Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1913-06-03
THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE?

Three additional referendum petit
tions were filed with Secretary of
State 0lcott Saturday. They are aim
ed at the county attorney bill, the
workmen S compensation act and the
sterilization bill. All of which simply
goes to show that it is possible to
secure signatures for anything in
Oregon. All that is necessary is
time and money Practically every
fellow you meet will sign any petit
tion you ask him to, but the work
goes much more rapidly in the ten
derloin districts in cities, for the
reason that the population is more
condensed and drinks are easy The
referendum was designed as a means
to give the people an opportunity to
pass upon legislation. The plain
people were to be asked to say
whether or not they wanted a certain
law or measure, and the idea was
hailed as the nearest approach to
popular government that had been
devised. 1t looked well and sounded
better, yet we now have the assur-
ance of men who are in a position
to know, that the reference of the
compensation bill has been done by
the money of the foreign casualty
companies. aided and abetted by the
ambulance chasing lawyers. There
can be no question about the atti-
tude of the people of Oregon regard
ing this law The great majority of
them want it. The workingmen
want it. The employers of labor
want it. 1t was carefully drawn af-
ter a commission composed of lead
ing manufacturers and representa- /
tives of the laboring interest had
spent months in thorough investi- |
CATION of the matter, and the in
spection of the compensation Of 9th
err states and the experience of other
states with such laws. The law
which passed the recent legislature
was admitted to be as nearly perfect
as ii was possible to make any meas
ure where the interests affected were
so widespread 1t encountered no
opposition worthy the name and II
was hailed as a means whereby the
men who earn their living by the
sweat of their face, were to be made
independent and not susceptible to
the wiles and the chicanery of the
unpriucipled corporation or the pet
tifogger.
But the workmen's compensation
act on the statute books and in force
would practically put the casualty
companies out of business. 1t would
force the ambulance chasers to get
out and make an honest living and
IL would raise havoc generally with
the present system Of bleeding the
corporations and bluffing the work
men and the injured. 1t would place
the state ON an equality with sister
states which have adopted the same
plan years ago and who are pleased ;
with its practical workings.
But, under the peculiar construct
ion Of the state constitution, il is
possible for the casualty corpora
tions to oppose their power to the
will of the people. and hold up this ,
legislation at least until the special .
election called by statute for the ;,
coming fall It is questionable. fur :
ther, whether this election will be
held. Ii will not be, if the interests !.
which are behind the reference of "
the compensation act and the univer-
Sity appropriations can prevent it. !,
Parkison has started the ;,
of law seeking to have .
The measure declared unconStitution-
al, for, only in that way, can he hold :
mp the Oregon State University for :
Two years more. n
Thus il may be seen that the cauS-
laity companies and ParkiSon are
greater than the people Of the state G.,
md that the simple matter Of secur- tl
ne a few signatures 10 a petition. ii
he nature Of which probably not 50 u,
'er cent Of those who signed them m
we're familiar, or cared a continental. in
5 sufficient to hold up legislation in an
Is it probable that the sir
'eople Of Oregon viii consent 20 be AZ
"A by the nose by this man Park on
on and by the representatives Of IN
be causuality companies who have IN
rown rich of the earnings Of the 10
in our factories. mills Pa
nd logging eampsi The Observer tic
PES not believe il. We do not be- inl
eve that even the insurance people en-
: Parkison himself expect % defeat pr
ther the compensation act or the be,
diversity appropriation. bat they 40
low they viii he able % hold them ne.
, until fall and. in the event that ne
z proposed special referendum ize
setion shall b. declared unconstitu- Is
nal Cor two years. Of
shane On = system that permits her