The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1890-05-23

One Of the most foreiblc representations
OF the "teippcst In the tea pot" racket Is
found In the cock. and bull story told by
the 0regonids about the Portland Lumber =.
Ing And Manufacturing Company In
which governor Pennoyer has an interest,
making bid to supply the Board of
Asylum commissioners with lumber to en-
large The asylum. The governor Is a
member OF the board and when the bids
were opened Il was found that the bid
made by the Portland company was the
lowest BID. The governor, being unsophis.
Heated enough TO think that the object In
advertising for bids was to get the lowest
bidder, he, Mcbride and Webb A.
greed At once that the Portland company
should have the contract. But before the
next meeting Of the Board the lumber
eompan, at Salem whose bid was next
lowest. land which company by the way
are republIeans.) had found out by some
means that there was an old musiy statute
That prohibited any company IN which any
member Of the board had an interest from
bidding ON contracts let by the board.
Probably not one man IN ten thousand
knew that such was the law, and the gov
ernor, Il seems, did not know there was
fnch a law but just aI soon as his attention
was called to II he at once declared that
the order giving the Portland company
the contract must he rcscindcd. Up 10 this
time Mcbride, Secretary Of Stsie. had been
entirely ignorant Of such a law, and he
greed also, as well ne " ebb. that the con-
tract must be rcscinded, and I, was done.
The Oreg0airs attempts, but in glaring
, feeble way. to make political capital out
Of this little affair. But the honest tax
payer IL not gudseon to be caught In
that way. Supposc the contract hal bern
let TO the company In which the governor
had an interest. The result would have
been tina, the state would have obtained
Its lumber cheaper than l, had 10 pay the
Salem company. Tie state fpas 10 be bsns.
Jffed BY this action Of k&e governor. This
little eanard OF the OvegoaiaH, gotten up be.
cause II had nothing better 10 produce, will
actually make votes for the governor, Tor
every ono must see that hts course was to
promote the Interests Of the state. THIS
affair IL brought against the governor by
tho Oregss'ds as an of set 10 the charge
against ID + Thomplon Of signIng an or
dlnanee Of the city OF Portland, when act
Ing as mayor, bv which he, himself, be-
came the owner. without a cent to pay. OF
strip Of land along the wharf line, that
Ia row said TO be worth "a, lcast Stoe. 600.
Now contrast the motives Of the two nen
In these two matter. Had Pennoyef's act
on been eonsummated.ihes state would have
been benefited thereby. but as soon n his
attention waA called TO the law he said At
once that ;hr contract must be rescinded
=; once aud II WIS done BY the action of
Thompson in Signlag the ordinance &c
enriched himself at tle expense OF the
public. The action Of the governor In
this matter Is In perfect accord with all his
official acts The beat aud most economi'
cal administration Is his rule of action.
The action of Thompson was, also, In per
fee, accord with tie Whole history OF his
life. by the action In signing the ordi-
nance he made large sum for himself.
ills rule OF action has been 10 make money
without much regard as 10 the means en-
ployed TO do 40. How different the men
appear In these two matters. The Oysgo-
nas's mares mes, has already acted as
veri,able boomerang.