Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1910-11-18
BOURNE PRAISES
OREGON SYSTEM
WESTERN SENATOR ENPOUNDS
PLAN or DNERNMENT.
EDUCATES THE PEOPLE
Declares That Initiative Develops the
People Along Public
Public Questions,

Hy Associated Press,
Philadelphia, Nov l7-An cXposi-
tion Of the much discussed "Orrgon
system" which he declared to bee the
"bcst system Of government In the
world" was the contents Of am ad-
dress delivered by United States Sen
ator Jonathan Bourne, Jr, of oregon,
lofore the American Academy of ho-
ltical and Social Science at It's open
ing session here tonight The Sona-
tor declared the initiative and refer
Cndum the Keystone Of the arch Of
popular government" and set forth
In detail the reasons for his belief
pnalyzlng as well the other features
Il the oregon system,
In his address Senator Bourne ar
sued that the initiative cducatcs and
developea the people by compelling
them to study pu'lic questions and
u'aCing upon them responsibility for
al laws II gives every man an OPP
portunlty to submit his ideas 10 the
rcoplc, provided eight per cent Of
them believe his IDEAS worthy Of
'lbmission to popular vote; thus, the
speaker argued there Is a tendency
90 hit an the people to the plane
of the most advanced.
Laws proposed under the initial
tive" said Senator Bourne "arc not
subject to amendment and, therefore
cannot be made the means Of cnacting
'.okcrs' rs has often been done In the
case Of measures enacted by the leg
Stature. Legislative hlackmail and
grants Of special privilege are made
impossible by the referendum"
The people Of oregon are satisfied
with their system Of direct Legislation,
end II has not been unrcasonably cN-
pensivc,'
Oregon has elected three United
states Senators by popular vote EN-
planning the manner in which Dem
ocrat was elected senator In Oregon,
which is "a Republican state Senator
Bourne said that o out Of 80 mem
bers Of the oregon Legislature had
subscribed to what is known as the
Statement No, II pledge, IN which
IA member of the legislature pledges
himself to the people to always vote
for that candidate for United states
senator who has received the largest
number of votes for that office at the
general election, I'm pursuance of
such pledge the legislature elected a
Democrat who had received the lurg
est number OF popular votes.
senator bourne advocated extend
ing the direct primary to the adop-
tlon Of candidates tor President and
Vice President ana OF delegates tC
national conventions thus relieving
presidents Of any obligation to men
who make and manipulate convcn-
ti0ns,
"A Corrupt Practices Act is a nee
cssary feaure of popular government
In order to regulate campaign cNpeu'
ditures and prevent abuse of the in'
itiatiye and referendum and the di-
rect primary. An important fcatur,
Ci the Oregon system is the publicitl
pamphlet published by the Secretary
If State and mailed TO the voters al
least eight days h,torc each election
Each candidate in the primary cam
paign may have published in thin
pamphlet q statement In support OF
his candidacy Each candidate mus
pay for at least one page n the pam
phlet, the umouut varying from Sl0t
for the highest office to $40 for minor
chiccs Each candidate may secur,
Tot more than three additional pagc'
at 500 per page, In the genera
campaign each party may use not e
exceed - pages in the publicity pam
d i. .tt..H V.t.t q