OBITUARY: Walla Walla, Washington, Union-Bulletin, Wednesday March 9, 1949: "William U'Ren Dies Tuesday.
"William S. U'ren, 90, who fought for political reform in Oregon that later became almost universal in the United States, died Tuesday.
"He had been near death for almost a month since a pneumonia attack.
"U'ren was credited with effecting Oregon adoption of the Australian ballot, the initiative, the referendum, the recall, the direct primary and the voter registration law. These were first adopted in the United States by Oregon and have since been recognized as basic political rights elsewhere in the union.
"He fought for the popular vote for selection of U.S. senators and directed the legislative battles in 1908 that made Oregon the first state to adopt the system. The late Senator William E. Borah of Idaho said at the passage of the 17th amendment to the U.S. constitution that U'ren was the man who did the initial spade work.
"He drew much of his idealism from work with the leaders of the populist party in the last decade of the 19th century. His most active years were between 1890 and 1908. He served but one legislative term, preferring to remain in the background to manage the legislative maneuvering.
"U'ren was a lawyer, first being admitted to practice in Colorado. He moved to Oregon in 1889 and operated a fruit farm before rising to prominence in Oregon politics.
"He was born in Lancaster, Wis., January 10, 1859. His widow, Mary, survives."
"William S. U'ren, 90, who fought for political reform in Oregon that later became almost universal in the United States, died Tuesday.
"He had been near death for almost a month since a pneumonia attack.
"U'ren was credited with effecting Oregon adoption of the Australian ballot, the initiative, the referendum, the recall, the direct primary and the voter registration law. These were first adopted in the United States by Oregon and have since been recognized as basic political rights elsewhere in the union.
"He fought for the popular vote for selection of U.S. senators and directed the legislative battles in 1908 that made Oregon the first state to adopt the system. The late Senator William E. Borah of Idaho said at the passage of the 17th amendment to the U.S. constitution that U'ren was the man who did the initial spade work.
"He drew much of his idealism from work with the leaders of the populist party in the last decade of the 19th century. His most active years were between 1890 and 1908. He served but one legislative term, preferring to remain in the background to manage the legislative maneuvering.
"U'ren was a lawyer, first being admitted to practice in Colorado. He moved to Oregon in 1889 and operated a fruit farm before rising to prominence in Oregon politics.
"He was born in Lancaster, Wis., January 10, 1859. His widow, Mary, survives."
OBITUARY: Walla Walla, Washington, Union-Bulletin, Wednesday March 9, 1949: "William U'Ren Dies Tuesday.
"William S. U'ren, 90, who fought for political reform in Oregon that later became almost universal in the United States, died Tuesday.
"He had been near death for almost a month since a pneumonia attack.
"U'ren was credited with effecting Oregon adoption of the Australian ballot, the initiative, the referendum, the recall, the direct primary and the voter registration law. These were first adopted in the United States by Oregon and have since been recognized as basic political rights elsewhere in the union.
"He fought for the popular vote for selection of U.S. senators and directed the legislative battles in 1908 that made Oregon the first state to adopt the system. The late Senator William E. Borah of Idaho said at the passage of the 17th amendment to the U.S. constitution that U'ren was the man who did the initial spade work.
"He drew much of his idealism from work with the leaders of the populist party in the last decade of the 19th century. His most active years were between 1890 and 1908. He served but one legislative term, preferring to remain in the background to manage the legislative maneuvering.
"U'ren was a lawyer, first being admitted to practice in Colorado. He moved to Oregon in 1889 and operated a fruit farm before rising to prominence in Oregon politics.
"He was born in Lancaster, Wis., January 10, 1859. His widow, Mary, survives."
"William S. U'ren, 90, who fought for political reform in Oregon that later became almost universal in the United States, died Tuesday.
"He had been near death for almost a month since a pneumonia attack.
"U'ren was credited with effecting Oregon adoption of the Australian ballot, the initiative, the referendum, the recall, the direct primary and the voter registration law. These were first adopted in the United States by Oregon and have since been recognized as basic political rights elsewhere in the union.
"He fought for the popular vote for selection of U.S. senators and directed the legislative battles in 1908 that made Oregon the first state to adopt the system. The late Senator William E. Borah of Idaho said at the passage of the 17th amendment to the U.S. constitution that U'ren was the man who did the initial spade work.
"He drew much of his idealism from work with the leaders of the populist party in the last decade of the 19th century. His most active years were between 1890 and 1908. He served but one legislative term, preferring to remain in the background to manage the legislative maneuvering.
"U'ren was a lawyer, first being admitted to practice in Colorado. He moved to Oregon in 1889 and operated a fruit farm before rising to prominence in Oregon politics.
"He was born in Lancaster, Wis., January 10, 1859. His widow, Mary, survives."
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
