The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1891-02-28
STATE OFFICIALS.
ECHOES OF THE LEGISLATURE.

The Dalles water bill was begotten by
The Dalles common council. Its con-
ception was legitimate and honorable,
but during the period of legislative ges-
tation, by some occult process of genera
ton it assumed a new parentage and to-
day it is questionable if it's own mother
would know it. 1t has a poly -paternal
ancestry, of at least Representative
Johnston, Senator Hilton and his honor
the mayor. Who else may be responsible
for the metamorphosis, the walls OF the
ex-gubernatorial mansion at Salem
alone can tell. The bill was entrusted
to the care of Mr.. Johnston. 1t WAS for
convenience III a printed form, and was
in due time introduced in the house "by
request" as if Mr.. Johnston was bound
to disown it from the beginning. 1t was
promptly referred, with exquisite pro-
priety, to the committee public
buildings AS well have referred it to
the committee on portage railroads. 1t
had no business there; but i'll the hands
of any other committee, outside mayoral
influence, it would have been fairly
treated, and this was not desired as the
sequel shows. After some time the
board of trade sent down to Salem, to
look after the bill, g. J. Farley and
Emile Schanno. Mr.. Farley lost no time
IN finding Mr.. Johnston, and enquired
after its progress. Mr.. Johnston said it
was "all right" 1t had been reported
favorably from the committee, and would
be called up for final passage in short
time. Mr.. Farley asked if any changes
replied 81 believe not" Two DAYS after
wards the writer and Mr.. Farley went to
the clerk of the house and asked to see
the bill. We didn't see it We never
saw it! We never will see it 1t was
gone; and in its place was another,
falsely and surreptitiously numbered
-'237" (for even the title was changed)
and written in the well known hand of
Dalles lady committee clerk, guest of
the ex-gubernatorial mansion, with cor
rections and concentrations remarkably
like the chirography of the cashier of the
Dalles National bank. We don't say it
was his. 1t might have been Joe Simons'
1t might have been Governor Pennoyer'
We only say it was like his. That's all.
An interview was Immediately had with
the two members of the building COM
mittee, Mr.. Botkin and Mr.. Myers. They
emphatically denied all knowledge of the
substitute bill. They only knew, so they
said, that Mr.. Johnston had, in COM
mittee, pulled from his pocket, the bill
they had subsequently approved, and
said: 'This is the bill the people of
The Dalles want" and of course this
was quite true, for "Brutusis is an honora-
bic man." These gentlemen were asked
if Mr.. Johnston had shown them reso-
luton of The Dalles City council, approx
ing the bill and urging its passage, with
-out amendment. They replied. ''No."
They were asked If Mr.. Johnston had
shown them memorial of The Dalles
board of trade asking its passage, without
amendment. They replied. ''No."
They were asked if Mr.. Johnston had
shown them petition, signed by the
representatives of fully three-fourths OF
all the taxpayers of Dalles City, recon-
-mepding the passage of the bill without
amendment. They replied. NO
And yet, it is no truer that night follows
day, than it is true that Mr.. Johnston
had all these documentsi in his possession
when the bill was in the hands of the
committee.
Thus did this representative of the peo-
pie, whose friends had to lie for him
during the last campaign, by assuring
the voters that he was not a "Moody
man." when in their hearts some oi
them knew better, represent the people
of The Dalles, who honored him with
their suffrages.
We have no pleasure in writing thus
of one whom we are feign to believe tt
be an honest and honorable man.
happier lot were ours could we commend
and praise, instead of disapprove ane
blame. If our words seem bitter, it il
but the bitterness of truth. We hav'
set down nothing in malice, and w
shall set down nothing. We hav
written nothing that we do not know o
believe to be true, and we shall writ
nothing The people demand to- knoy
the truth. They deserve to; know tn
truth. They shall know the truth, an
the tale is not yet told.
The Sutlej, large river in British In
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