The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1910-07-06
HAVE
MORE POWER
THAN PROPER
Say Bosses and Ward Heaters in
Oregon Because of Initiative
and Referendum by Which
Check is Held on Legislators.

'The voters can never get too
much or too direct power of self
government, nor become too perfect
in its practice
That is the answer of the Oregon
State Grange to the corporation
newspapers, politicians and ex-hosses
who have found that under the in
itiative and referendum system in
Oregon the people have too much
power" to suit the corporation mag
mates and lawyers. The complaint
filed against peoples power" bv the
corporation agents is that:
1. With the initiative power, 8 per
cent of the voters may, by signing a
petition, propose law or cOnstitu-
tional amendment to be voted on by
all the voters without giving the cor
poration lawyers chance to put jok-
ers into the measure. That hurts
the lobby business.
2. With the referendum power
per cent of the voters can sign
petition and hold up bad law I'M
til the people vOt on it, and that
hurts the lobby business.
3. With the direct primary law
in operation, the corporation nomi-
mating machine has been reduced to
the condition of junk
4. When the corporation machine
wishes to buy a seat in the United
States senate for one of it's tools. it
is thrown into the ditch by state
ment No. 1" of the direct primary
law, which pledges the candidate for
the Legislature to vote for that candi-
date for the senate who gets the
highest mum Der of popular votes at
the election. The candidate for the
legislature is not compelled to sign
Statement No. l." but the voters
prefer candidates who do sign it,
That has taken the senatorial auc-
ton block out of the legislature
5. The corrupt practices act" has
interfered with the collection of
corporation campaign funds and the
distribution of Campaign expenses"
The subsidized press is handi-
capped by the law requiring the sec
rotary of the state of Oregon to pub
lish and send to every registered
voter pamphlet containing the full
text of every measure to be voted on
with such arguments for and against
as may be offered and paid for nv
the advocates and opponents of the
measure; and these statements must
be signed
All of which means that the voters
of Oregon have too much power, in
the opinion of the corporation agents
and press. But the people go right
on, voting more power into their own
ho,
tempt of the nice kind gentlemen
who think they should control the
offices and make all the laws. Worst
of all the Oregon State Grange,
powerful organization of farmers,
meets once a year and indorses this
interference of the people with the
right of corporations to manage the
politics OF the state!
The Oregon State Grange, at its
annual meeting this year. unanimous
ly adopted resolutions urging all
grangers to study the science and
administration of government; to be
on guard against pre1udices. and al
ways on watch for new ideas that
can be adapted to Oregon conditions;
to have no fear of names, because
1.-The value of an idea cannot be les
sened or increased by branding it
government ownership" home rule
ar local OPTION" either in bonding
or taxation; to consider the proposal
rather than the proposer. because
the value of a suggestion cannot de-
pend on the popular name of those
who present it, whether they be call
ed republicans socialists, demo-
Gratis single takers or prohibition
lists"
In conclusion. the state grange
urges CHANGERS and all other voters of
Oregon under all circumstances and
at all times to advocate and vote for
every measure which will increase
the power of the people of Oregon
to control every department of their
government, especially in applying
inst methods of taxation and the pru-
dent spending of public money"
So the corporation papers are howl
ing that the state grange has gone
into politics, which means that the
grangers and the voters generally
are pushing the professional politi-
clan out of politics.