The Washington times., 1911-01-25
Peoples Rule" Idea Con-
fiscated by New Pro-
T., gressive League.
SUBJECT HAS LONG
\ BEEN HIS HOBBY
For Many Moons He Has Shouted
the Doctrine Through
- Senate Halls.

The Honorable Robert Latham Owen,
A. M, Ii. D., a Senator from Okla.
homa, has been frisked.
But a few short and heetinc days
agone, the Hon. Owen was full of po-
liticaI doctrine and dogma of which he
was the undisputed proprietor. 1t
oulged from his every pocket, it filled
his utterances from the forum, and,
safeguarded by the potent espionage of
MS Senatorial frank, it more or less
ciuttered up the United States mails.
The Hon. owen, be it known, was the
originator Of the modern manifestation
Of that school of political doctrine which
has become known as 1.-The peoples
rule" He was for the people when no.
body else knew they existed: at least,
when nobody else recognized them as
an available asset that could be cashed
In at the central bank of political ex-
change.
He vas head Of "an advisory COM
mttee' which long ago put forth liter
AZURE proposing that the LEADERS of
democracy organize themselves into
great national movement for the pro-
mitigation of certain reforms calculated
10 restore to the people the right to run
the country. He wrote literature, cir
culated it, talked It into the Record so
that it could be franked, and got busy
IN a myriad of ways. He didn't say
much about his organized activities, but
ne was busy all the time.
Talked to Both Sides.
He talked to Republicans and Demo-
Gratis alike about the desirabilfty of
having the people take a larger part
In the Government. He was for real
primaries, for popular election of Sena-
lors' for the initiative, referendum, re-
CALL short ballot and all those things,
before anybody else had thought of
mentioning them in public.
But today, the Hon. Owen is a bank
rupt. He has been held up, and the
entire scheme of popular government
mas been taken off his person.
The National Progressive RepubIican
League has done the business. II an
propriated the owen program. put an
insurgent label on 1t, and flashed II
lorth to the country as the project of
the progressive wing of the RepubIican
party. Senator Owen is wondering inst
What is left for him. But he doesn't
worry much.
q Willing to Furnish the Thunder.
Haven't these progressive RenubIic-
ans stolen all your thunder" was asked |
Of Senator Owen, Just after the new
league had thundered forth it's declara- |
ton OF intent to fix things right.
Perhaps they have" was the sor-
rowful reply, but am always WILLING
TO have anybody steal the text Of the
len Commandments from me. They'll
DO him more good than the theft can
possibly do me HARM
senator Owen has been a people's
rule advocate since before the Hodges
were huhg, whoever they were and
Wherever eb mat was, He made speeches
started propagating the idea And,
ODDLY enough, he doesn't claim that the
democratic party has a copyright on
me ldea. He isn't concerned because
me hrst formal organization to take IN
the idea and make a big splash over II |
Is a Republican. He is pleased half to
oeath because a new crowd has discoy-
ever his scheme of making the people |
the real bosses of this country,
The owen program was put out manv
months ago, and the fact that it is now
being pushed forward by a groun of
republicans is regarded by Senator
owen as merely an evidence that the |
program is one that cannot fail to
gather up followers wherever tits talked |
about He opines that Democrats and |
Republicans are all people, and as his |
game is to get the people interested in |
IN scheme, he is glad to get all kinds of |
them active.
Believes People Should Boss.
His scheme includes everything the
Progressive Republican League has nut
forth in its platform. and still more, |
owen would have publicity Of campaign
contributions before election, and he he
lieves further that the public treasury
might we'll contribute the campaign |
funds, and permit free use of the mails
for distribution of proper campaign lit !
erature. The idea of questioning candi-
dates before nominating them is in his |
project. In short, he doesn't care a |
cent whether anybody does any bossing
at all-except the people.
Well, of course, with a program of |
that kind, which he has been circulating
and talking about for few years back, |
he was a bit disconnected when he |
found that the Republican progressives |
had taken it all over. But he bore up |
hravely.
Says Program Will Win.
Everybody will be taking it up pretty
soon," he declared. II am glad to see |
Republicans coming in. 1t is the pro-
gram that will win
Senator Owens organization, including |
prominent Democrats-Senators, gov
ernors, editors, publicists-all over the
country will soon elect officers and put [
out a pronouncement which will prob
ably be a remarkable parallel to the |
National Progressive Republican League
statement, and to the declarations of
Theodore Roosevelt in his late Outlook
article. Democrats and Republicans,
imbued with this peoples rule idea,
don't mind working together. They ex-
pect to get the country, and they are
going to be very busy between now and
the national conventions of next year.
The peoples rule Democrats are
against Harmon; the peoples rule Re-
publicans are against Taft.
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