improper
use of money in the campaigns by
men ambitious to obtain a seat In the
senate and would compel candidates
for the senate to be subjected to the
severe scrutiny of a campaign be-
fore the people and compel the Sc
lection OF the best.ftted men. Fur
ther, he said, it would popularize
government and tend to increase the
confidence of the people in the senate,
which has been to sorle extent i'm
paired in recent years" 1t would also
prevent deadlocks, he continued, due
to political contests in which various
states from time to time had been
left unrepresented.
Il cannot believe" said Senator
owen, that the senate is conscious
of the Widespread public demand for
the election of senators by direct
vote of the people ,.Ir,fore submit
evidence of action taken by the vari-
Gus states. showing that thirty-six of
Of them have expressed themselves,
in one form or another, fayorably to
the election OF senators by direct
vote of the people,
Il 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 in the
senate; that the whole people are
more apt to be safe and sane, more
apt to be sound and honest than a
single individual. At all events
feel not only willing but | really de
sire to make effective the viii of the
people of my state.
Democratic ana republican states
alike west OF the Hudson river have
acted favorably in this matter almost
without exception. Only eight or nine
states have failed to act, and do not
| doubt that II the voice of the people
of these states of New England. of
New York, Maryland and Delaware
could find convenient expression, free
from machine politics, every one of
them would favor the election of SEN
ators by direct vote and would favor
the right of the people to instruct
| their representatives in congress and
the senate.
Not only the states have acted al
most unanimously In favor of this
right OF the people but all the great
parties of the country, except the re-
publican party have done so, and that
party would have declared for it ex-
eept for the Overwhelming influences
and domination of machine politics in
Its management and the prevalence 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 well known
alliance between commercial interests
and machine politics. by which com,
mereial interests have endeavored and
often succeeded in obtaining legisla.
ton giving them special advantages
in nation, states and Municipalities.
and obtained administrative and in.
eieial Immunity SO that the laws have
not been properly enforced against
them.
I have no desire" he continued
to seek partisan advantage bv point.
ing out the Weaknesses of government
Under present methods It will re.
quire the most vigorous efforts of the
honest men of both parties to restore
the government to a condition of in.
tegrity, where high purposes. honor
and the common good exclusively shall
rule.