The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-09-02
BITTER FIGHT IN
OREGON
Assembly" and "Anti-A
sembly" Factions Are
Contending.

pal Factors IN the oregon campaign
which will eliminate in the state
wide primary three weeks from to-
morrow. Statement No. l" is also
coming in for a share of the discus
sion. Oregon for the past few years
has presented the anomaly of a re-
publican state electing a democratic
governor, and then electing him
United States senator before his term
as governor expired.
Republicans charge this state of
affairs up to the form of primary
law in effect in Oregon, asserting
that democrats registered as repub-
licans so they might vote in the re-
publican primaries, cause the selec-
ton of weak republican candidates,
and later bring about their defeat
at the polls. The democrats, on the
other hand, declare they provided
the better candidates in every in
stance, and their election was the
logical sequence.
This year the republicans deter
mined to make an effort to maintain
party unity within the state, and
to this end the state central COM
mittee called ensembles" for the
counties and the states. The state
assembly, which was held in Port
land in July, adopted platform and
suggested a list of candidates for
state officers from governor down. In
the same month assemblies were
held in a number of counties, and in
several instances county assemblies
will hold adjourned sessions tOmor-
row to pass on candidates. Sugges-
ton of candidates by the assembly,
Of course, does not do away with the
necessity for their circulating petit
tions under the provisions of the di-
rect primary law.
Considerable opposition to the as
sembly plan arose early in the cam
paign, coming at first from the dem
ocratic party organs, but a consider
|
able number of republicans Joined
the democrats in branding the as
sembly as unlawful, in that it was
not provided for in the direct pri-
mary law, and condemning it as
limiting in a measure the freedom of
the voter in selecting the candidates.
AS a consequence of this sentiment
there are numerous "anti-assembly"
candidates for the various offices to
be filled at the November election.
For governor, the republican state
assembly recommended Jay Bower
man, who, by virtue of his Office as
president of the senate, became act
ing governor when Governor Cham
berlain resigned to accept the United
States senatorship. Opposed to Mr..
Bowerman early in the game were
Col E. Hofer, Salem newspaper
man, and Judge Grant Dimick, of
Clackamas county. The democrats
also have at least three avOwed can
Another phase was given the po-
litical situation by the nomination
of candidates for supreme court
Judge by a mass meeting of the law
yers of the state, three republicans
and two democrats. The republicans
on the lawyers ticket were endorsed
by the state assembly, and the dem
ocrats mentioned filed their petitions
for nomination on the democratic
ticket.
Statement No. 1" is not promi-
nent factor in the campaign this
year, as the next legislature will not
be called upon to choose a United
States senator A section of the d.
rect primary law permits candidates
for the legislature to sign Statement
No. or Statement No. 2, or neither,
but agitation brought to bear two
years ago made the signing of State
ment No. l the popular course for
the legislative candidate to follow.
In signing statement NO. L the pros
pective legislator promises to vote
for United States senator only for
that person receiving the highest
number of votes at the general cleo
ton, without regard to party affilia-
lions. Statement No. 2 is promise
to regard simply as advisory the peo-
pies vote for United State senator.
National politics has entered very
little into the Oregon campaign this
year, the assembly problem being
paramount. Congressman Ellis and
Hawley, Oregon's two representa-
tives in the lower house, were sug-
gested for denomination by the re-
publican state assembly. Both are
! regulars and both will have opposl-
ton for denomination by candidates