El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-04-20
WORKSSPEAKS
FOR ARIZONA
IN SENATE
He Declares the Initiative
And Recall Is Popular De
mand Now.
TOUCHES UPON THE
CASE OF LORIMER

Washington, D. c.. April 20.-Ari-
ona's right to statehood under the con-
stitution which it has presented found
a strong advocate on the floor of the
United States senate today in
the person of senator Works, Califor-
MAS new member of the upper house
Of congress. In defending the Arizona
constitution, he took occasion to warn
the Republican party that unless 1t
should heed the demand made upon II
for an endorsement of the initiative,
referendum and recall, earnestly de-
manded by an overwhelming majority
of our people of all political parties.
the party would go down Ito defeat
and final destruction and oblivion
The real objection to the constitu-
ton. he declared, was lone phase Of
the struggle that has been going on
in this country between the common
people and the privileged, self-seeking
interests affecting the right to gov
ern the nation. the state and the mu-
inequalities" The initiative, referen-
dunn and recall provided for in the
Arizona constitution and already in
force in some states of the union. was
one method the people were taking,
he asserted, of trying to blot out cor
ruption in politics. With the excep-
ton of recall Of judges, he said he
was heartily in favor of this way Of
getting rid of incompetent or corrupt
public servants.
Touches On LOrimer Case.
The senator touched on the Liromer
case in connection with his plea for
honest politics. Senator Works was
named in the resolution introduced
at the present session by senator La
I'll FOR inv
ton Of the Lorimer case, as chairman
of the committee of investigation.
This widespread uprising against
the corruption that, if persisted in,
must eventually overthrow our repre-
sentative form of government" he
said, sis founded upon the most con-
vincing evidence that corruption is
eating at the very vitals Of the re-
public and threatening the perpetuity
of our free institutions. We need not
go outside Of this chamber to find evil
dence of this fact. The pages Of the
Congressional Record Of the past few
months will disclose a condition that
has brought the whole nation to
shame 1t was charged that the, cleo
ton Of a member of this body was
procured by corrupt practices and the
bribery of votes in the legislature I
need not enter upon discussion of
the evidence in that case It is enough
to say that it was clearly and suffi-
GENTLY shown that corrupt practices
had been resorted to in the election
and that some votes had been pur-
chased.
ct have cited the case" the sena-
tor continued, ito show why the peo-
pie of this country may justly claim
a larger share in the election of their
officers and the control Of legislation.
It is one out of hundreds of cases
where corrupt and illegal influences
have been brought to bear to control
elections and the enactment of legis-
lation detrimental to the public at
large.
rs there no way" he asked, ''by
which such evil influences may be met
and overcome? Some senator's here
seem TO think not When the people
attempt to limit the power of their
representa- tives and assume some Of
that power themselves by, ignoring the
unfaithful representative and acting
directly at the polls. or by recalling
him and substituting an honest and
faithful representative in his place the
cry is raised that this effort to con-
troll their own representatives and
their own government is a violation
of the constitution of the United
States and an encroachment upon the
principles Of our representative form
of government.
The Sole Objection.
That is the issue which confronts
US today. The proposed constitution
of Arizona provides for the initiative.
referendum and recall. Objection is
made TO the admission of this territory
as a state on this ground and this
alone
Senator Works then attempted to
prove by references from supreme court
decisions, and other legal and political
opinions, that the people of Arizona