Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1911-04-20
PROVE NO BAR TO STATEHOOD
ON CONTRARY HE BELIEVES
THEY ARE ARGUMENTS FA-
voRING SOVEREIGNTY
TAKES A SHOT AT LORIMER
DENouNcEs CORRUPTION USED
IN ELECTION OF lLLlNolsAN
TO UPPER BODY

Washington, April 20.-Arizona's
right to statehood under the consti-
tuition which it has presented, found
strong advocate on the floor of the
United States senate today in the per-
son of Senator Works, California's
new member of the upper branch of
congress. In defending the Arizona
constitution he took occasion to warn
the republican party that unless 1t
should heed the demand made upon
it 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 ''to defeat
and final destruction and oblivion"
The real objection to the constitu-
tion, 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. refereE-
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-
tion of recall of judges, he said he
was heartily in favor of this way OF
getting rid Of incompetent or corrupt
public servants.
The senator touched on the Lori
mer case in connection with his plea
for honest politics. Senator Works was
named in the resolution introduced
at the present session by Senator
LaFollette calling for another investi
CATION of the Lorimer case, as chair
man of the committee of investiga
tion.
This widespread uprising against
the corruption that, if persisted In,
must eventually overthrow our rep
resentative form of government" he
said, 'is 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
evidence 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 elec-
ton of a member of this body was
procured by corrupt practices and the
bribery of votes in the legislature.
need not enter upon discussion OF
the evidence in that case. 1t is enough
to say that it was clearly and suf-
ficiently shown that corrupt practices
had been resorted to in the election
and that some votes had been pur-
chased.
T have cited the case," the senator
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.
1t 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. ssss
sIs there no way" he asked, "by
which such evil Influences may be
met and overcome? Some senators
here seem to think not. When the
people attempt to limit the power Of
their representatives and assume some
of that power themselves by ignoring
4 the unfaithful representative and act
ing directly at the polls. or by recall
ing him and substituting an honest
and faithful representative in his
place, the cry is raised that this
fort to control their own represY
CONTINUED on Pace FIv6f