The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1891-02-27
ECHOES OF THE LEGIsLATURE.

The people of The Dalles and Of WascC
county have right to know the legisla-
tive record of the men whom they have
selected to represent them. This record
is legitimate subject for journalistic
comment and criticism. The representa-
tives themselves are entitled to the full
benefit of the truth, the whole truth
without malice and without envy. If a
truthful picture is CALLING to the subject
the fault is his and not ours. If it hurts
the cause of mere partisanship it is no
concern of the managers of this journal.
Truth has claims above partisanship and
the party that cannot stand the truth
has no right to existence, while the
journal or the man who fears to tell the
truth has no legitimate mission in a
world of lies and deception. With mems
motives. with the secret springs of
action and conduct we have nothing to
do. We are not their judges. Their
outward acts alone are ours. These only
we have right to judge and approve or
condemn. We have already repelled the
oaseless lnsinuation, that Senator Wat
klns was party to the defeat of the
Dalles portage railway bill, but we have
not told all that might be told in this
connection. We were present when he
gave instruction to the clerk of the Joint
committee, of which he was chairman,
as to the character of the report to be
submitted to the house. He was strictly
charged to report only on the feasibility.
practicabiiity, possibility and proba-
bllity" of concurrent action of the two
states. Nothing was to be said touching
the dlfficulties or cost of a road on the
Oregon side; and the senator gave for
his reason "Lest they should saw / had
done anything to defeat.the BILL" and
nothing was said. We remember well
the earnestness of the senator as he gave
these instructions to his clerk. His
language might not be that of the Sun
oay school, but it was none the less
vigorous and intense. Suffice it that no
member of the Oregon senate served his
constituents more honestly, more intelli-
gently or more faithfully than did Sena-
tor Watkins. His record needs neither
apology nor concealment.
1t is well known that the Dalles C;tv
council framed a new charter bill for the
city, and bill to amend the water bill
that became law two years ago. OF the
merits of these bills we do not now
speak. 1t is sufficient for our present
purpose to say that they were both care
FULLY submitted to the council. read Sec
oion py section and endorsed by approval
without dissenting VOTE The Dalles
board OF trade unanimously memorial |
lzed the legislature on their behalf. and |
the owners of all of three-fourths of all
the real estate of the city signed peti- |
tlon to the same effect. The charter hill |
was entrusted to the care of Senator
watkins, who introduced it in the senate.
Its story is soon told. It's dead, dead
as Hector, dead in the full vigor of its
young life, dead of no lingering sickness.
but by the hand of the assassin. Senator
Hilton killed it We saw him do it and
his be the glory or the shame. After in
PRODUCTION the bill was regularly referred
70 tne committee on corporations.
Hilton fought it in committee, fought il
and with all his might. He
knew better what was good for the peo-
pie of The Dalles than they did them
selves. Certain features of the bill
would forsooth, hurt the saloons. So he
said, as if the bill was framed to hurt
anybody. In spite of everything the
bill was reported back favorably. In
due time it came up for final passage
when Senator Hilton moved that it be
referred to a committee of Wasco
Senator Watkins earnestly
protested, but in vain. The "skids
we're creased and the Joe Simon con-
,ingent helped Senator Hilton to Law it
n its little bed.
Thus did the joint senator from Gill
lam and Wasco, the man whose home
and estate is in Gillian, the man who
Toes not pay a cent of taxes in The
Dalles nor in Wasco county, openly and
teiantly ignore and contemn the wishes
of the vast majority of the taxpayers of
l city who helped to elect him to Office,
but will never, never, while the grass
iourishes on the hill-tops of Gillian,
elect him again.