The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1910-04-05

the Massachusetts, legislature ia ad
Opsing the initiative ard referendum
has caused 70 little comment IN con
5segyztive Washington Old timers re
gard the action as revolutionary and
sEueh men a. Senator's Hale. Lodge
rsz1zin dHn1fognded al the wonderful
political charges that have swept IL
upon fhs conservative east Of late
Massachusetts, Is the second state
fn NsE England to acknowledge the
prsetiezbllity of me initiative and ref
ere111n- Maine wzs the first. de-
spite he psotestztiozz Of Senator Hale
History repeated Itself Ehen Senator
Lodge threw himself into the k4ezch
in Massachusetts He. ike Hale. vas
ignored ard there Is now talk Of dem
Onstrzting The efficacy Of the Izw By
initiating the Goldfish senator.
The common sense OF the initiative
and referendum Is zDzIy expressed By
Senator Owen who has prepared the
following article upon the necessity
u this particular piece 0f legislation,
"A nation il in condition Of good
political health when It's representa-
lives are the free choice Of the peo-
pie and represent the best Ideals of
the people In the legislative. executive
and judicial departments Of the gov
ernment.
The people appear to rule through
party machinery. but do not rule ii
fact. because the party machinery is
In the hands of corrupt machine men.
controlled in the interest Of the few
and against the interest Of the many.
The remedy Is to restore popular
government and 70 overthrow machine
and the initiative and
referendum is the opsn door BY which
this can Be done. By which Il has been
done in Oregon.
The United States loses 600 go pep
pie annually from preyentabls causes.
These lives could Be saved By good
laws. they are lost because Of bad
laws.
Petitions and prayers and demands
have gone up TO congress and have
remained unheeded. Hnobserved, un-
eared for. because the members Of
The house and senate are three de-
grees removed from the people under
be convention machinery Of party /
sOvernment
So long a. machine politicians make /
be nominations for both parties. pa
riotic citizens register their votes for
Iuch nominees IN vain. They have
lnir choice Of evils. The doctrine
4 Boss Tweed in Nes York might be
oppressed in these words, Let me Sc
ect the candidates. ! care not who
slects@ Selection is more vital than
lection.
In vain the people demand election
4 senators By direct vote. IN vain do
he people clamor for an abatement Of
'ne-man power in the house OF repre-
entatiyes; in vain do they seek pub
icity Of campaign contributions; in
ain do they demand laws forbidding
orrupt practices and other reforms
4 government lin vain do they de
nand control of monopoly, reduction
4 tariff, and lower prices. The peo.
lie are appealing to the nominees Of
Machine politics committed against /
hem.
The initiative means small per.
entage Of the voters. usually s per
ent, can initiate any law they please
nd require it to be submitted at the
ext regular election for vote of
he people Of the whole state for their
or rejection.
By the initiative the people Of New
'ork state might initiate a mandatory
irect primary law. a corrupt prac. +,
Ices act, and compel a vote in spite |
I the failure OF a legislature to pass
ueh Law as the people wanted. 1t
A mandatory direct primary puts IN
he hands Of the members of each par. /
: the direct power to nominate their Ii
wn candidates. 4
The nomination Of machine men is n
bsurdly easy. It is done by the con- q
ention system. r