The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1916-01-29

why and for what purpose Col.
Mulhall was imported to Wash
ington to influence the election of
a United States senatorY Turn
back to your September number
of Agricultural Grange News and
read that article on page 9 and
have these two read in connec-
tion.-C. B. Kegley.
Following is the item referred to by
League Chooses Senator Owen
as Champion to Meet Taft, Root
or Parker, Special Privilege
Servants.
Washington, Sept. 23.-Popu-
lar government, as distinct from
the kind of government advocated
by ex-President Taft and by all
supporters of special privilege and
political control in the interest
of the few, will again become an
issue in this country if the Ma
tional Popular Government
League can make it one.
The league, through it's execu-
tive committee, composed Of Sen
ator George w. Norris of Ne
braska, Frank P. Walsh, until re
Gently chairman of the federal
commission to investigate indus
trial relations; A. J. McKelway
and Lewis J. johnson, has chal-
lenged the National Association
for Constitutional Government to
discuss the whole question.
The National Association for
Constitutional Government was
formed to combat all propositions
looking to the removal of control
of government from the bene-
fciaries of special privilege to the
people themselves.
Former President Taft is
leading member and was one OF
41e organizers. Elihu Root is
also a member, as are Alton B.
Parker. ex-senator Burrows and
various other distinguished demo-
Gratis and republicans, who have
pledged themselves to see that
government shall be for the peo-
pie, but not Of or by the people.
The challenge suggests eX-Pres-
ident Taft, Elihu B. Root and AL
ton B. Parker as men who might
properly be chosen to discuss the
question of popular government,
and offers Senator Owen OF Okla
homa as the champion Of the
league.
Subjects for discussion pro-
posed by the league include the
desirability Of making it easier to
amend the constitution, and the
necessity of getting the initiative,
the referendum and the recall in
working shape, to make govern
ment representative of the peo-
pie instead of the special interests.
The letter of the league is ad-
dressed to David Jayne Hill,
chairman of the constitutional
government committee. 1t says
in part:
"You spoke Of the federal con
stitution in the words the exist
ing method of amending it being
deemed wise and adequate. We
hold that the present method is so
cumbersome and restricted as to
endanger peaceful progress, be-
cause it permits a small but pow
erful privileged minority to in
definitely block the adoption of
changes necessary to the general
welfare, long after such changes
are demanded by a majority OF
the people.
cit took ninety years to secure
the direct election Of United
States senators and it took eigh-
teen years of fighting to get the
income tax amended, during
which time the wealth Of the ma
ton escaped taxation in support
of the national government in a
sum estimated at not less than
$2,000,000,00O.
"In a word, we propose to
strengthen representative govern
ment by increasing the peoples s
control over it. You, if we cor
rectly infer your position, oppose
giving further power to the vot-
ers, and favor government by
elective oligarchies, recklessly
left exposed, as at present, to con-
4.ol L., r,,a,Llo ;,H,onoac -