East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-09-19
PETERsoN's PLEDGE.
Milton. ore, Sept. Il. 1s1

Milton. Ore. Sept. II, 1910.
To the Editor East Oregonian:
l understand that there is some diff
ference of opinion as to how l stand
with reference to Statement No. l, and
for that reason, desire to say through
the columns of your paper that /
stand first, last and all the time for
the principle enunciated by State
ment No. /. l have subscribed to a
pledge set forth in my declaration
filed with the county clerk on the S0th
day of August, 1910, which l shall al
ways consider more binding than the
formal Statement No. l.
The direct primary law of which
Statement No. l is a part was enact
ed by the people in June, 1904. by a
majority of S9931 votes, and State
| ment No l reads as follows: 81 fur
ther state to the people of oregon as
well as to the people of my legisla-
tive district, that during my term of
| office. 1 will always vote for that
candidate for United States senator in
congress who has received the high
est number of the peoples votes for
that position at the general election
next preceding the election of a sem
ator in congress, without regard to
my individual preference"
Under the law of 1904. the candi-
date need not take the statement un-
less he so desired-it was not COM
pulsory, and in June, 1908, a still
stronger law was enacted by the peo-
pie by majority of 4S,506 votes
| 20
make the principle of Statement No.
compulsory. The law referred to
reads as follows:
''Be it ordained by the people of the
State of Oregon: Section l Thai
we, the people of the state of Ore
gon hereby instruct our representa-
tives and senators in our Legislative
assembly, as such officers, to vote fol
and elect the candidates for United
States from this state who receive!
the highest number of votes at oul
general elections"
Therefore Statement No / is now
intended by the people TO be compul-
sorry and 1 contend that all candidates
for the legislature should take anc
file a pledge to carry out the Will OF
the people in the election of United
States senators, and this is precisel,
what | have done. / am absolutely
pledged to carry out the will of the
people as instructed by them in thC
law of 1905, which makes Statement
No. l the law. Statement No, l a:
enacted in 1904. proved not to be le'
gally binding but only morally bind
ing, and after four years trial, the
people by a still greater majority en-
acted the latter law above referred
to, and if the candidate pledges him
self by a written and filed pledge a!
I have done to absolutely carry ou
the latter statute, l fail to see how j
is possible for him to make
a more binding pledge, and l wisf
to repeat it for the information
of those who do not know my position
on this matter, that my pledge shall
always be considered by me as abso
mtely binding upon me to carry gu
without hesitation the principle enun
ciated by Statement No. /. as enacted
by the people in June 1908.
Hence I am not only firm belieY
, er in Statement No. /, but shall stanC
by the statute enacted by the peopl,
, in 1908 by the Overwhelming majorit.
of ASSOC cotes making it obligator,
upon each member of the Legislature
5 10 vote ior and elect the people
choice for United states senator.
r Sincerely yours,
n PETERSON