Early Advocate of Initiatives and Referendums Favors Self Government

As Oregonians vote in this year’s presidential elections, they might ponder the work of William Simon U’Ren, an early advocate of Oregon election reform.
U’Ren, born in Wisconsin, settled in Milwaukie, Ore., in 1889.  Before coming to Oregon, he had already been a miner, newspaper editor, Republican Party worker and lawyer.  He formed the Oregon Direct Legislation League, which successfully advocated a constitutional amendment to allow initiatives and referendums, which won approval in 1901.  That gained him the nickname of “Referendum U’ren.”
He and other reformers sponsored dozens of successful initiatives.  In 1908, initiatives made Oregon the first state to popularly elect U.S. senators and empowered voters to recall elected officials.  An initiative in 1912 gained women the right to vote.
Oregon held 318 statewide initiatives between 1904 and 2000, a national record.
Someone once said U’ren’s political wheeling and dealing in favor of initiatives and referendums might send him to purgatory.  He reportedly replied “I’d go to hell for the people of Oregon!”
A bronze plaque in front of the Clackamas County Courthouse honors U’Ren as “father of Oregon’s enlightened system of government.”