The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1889-02-26
HAHN WAS UNINFLUENCED.
The Facts Regarding His Vote on the
Veto.

THE Historian rarely notices the
, little suibs or mistatements IN the col
umns of its esteemed contemporaries,
but there is a. stupid little lie travel
ing around the state which first ap-
peared in the columns of the oregon.
ian, and is being repeated by some OF
the editorial brethren who are not ac-
quainted with the facts in the case.
With the Oregonidn, which knew
it to be lie when it started, the mat
ter is one of malice: with the rest of
the newspapers it is only matter OF
gossip.
The Oregonian stated in its report
of the vote on the sustaining of the
governors veto of the Portland water
bill, that Hahn of Astoria, voted sun
der the whip of the Astoria lobbyists,
who took this means to revenge
themselves upon Portland for their
defeat in the passage of the pilot bill.
There is no denying this fact for
one of these lobbyists came inside the
bar and said to Hahn just before his
name was called Don't you vote for
this bill.'"
The above, quoted from the Ore
gOniGp, is lie.
The Historian has shown the Ore
goniGn SO many times where it has
lied that one falsehood more or less IS
secondary matter.
But the intent of the OregOniGn
was, evidently, to get in a dirty little
slap at Astoria and at Hahn be-
cause he had voted to sustain veto
that the Oregonian was interested in
defeating.
As a matter of fact the biggest kind
of influence was brought to bear upon
Hahn to get him to vote with the
others to pass the bill over the gov
ernor's veto. At last when the ''lobby-
lists" mot bold bad men from Astoria,
but high toned christian gentlemen
from Portland -on-the-W -Willamettel had
tired him, and themselves, one gentle
man, Mr.. Ladd, (probably the Ore
gonian knows Mr.. Ladd) came to
Hahn and said "What can we do for
your "What do you want?" Said
Hahn: "Mr. Ladd, if you were to Of
fer me half the bonds L would refuse. |
My mind is made up. Twill vote to
sustain the veto, and my vote is not
to be bought"
This was after the promise was
made to him that Astoria would be
given $4,000 pest house, that the
fish bill would be passed, and allt
manner Of inducements held out to
Hahn if he would only ''stand in"
At last, while the vote was being
taken, an Astorian advanced to where
Hahn was sitting and asked him, ear
nestly to vote "aye," to vote to pass
bill over the the veto.
Instead, (as the OregOnian falsely
and ignorantly states that he was in
structed by an astoria lobbyist"
whom he emeekly obeyed, of doing so,
he shook his head, and a moment after
voted no." and the veto was sus-
tanned, and Portland gnashed its
teeth, and the Oregonidn stated ex-
actly the reverse of the facts the next
morning.
1t is not at all likely that the Ore
go1liGn will take the lie back.
But The Historian suggests to its
other contemporaries that journalistic
courtesy requires that those who pub
lished that falsehood about Hahn
take it back by briefly stating the
facts.
Unawed by influence, and IN
bribed by gain, Hahn voted Just as
he individually saw fit, and it ill be-
comes the OregoliGn to attempt to
asper0e the motives that prompted
him to do what he did.
There were twenty-one of his fellow
representatives in the house who
voted to pass the bill. The Historian
believes that each and every one of
those gentlemen voted for it for pre-
cisely the same reason that Hahn voted
the other way-because, in their judg-
ment, that was the way to vote on
that measure.
This they had perfect right to do.
and The AsToRIAN would not impute
to any one of them the slightest ir-
regularity.
For the same reason, in the light of
the facts, The Historian denounces
the attempt TO malign the man who
stood out against all inducements
from Astoria or Portland lobbyists"
and voted as his sovereign judgment
dictated.