by Richard van Pelt, WWI Correspondent
As with 2014, 1914 was a mid-term election year. Twenty-nine statewide ballot measures confronted voters, prompting this comment from an out-of-state visitor:
“How is it possible for the Oregon voter to digest all of the mass of legislation that is to be on your ballot here, so that he can vote intelligently when the election comes.”
****
“One thing that strikes me as a weakness in the initiative law of Oregon, is the fact that any dreamer, any freak, or any man with a grievance can proceed to put his peculiar ideas on the ballot in the shape of a bill for the people to vote on. This is absolutely wrong and it’s unfair to the voter to be compelled to differentiate between such a mass of proposed legislation.
****
“I had it in mind that someday I wanted to come back to Oregon and live, but I would hesitate to bring my little fortune into a state where the people abuse such a good thing as direct legislation by loading the ballot with all sorts of cranky, foolish measures.”
The day’s headlines from The Daily Capital Journal:
AWAITING RESULT AT DUNKIRK
While This Point Remains in Allies Possession Advance Is Dangerous
ARMY LARGER THAN THAT AT ANTWERP
If it Falls the Allies Rear Will Be Endangered and French Forts Exposed
TIDE OF BATTLE IS IN FAVOR OF ALLIES IN TODAY’S ACTIONS
Indications Are Germans Lost 30 Miles Gained by Hard Fighting
CHECKED AT WARSAW BUT STILL DENY IT
Allies Make Small Gains at Metz and Claim Others in Alsace
ALLIES CLAIM BEST OF TODAY’S FIGHT BEFORE DUNKIRK
Germans Make Series of Fierce Attacks and Fighting Is Desperate
ALLIES REGAINED THEIR FORMER LINE
It Is However Admitted the Germans Are Within Ten Miles of Dunkirk
