Rock Island Argus., 1911-04-20
Senator Works UphoIds
the Arizona COnsti-
tuition.
PRAISES THE RECALL
Declares Popular Will, if Ex-
pressed, Will End LegiS-
Iative Corruption.

Washington. April 20-Arizon's right
to statehood under the constitution
which it has presented found a strong
advocate on the floor of the United
States senate today in the person of
Senator Works, California's new mem
ber.
In defending the Arizona constitution
he took occasion TO warn the republi-
can party that unless it should heed the
demand made upon 1t for an endorse
ment of the initiative, referendum and
recall. earnestly demanded by an over
whelnting majority of our people of all
political parties" the party would go
down Ito defeat and final destruction
and oblivion"
REAL OBJECTION PLAIN.
The real objection to the consti-
tuition, he declared, was "one phase
of the struggle that has been go
ing on in this country between the
common people and the privileged,
self-seeking interests, affecting the
right to govern the nation, the state
and the municipalities"
The initiative, referendum and re-
call, provided for in the Arizona con-
stitution 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 ex-
ception OF recall Of judges, he said
he was heartily in favor of this way
of getting rid of incompetent or
corrupt public servants.
TOUCHES LORIMER CASE.
The senator touched on the Lori
mer case in connection with his plea
for honest politics. Senator Works
was named in the resolution intro
duced at the present session by Sen
ator LaFollette calling for another
investigation of the Lorimer case,
as chairman of the committee of in
vestigation.
This. widespread uprising against
the corruption that. if persisted in,
must eventually overthrow our rep
resentative form of government" he
said, lis founded upon the most con-
vincing evidence that corruption is
eating at the very vitals of the re-
public and threatening the perpetu-
ity of our free Institutions We need
not go outside of this chamber to
find evidence of this fact. The pages
Of the congressional record of the
past few months will disclose a con-
dition that has brought the whole
nation to shame.
CORRUPTION SHOWN.
1T was charged that the election
Of a member of this body was pro-
cured by corrupt practices and the
bribery of votes in the legislature
I need not enter upon a discussion
Of the evidence in that case. 1t is
enough to say that il was clearly and
sufficiently shown that corrupt prac-
tices had been resoFted to in the cleo
tion and that some votes had been
purchased.
Il have cited the case" the sena-
tor continued, Ito show why the
people of this country may Justly
claim a larger share in the election
Of their officers and the control of
legislation. II is one out of hun
dreds of cases where corrupt and IL
legal influences have been brought
TO bear to control elections and the
enactment of legislation detrimental
TO the public at large.
RAISE FALSE CRY.
rs there no way he asked, "by
which such evil influences may be
met and overcome? Some senators
here seem 10 think not When the
people attempt to limit the power
of their representatives. and assume
some of that power themselves by
ignoring the unfaithful representa-
tives and acting directly a. the polls.
or by recalling him and substitu-