The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1912-08-21
OREGON REFERENDUM FRAUDS

Oregon is state that mas TAKEN
the lead In the progressive" inltla-
tive and referendum, with the result
that it has more election agitation
and complication in that state than
sny other state in the Union. In sew
eral instances by the referendum
node of making laws. conflicting acts
have been placed on the statute
books. and one instance OF attempt
ed direct legislation has proved sean
dalous. Under the Oregon law new
statute can be enacted or an existing
statute can be amended or repealed
bv referendum vote. To secure a
r. ferendum. il is only necessary un-
der the initiative plan 10 present a
petition signed by a certain per cent
OF voters. In Lane county, Oregon.
there was a fight between the towns
OF Eugene and Cottage Grove for the
distinction OF being the county seat
and Eugene won in the contest The
people of Cottage Grove, the defeat
ed town, felt gfeatiy aEgrleYed- ana
some of them conceived the idea oil
wreaking a revenge By having the ap-
preparation for the state university,
which is located in Eugene. cut of.
TO accomplish this, petition was cir
culated asking that the question OF
the appropriation for the university
ne put on the referendum ballot. Bat,
being unable TO secure enough sigma
t,srss 10 the petition in their imme-
diate locality. the promoters OF the
movement established headquarters
IN Portland hiring d manager to send
cut agents and secure signatures, who
resorted to forgery and fraud. The
validity of the petition was attacked
and the matter was carried into the
courts The investigated showed
that out Of the thirte1n thousand sig
natures to the petition. more than D.
900 were fraudulent. The Oregon su-
p-eme court said in its opinion:
THAT there was no general ana
spontaneous desire on the part of the
general public to withhold the appro-
lfiation from the university soon be-
came apparent. and the promoters
we're compelled TO employ an atu0aney
to secure the necessary signatures.
This in itself was not an unusual
course, as it is difficult TO find citl-
zens who are so devoted r. th"'r
principles as to be willing to circu-
late such petitions without compensa-
ton They employed mr. ratA4lIsu.4,
ue Portland who undertook to pro
cure such signatures for three and
half cents name. He employed a
large number OF circulators, who
uent forth into the highways and by
ways to procure signatures. Seven of
these at least devised an easy meth
Of OF earning their money, They
would get together, mass around their
petitions, each si~<Ag a few names
in a disguised hand. thus minimiz
ing the chance of detection These
fcrgeries were clearly proved.
In the present case these signatures
are admitted By the pleadings to be
torgeries. though they were filed in
the secretary Of states office as a
part Of the original petition"
Nevertheless. despite this forgery
and fraud. enough Of the signatures
were supposed to be honest to meet
the requirements of the law, and the
appropriation issue will be allowed
10 20 on the referendum ballots. thus |
keeping the university out of needed
funds for year untli he matta~ III
be passed upon by popular vote Of the /.
state Ar PARK nson who. Wtn O.n-
ers, was censured By the supreme (
court for his wrong doing has posed /
prominently as an advocate OF good |
government and an apostle OF the !
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