Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1893-03-08
THE INDICTMENT AGAINST TIE LEGIs-
LATuRE.

The people al over the state are
awakening to the fact that while the
legislature did some good work, 1t did
80 many bad things that II has on the
whole no redeeming feature. While
the people cannot bring this Legislature
70 justice they can learn lesson from
its bad work aud apply the remedy 10
the future. 1t will he useless 10 argue
with people who are personally inter.
ested in any Of the spoiIs Of appropri-
ationS made by this legislature. They
are legion aud belong to all parties
ProftiDg by the pr,fiigacy Of this two
million dollar legislature. they will
seek TO elect another one just like II
next year. Every bill to create q new
institution, or q new board, or new
Office, becomes lever for the further
corruption Of the government and the
further depletion Of The public treasury
70 meet the demands Of the selfish ele-
ments who reap rich reward for their
political activity.
No party should be held responsible
for ths misdeeds Of this body. Demo.
Gratis aud even Populists were respon
sible for the big appropriations and
some Of the jobs are directly traceable
10 them. The eastern Oregon asylum
and normal school were Democratic
schemes. The bill TO have the state
work the convIc,s Mt stove making and
necessltating purchase Of the old plant
for $65, 600 was Populist measure, ETC.,
etc. We could show that 80 far AZ jobs
went there were no party lines drawn.
The appropriations for public In
stitutIons will bear investigation and
are perhaps less Objectionable than any
other large bills that passed. But items
like allowing the claims of the State
Board Of Equalization Of two years ago,
whose records were destroyed, and
whose president never put In full day
on the board--a clear overcharge OF
5000; useing the big appropriation
bills 10 buy Off measures of general i'm.
portance like the Willamette locks and
portage railway; II is acts like those
that the people will resent In the long
run.
The corporations were 80 strongly re-
presented In each branch of the legisla.
ture that no measure Of relief for the
people could pass, or II II passed one
house would be killed In the other
At least half q million was taken out of
the public treasury by deals and log
rolling, for the purpose Of tying the
hands Of members aud throttling pub
lic enterprises that might In any way
compete with corporation interests
The people have heard Of corporations
using their money 10 corrupt leglsla-
lures, but In the history OF this legisla-
.ture II will be recorded that they used
the peoples revenues to bribe their rep
resentatives and keep them from doing
their duty. An avalanche OF Doodle
was started that once under headway
swept everything before II. No member
Of either house was strong enough to
stem its tide, No eloquence could pre-
vail against It. No governors vetoes,
however Just, could avail aught to pro-
tect the people.
II will be but thankless task TO re.
cord these facts. The editor will
be set down m kicker. II will bc
said. however unJustly, he is
against his city, HIS state, his party.
IL h not popular 10 oppose the refine
ments Of legallxed plunder. The major.
ity will threaten TO rule man out OF
their midst who does not stand In all
the time. hut We cannot see how duty
70 the future Of this commonwealth |
can dictate silenee to sny patriotic cit
ixen.