The Washington herald., 1914-09-28
UNITED TO Fight
MACHINE BOSSES
National Popular Government
League Wars on Sullivan
8 and Penrose!
CLAIM CROOKED POLITICS
Nominees Have 100000 Fund to
Buy Election to Senate. is An
other Charge Made.
CLAIM CROOKED POLITICS

Roger Sullivan. of Illinois, and Senator
Bois Penrose. of Pennsylvania. are de-
nounced in a statement issued last night
by the National Popular Government
League, the president of which Is Sena-
tor Robert L. Owen of Oklahoma, chair
maj of the Banking and Currency Com
mittee.
The statement. signed by the ofhcers
and advisory board of the league. an
nounces that the organization will do
everything in its power to oppose Sulli-
van the Democratic nominee for Sena-
tor, and Penrose. a candidate for re-
election.
The league charges, among other things
that 1900, 900 is ready for use to secure
the election of Sullivan and Penrose. The
statement follows:
Menace to Government.
THE National Popular Government
League will actively oppose the election
to the United States Senate Of BoIes
Penrose, Republican machine boss of
Pennsylvania, and Roger Sullivan. Demo-
cratic machine boss Of Illinois, upon the
grounds that their success is a menace
to popular government, State and ma
tional
''The action has been taken in response
TO the requests of friends of popular gov
ernment in all parties from both States
after careful deliberation and after the
proposal had been overwhelmingly in
dorsed by the officers. members. and
officers Of constituent organizations of the
league. II has been represented to US
by dependable citizens of these States:
That both Penrose and Sullivan Sc
cured their nominations through the in
huence of enormous expenditures of
money by their supporters and through
the sinister power Of the bipartisan ma
chimes.
That their success at the primaries was
promoted by defective, machine-made pri-
mary laws which deny the secrecy of the
Australian ballot, initiate against the
freedom Of the voters and permit skill
full frauds to be perpetrated.
That II Senator Norris resolution Is
passed by the Senate and an investIga-
ton Of these two primaries take place,
the results will shock the nation.
100000 to Spend.
That an enormous sum of money, es-
timated at S1.oo0.Ooo, is ready to be spent.
il necessary, to elect them to the Sen
ate, while because Of the peculiar or
ganization Of the Senate the rules would
give each Of them an enormous Infiu
ence.
THAT both had behind them the sup
port, direct and indirect, OF the special
interests in these States
That they both have been for years
persistent enemies Of the popular govern
ment system
That the followers Of Sullivan, in col
lusion with those of Lorimer. in 1911, and
again in 1913. prevented the submission
Of the initiative and referendum and the
enactment of a corrupt practice act by
the Illinois legislature, after these meas
ures had been twice promised In both
party platforms and approved by the
people by a vote OF over three to one.
That, likewise, the followers OF Pen
rose in 1911, by the gavel. prevented the
submission Of the initiative and referen-
dunn in Pennsylvania, and that they de-
feated 1t again in 1913.
Both men have repeatedly violated
their party platform, acted in direct op-
position to the demonstrated will of the
people and have no moral right to claim
the allegiance Of The rank and file of
any political party. nor to ask the peo-
pie to entrust them with responsible pub
lie positions, no matter what their plat
form promises may be-
Oppose Crooked Politics.
I'VE. therefore. are of the belief that
the issue transcends all party lines and
that it is the duty Of all good citizens
to disregard party preJudices and to unite
in opposition to the alliance between
crooked business and crooked politics,
which today threatens the very founda-
tons of government by the people We
ask the moral and financial support OF
friends of progress throughout the ma
ton that we may be able successfully to
aid the people in their efforts to over
throw 'Sullivanism' in Illinois, Pen
roseism' in Pennsylvania, and the infiu-
ence of the system at Washington.
"(SignedD
THE NATIONAL POPULAR
GOVERNMENT LEAGUE.
Robert J. Owen. president; Moses E.
Clapp vice president: George W. Norris,
chairman. executive committee.
'Judson King. executive secretary;
Robert Crosser James Manahan, Dr. A
McKelway, Washington, D. C: NJ. Clyde
Kelly, Prof. Lewis J. Johnson, Cam
bridge, Mass: George P. Hampton. secre-
tary National Conference Progressive
States Oranges; William ]. Johnston,
president International Association Of Ma
chinists; DR.. John R. Haynes, Los An
geles. Cal; Herbert Quick, Berkeley
Springs, w. Va; Lieut. C. P. Shaw,
Norfolk. Va: Charles H. IngersoIl, New
York; John B. Fackler, Cleveland. and
Western Starr. Westover, Nd. advisory
board"
The Senate Committee on Privileges
and Elections: which is considering the
Norris resolution, will meet next Wednes-
day and then probably will come to a
decision. 1t is understood the resolution
will be reported, although there is no
doubt whether the investigation will be
ordered before the November elctions.
Part of the evidence Of large expenditnres