The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-06-30
CITIZENS PLAN A WAY TO RE
DEEM THE STATE FROM COR
RUPTiON.
PEOPLE MUST Be SUPREME
In Meeting at Peoria an Organza-
ton Was Formed to Cure the Ills
Of Representative Government
Bourne Told Of Oregon Methods.


denunciation OF corrupt methods, al
legged to have been practical in tho
legislature of Illinois in recent years
between three and four hundred citi
zns ir m all parts of the state as
sembled here today, and affected Il
temporary organization to repair
the breakdown OF representative
government.
Senator Jonathan Bourne, Jr, OF
Oregon addressed an assemblage OF
seven hundred people AT the Majestic
Theattr tonight, explaining the ore
gon methcd Of electing United States
I congressman.
| The conference of Illinois citizens
! follows recent revelations OF corrup-
| ZION in the legislature OF Illinois.
! Charles l.. Capen. former president OF
the Bar Association. Of Bloomington.
was selected chairman OF the con-
f,rence; Philo b. MEes OF Peoria
vice chairman and Harold l.. lckes OF
Chicago secretary.
In an exhaustive paper on the fail
ure OF popular representation in the
legislature and the causes that led
up to it, Representative Martin d..
Hull of Chicago was the first speak
er cf the conference. George +. Cole,
president OF the Legislative Voters
League of Chicago. aroused enthuiasm
in, caustic talk, in which he adyo-
Gated an open rebellion against exist
ing methods of representation and the
manner in which legislative affairs
are handled at Springfield
General topics, the regulation of eX
press rates, the commission form u
! government and authority of munich
palties to sell electricity, municipa
charter legislation, civil service and
election laws We're discussed by Dan
iel r. Sheen and George Il. Green
secretary of the Illinois Retail Mer
chants Association. Green asserted
that dozen men controlled the en-
tire Legislature and at every Cppor
tunity passed legislation undesirable
to the citizens of illinois, but none
tarily beneficial to themselves. He
told how the commission form of gov
ernment bill had been altered to suit
what he termed as polycasters anC
said il was not the bill demanded by
the people cf the state, but one foist
ed upon them by the poycasters.
TO remedy existing conditions, Mr.
Green suggested one session of the
legislature for the introduction of bills
only; second session, the following
year to pass such bills as may have
been faVorably passed upon by com
mttees in the meantime. Judge Lewis
Riniacker of Chicago gave a review of
the fate of the election bills and how
at the last minute the bills died in the
house of representatives. Resolutions
amending the rules of the house of
| representatives was offered by James
/ NJ. Rice of Peoria and were referred
to committee.
Robert Catherwood, president of the
eivil Service Reform Association of
/ Chicago, wound up the meeting by
telling how Senator White of O'Fallon.
Ill.,, had obtained Job" through SEN
ator Lorimer's influence.
Speaking directly to the people of
Illinois Senator Bourne of Oregon
said:
Whether you want popular selec-
tion of United States senators in Hi
nois is for you voters to determine.
but | warn you that any halfway or
compromised system which places
party above the entire people will re-
suit in dissatisfaction and probably
corruption. If you wish to destroy the
power of the political machine, abolish
the convention system entirely. If you
wish to establish a popular selection
OF United States senators inaugurate
a system which takes away from the
legislature the right to do more than
ratify the act of the people at the gem
eral election"
Senator Bourne's address. in the be-
ginning. was an exposition of the much
discussed Oregon system, which he
declared 10 be the best system OF pop
ular government in the world. The