The new age. [volume], May 05, 1906, Image 4

About The new age. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1896-1905

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Hortland New Age
Dffice 4314 Second St., cor. Ash, Rooms 1 and 2
Portiand, Oregon.
Entered atthe postoffice at Portland, Oregon,
@8 second-class matter,
SUBSCRIPTION.
Ome Year, payable in advance............ 52.00
EDITORIAL
PETTY POLITICS IN THE GOVERN-
OR’S OFFICE.
The good people of Oregon have a
keen eye on the official conduct of
Governor Geo. E. Chamberlain. They
watched with a noteworthy degree of
approval the beginning of his course
as chief executive of the state. He
was then apparently untrammeled by
political entanglements. He was free
to act independently of the bosses.
His ante-election promises were yet
fresh in his mind; and he seemed
honorably Jisposed to respect them.
But gradually a change came o’er his
official dreami. It was disturbed not
infrequently by a political nightmare
too strong to repel by a wave of the
executive hand. It obstructed the
peaceful progress of his well-begun
career at times, occasionally prompt
ing his friends in all jparties to ques
tion the motive of his apparent change
g of heart in the matter of directing the
progress of important affairs of state.
However, nothing has occurred in
the official career of Governor Cham
berlain to distract the people of the
state so seriously as the paltriness of
his excuse for refusing to call a spe
cial session of the legislature for the
purpose of appropriating money for
" * the relief of that great mass of suf
fering humanity huddled together in
_ the storm and fire and smoke aboutl
: the ruined and quaking walls of San
fi Francisco, dying of starvation and ex
| posure and calling piteously to the
world for help and protection. Thou
| ! sands of Oregon people and their rel
¥ atives were among the suffering and
i dying; and yet the much-lauded gov
.. . ernor of this great commonwealth sat
placidly in his easly,-"chair at Salem,
* .__d<af tc The outcrids for help and mer-
Aoy from mangled and homeless men,
i women and children alike. Individ
uals were delving deep into their pock
i ets for means of relief for those in
such dire distress; but not a reassur
, ing word from the state; not a move
ment by the governor to intimate that
he was ready and willing to help offi
cially to assist them. The state of
Oregon was never, in all its history,
so shamelessly discredited by lack of
official intercession; its people were
never so shocked by such a display
;“_\. of caloused indifference on the part
of its executive officer. Will they for
get it in the noise and uproar of a
political campaign? We shall see!
Senators Charles A. Fulton and
John M. Gearin telegraphed to Gov
ernor Chamberlain from Washington,
urgently requesting him to call a spe
cial session of the Oregon legislature
for the purpose of helping to roliove‘
the distressed and ruined people of
_our sister state; but, demagogue x‘hat‘
| he is, Chamberlain refused to do so
)on the petty ground that the legisla
; ture is Republican and it might take
advantage of the situation to elect a
successor to Senator Gearin, whom he
. had appointed on the death of Senator
{ John H. Mitchell.
; Do the people of Oregon want bet
% ter evidence than that of the dema
.f'if. gogic character of Governor Cham
‘LJ berlain? Does not that circumstance
#¥ aione show that our chief executive's
e office at Salem is at this time con
trolled and directed absolutely by pet
: ty politics?
If nothing else could disturb him, the
great Carifornia calamity should have
awakened Chamberlain from his politi
cal nightmare and caused him to help
officially in the work of sending aid to
the thousands of sufferers in our
neighbor state. But he sat there like
a sphinx, insensible to his duty and
. . » . deaf to the appeals‘ for help, because,
f forsooth, the Republican legislature
. might avail itself of the opportunity
2 to elect a successor to a Democratic
. senator from this state!
% There was no danger that the leg
islature would have done anything of
'the kind. It is composed of men of
character—men whose hearts, for the
most part, are filled with charity;
men who heard and heeded the cry
for assistance and who yearned for
an opportunity to render it; but Gov
ernor Chamberlain put up his official
palm against the appeal for help, shut
his official eyes and again lapsed into
his political slumber.
Senators Fulton and Gearin were
actuated solely by honorable and hu
manitarian motives in their request
‘that the governor call a special ses
tsion speedily in this great emergency.
‘What was the motive that actuated
!Governor Chamberlain in refusing to
’hear their request? The motive that
actuates the petty politician, having
‘once tasted the flavor of official pap,
to become a demagogue and a cheap par
tisan cheat. Hisexcuse was that of the
grasping politician whose greed for
office is greater than his love for suf
fering humanity—a cheap, narrow
politician whose conception of public
office is limited to the bulk of his lust
for personal agrandizement.
Chamberlain is a Southerner whose
sympathies are yet with the South
and, therefore, little may be expected
from him here; but this one gigantic
official blunder, suggested solely by
the paltriest kind of petty politics,
cannot be overlooked by the voters
of the state of Oregon in the present
campaign. It portrays the men’s
character too clearly to warrant their
trusting him again with such a respon
sibility.
FOCI OF THE BATTLE.
, That the main fight of the June cam
paign will be concentrated on sc¢nator
!and governor is now even morg a‘p
!pa'rent. and certain than it was before
|the primaries—when it was clear
'enough. The Republican candidates
Ifor state offices, except governor, will
lbe elected without a struggle, and as
a matter of course. But there will be
'a. tremendous effort to re-elect Cham
|berlain governor, and to defeat
!Bourne, the regular legal Republican
!nominee for senator, with Gearin, who
'it must be admitted, politics aside, is
'a strong, capable, worthy man. Over
|thesse two offices will be the battle of
‘the campaign, and it will be a warm
!and interesting one.
’ The New Age sees no good reason
for Republicans failing to support and
!vote for Dr. Withycombe for govern
or. As it has repeatedly said, he is a
man entirely qualified for the posi
'tion, and won the nomination fairly
and squarely in contest with a num
'ber of well-known and able Republi
lcan aspirants. He is not and never
has been a factionist, only a quiet,
’loyal Republican in the ranks, always
lfaitht‘ul to the party and to what he
’conceivod to be his duty to his state
and county. He always abided by the
will of the majority of his party and
the people, believing that the majori
ty should rule and that progress and
peace Were- preferable to wrangling
and strife. This is undoubtedly a
heavily Republican state; it ought to
have a Republican governor, and so
retake its place politically where it
belongs, ‘
It is asserted and reiterated that
factional strife has ceased and that‘
party unity and harmony have lwcn!
restored. If so, if these be not false
professions and pretenses, then Mr.:
Withycombe will be elected by a large
majority, beyond a doubt, because no
‘body doubts that he is honest, capa
jble and worthy.
| WA
Is Portland a Republican city? Is!
Portland, although more than three-i
fourths of its voters are really Re-;
publicans, to be classed hereafter as |
a Democratic city? It has now a
Democratic district attorney and may-!
or, and hasn't it gone far enough ing
that direction? Should the Republi-i
cans of this city not pull themselves
together, if Republicanism means any- |
thing at all, on this leading and most }
important or notable state office, and
give Mr. Withycombe a big rousing |
majority here? '
We think this is a duty of Republi
cans, as such, and we believe they are
going to perform it |
If party amounts to any
thing at all, now is the time in thisl
case to show it. If professions of par
ty unity and harmony are not utter]y‘
insincere and false, now is the time to |
prove this to a waiting state and‘
countiry.
’ As to senator, the case is more com"
plicated. That there will be a Repub
lican groundswell against Mr. Bourne
ieverybody knows; what nobody yet
'knows is its scope, extent, force and
;e;fiect. The difference between this
‘omce and the governorship is that as
'to the latter the June election will set
‘tle the matter definitely and absolute
-Iy, but as to the senatorship the leg
iislature is the final arbiter, and not
‘withstanding the signature of “State
'ment No. 1”7 or what not, there is lia
‘ble to be a hot kettle of fish on fry
in Salem. next winter.
It may be that if, as will almost cer
tainly be the case, the legislature has
a large Republican majority, Mr.
IBourne, as the popular nominee, by a
‘small plurality, will be elected with
lout opposition or friction, but this
‘seems not to be expected by anybody.
lßesides, a probably stronger minority
than usual there certainly will be a
lconsiderable number of Republican
members opposed to the election of
Mr. Bourne, and some, perhaps, who
will carry their opposition to an ex
treme point. It is within the range
'of possibilities that these opposing
'elements may combine so as to defeat
’the Republican nominee.
l On the other hand, having received
‘the nomination under the primary law,
?Mr. Bourne will undoubtedly claim the
’ofiice and insist upon his election by
the legislature. If he hasn’t votes
ienough to accomplish this, he almost
certainly will have enough to prevent
the election of any one else, and to
make trouble of various kinds for his
opponents. If he could “hold up” the
legislature some years ago, and pre
vent an organization and all legislation,
as he is credited or charged with do
ing, surely he could do the same now,
if he chose to pursue similar tactics.
But all this is as yet nebulous in em
bryo. After the June election and its
results are scanned and analyzed, we
can tell much better what is likely to
happen at Salem next winter, though
even then there may be a good deal
of guesswork about it. |
I The only other office about which
there is any doubt, or that will be
‘contested warmly and strongly, in
'thls county, is that of Sheriff. The
'present sheriff, a Democrat, was
lswept into office two years ago on the
.crest of a wave of ‘“moral reform,”
ibut won not so much after all on that
’account as because his opponent was
'looked upon and generally considered
:as a chronic pap-sucker and grafter.
tHow well Sheriff Word has lived up
'to promises and the anticipations of
'his ardent supporters we shall take
joccasion to notice more particularly
:her(.-aftcr. It may be said at this time,
‘however, that he no doubt was direct
i]y instrumental in breaking up public
’gambling in Portland, but it might be
added that any sheriff would have
been forced to do the same by public
sentiment, or at least that no sheriff
in future could allow open and “li-1
‘consed" gambling such as was carriedl
'on under the Williams and former ad-‘
lminislrations. As to strict and cour-f
‘ageous enforcement of all laws, we '
xhave casually noticed that saloons are:
fal] open on Sunday, contrary to law. We
!aro not saying here that it would bei
'wise to try to have a tightly-closed
town in this respect, only suggesting
;tllat it is not quite consistent for the
ladmirers of the sheriff to claim too
much, or hold him up as a demigod
‘ot official virtue and effectiveness. '
| However, around these points——|
‘governor, senator and sheriff—will
icente«- the fight on the first Monday
fin June, and between now and then.'
Incidentally to the senatorial fight,
!there may also be some deflection of!
votes from Republican candidates for
the legislature, here and in other
counties, and it would not be surpris
ing if an unusual number of Demo- -
crats slipped in throughout the state: L
yet we apprehend that the legislature ;
will be strongly Republican, as usual, ‘
and that the electionof any Democratic
candidate from this county is improb- |
able. Still, as has been remarked, pol- 1
itics is an uncertain business, and ,
nobody can be absolutely sure in ad- ‘
vance of what will happen. Q‘
—— |‘
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND THE t
NEGRO. |
| €
The New Age heartily endorses the °
following editorial expression on the
'above subject from the pen of Editor
.Chase of the Washington Bee. It is
worthy of careful perusal and con
sideration by every colored citizen in
terested in the wellbeing and advance
'ment of his race:
l “The colored people in this country
have been considering the invitation
'extended to them to join the Catholic
'church. This proposition is being se
riously considered by some of the
leading representatives of the col
‘ored race. It is argued that the Cath
‘olic church is less prejudiced to the
:Negro than any other denomination in
‘the world. It is also true that most
all other denominations have adopted
'rules and passed resolutions to bar
‘out the Negro. The white Presby
terian church, the white Methodist,
,and a number of the white Southern
Baptist are opposed to the Negro. It
"is also a notorious fact that the Cath
lolic church is receiving more consid
l.eration from this administration than
‘any other denomination, which shows
'that it is a strong factor in the body
politic. Since the Catholic church is
favorably disposed toward the Negro
and will give him greater protection
than any other denomination or polit
ical party, there is nothing for the
Negro to do but to join the Catholic
church. If all anti-Catholic denomi
nations are opposed to the Negro and
the Catholic church, and since the
Catholic church gets what it wants,
it will be good politics for the Negro
|to look out for himself and go where
bit will be to his best interest. We
Inever read in the public press of any
[Calholic convention or Catholic church
;denouncing the Negro and declaring
that the Negro is not good enough for
that church. This church has but one
God. The white Methodist, Baptist
and Presbyterians declare that tha
Negro is not good enough for him to
serve God with them. They must pray
separate and apart from them. The
Negro has declared that there is not
much efficacy in such a religion. Till
man, Vardaman, Williams and their
associates belong to the Southem‘
Methodist denomination, and so long
as they continue to .be members of
that denomination there is no hope
for the Negro Baptist, Presbyterian
and Methodist. The Catholics suc
ceed because they are united and de
mand recognition. The administra
tion will not refuse this church. There'
is no department under this govern-'
ment that will attempt to imposei
upon a Catholic. When the Pope of
Rome and the Catholic church speak;
there is something doing. Let the'
Negro try the Catholic church. |
; A RICH MAN’S LAW.
‘ The commentg of the state press on
(the working of the primary nomina
"tion law in the late election are vari
ous, and of course not in accord, some
‘!papers expressing the opinion that it
:is on the whole satisfying, others con
demning and ridiculing it. The New
lAge has discussed it heretofore con
:siderably, conceding that it had its
“good points and would effect some
'good results, but at the same time
‘:pointing out its bad features, and the
event so far seemg to have justified
both our commendation and our crit
icism, ‘
; One feature of the law, or rathoré
one result of its operation, which ren
ders it subject to criticism, which the
press of the state generally agree is
bad, and to which The New Age has,
repeatedly alluded, is that it does not |
'give a poor man much of a chance to
lget an office, at least a state office, or |
to be nominated for congress. As,
one editor facetiously said, “It is a
poor man’s law; that is, it will make
‘@ man poor if he tries to get a nomi
nation.” i
. Take the contest for United States
senator; the man with the most
money, or who used the most, won
the nomination, and for that reason.
‘We do not mean to intimate that any
‘votes were bought outright, or that
anything illegitimate was done, but
the money was used, in large quanti-7
ties, undoubtedly with the result of ]
influencing many voters. A greatl
many men do not care much who is'
nominated or elected to any partic
ular office; they know none of the |
candidates personally; but if one of
the candidates has money with which
to hire a locally influential man in -
every precinct and neighborhood to 1
work for him, to represent to his !
neighbors that he is the best man, to
urge them to vote for him as a favor
to the worker, a great many votes
will thereby be gained, and gained be
cause this candidate had the money
to hire these thousand or so special
workers. He had a right to do this,
but it puts the man of small means
at a disadvantage, because he cannot
hire -similar work done.
The same is true in a less degree of
county and all offices. The man with
the long purse has the advantage, and
the man of small means has but a
slight chance to win a nomination.
There are other defects in the law,
but this, we think, is the worst objec
tion to it, and it seems to be one that
cannot be remedied,
ENTHUSIASM IS GENERAL FOK
CANDIDATE WITHYCOMBE.
It may already be seen, thus early
in the campaign, that Dr. Jas. Withy
combe, of Corvallis, the Republican
'candidate for governor of Oregon, is
‘the popular nominee with the people.
INo such degree of general enthusiasm
‘for a gubernatorial candidate has
‘been displayed so early in the contest
'for years in this state as is already
lapparent wherever Dr. Withycombe’s
'name is mentioned in that connec:
'tion. The reception of the announce
;'ment of the nomination of Furnish,
ifor instance, was a mid-winter frost
'compare(l with that of the news that
'Dr. James Withycombe would be the
'opponent of George E. Chamberlain
lin the latter’s breathless quest for
‘a second term,
' This is a good omen. It foretells
good results. It means that we are
'again to have a Republican governor
!for the Beaver state. It means the
Idestruction of the little Democratic
ring that has been running our pres
ent governor's office during the last
lhalf of his present term. It signifies
that one of the best men in the state
will be its executive officer. It means
that Oregon will present an unbroken
official front after the ballots shall
have been counted in the present
contest,
Dr. Withycombe is a popular man
personally. He has endeared him
self to the people of the state by his
eminent gervice in his present capac
ity in the agricultural college. He is
equally popular politically, because
!he has at no time in his life engaged
in factional quarrels with the mainl
‘organization of his party. His politi-‘
cal record is as clean as his private
record as a citizen—and that is with
out a stain or a blemish. ;
Dr. Withycombe will receive an
old-time Oregon majority for thei'
governorship. Rest assured of that. l
: MADE IN OREGON FAIR.
’ The “Made in Oregon” fair prom
ises to be a great success. It is a
’good idea, and will tend to induce
gpeople generally to patronize home
'manufactures and other industries as
ifar as possible. This has not been
!done as much as it ought to have
.been, and there is need of a popular
gawakening on this subject. If every
;body would support home industries,
‘and buy only Oregon.made products,
;the manufacturers in turn could help
"their neighbors in all lines of activity
‘more; could employ more labor, buy
' more materials and merchandise, and
circulate more money. Thus, popula
tion and trade an d commerce
would grow apace, and the ecity, and
;other towns with manufacturing es
‘tablishments, would grow much more
?rapidly than they do.
l Portland is finely situated to be
‘come a great manufacturing center:
indeed, if it is to become a great city
it must become so; and the way to
‘make it so is ‘to support the manufac
tories in existence, and their pros
perity will induce others to locate
here. Everybody ought to take a live
ly interest in this fair, and show their
appreciation of the many good things |
already made in Oregon and help to
hasten the day of still larger things.
Patronize home industries. Buy only |,
things made in Oregon.
A “FREAK” STATEMENT.
Of course if there should be a Re
publican majority in the legislature
that body would elect a Republican
senator, if it elected any one, not
withstanding Mr. Gearin might have
received more votes at the polls than
Mr. Bourne and conversely, if, as is
extremely improbable, and almost un-
Ithinkable, the Democrats should have
a majority of the legislature, they
would not elect a Republican, al
though a Republican might have re
ceived a popular plurality. “State
ment No. 1,” construed literally, in
ivolves a solid vote of all who signed
it for one man, the one receiving the
plurality at the polls, regardless of
party, but members are not thus go
ing to abandon their party in such a
case, and will construe “Statement
No. 1,” if they have signed it, to suit
themselves. As the Oregonian says:
“The statement is a ‘freak’ statement.
No matter what the popular vote may
be, the Oregonian—if the legislature
shall have a Republican majority—
will insist on the election of a Repub
lican senator. If the Democrats shall
have a majority in the legislature, it
will expect the election of a Demo
cratic senator, no matter what the
popular vote may be. There is no call
to have patience, on such a subject,
with the puerilities of silly people or
doctrinaires.”
.HON. H. W. GOODE, PRESIDENT..
The election of Hon. H. W. Goode
to the presidency of the Oregon
Water Power & Railway Co., on Mon
day last, was a just recognition of the
lextraordinary business ability of a
‘successful man of affairs. Mr. Goode's
lsterling worth as a citizen, his inde
:mtigable energy, his progressiveness,
‘the modernness of his methods and
jhis unusual success combine to rec
ommend him as the proper man for
such an important place in the con
duct of the affairs of such an exten
sive and rapidly growing enterprise.
The new owners of the O. W. P. prop
erties were not slow to recognize
these qualities in Mr. Goode.
An entire new set of officials was
elected. They are also officers of the
Portland Railway Co., which latter
corporation will direct the operation
of all the trolley lines of the system.
This company hag entire control of
every mile of electric railway in the
county, a total of about 185 miles.
The patrons of these lines are to be
congratulated on the fact that Hon.
H. W. Goode is at the head of this
immense concern. LT
? HAVE YOU REGISTERED?
l The registration books are again
: open for the purpose of allowing those'
\!to register who did not do so before
‘lthe primaries, and many voters did
‘not. The books will be open only un
'til May 15, cne week from next Mon
!day. and The New Age urges all its
jreaders who are legal voters, and es
pecially colored voters, to go and reg
ister, if they arc not already regis
tered, and do it at the earliest pogsi
ble convenience. It is a duty to vote,
iand no voter, except in case of abso
lute necessity, should put the election
Iboard and half a dozen of his friends
to trouble by swearing his vote in.
,If you are Republicans your votes
may be needed by one or two
candidates who deserve them, and are
fairly entitled to them. But whatever
{your politics, register, and vote. If
one registered hefore the primaries,
that is sufficient; he neeq not regis
ter again; but if one failed to regis
ter before the primaries he must reg
ister now, before May 15, in order to
vote the first Monday in June, Don’t
forget or neglect it.
Only four weeks for the campaign.
After July 1 it will be Judge Gan
tenbein. .
Can Word do it again? Stevens
thinks not.
Professor Hawley can make a big
crowd hear.
The governor commends his admin
istration highly,
Mr. George A. Steel will get there
by a great majority,
Professor Withycombe deserves all
Republicans’ support,
Nobody is paying much attention to
he constitutional amendments,
What a joke it would be if the leg
islature should be Democratic. Not
much danger of that, however,