Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-02-13

: families and their friends as well. i
would seem to be the highest ambition
Of some people so soon as they ge
elected to Office, to force the railroad
companies to furnish them free passes
, 90 that they can ride around over th,
country and have a good time. A great
many people Of this state are beginnine
to look upon the free pass fellow who
rides inside of the cars in the same way
that they look upon the fellow who
rides underneath the cars on the brake
beam; one is known in railroad par
lance as a "dead-bead," and the other
as "dead-beat," and both travel at
the expense Of the people who do pay
their fares
Along with this free pass business
there is another thing which il pro-
ductive Of bad government, and bad
legislation in this country, and that IL
too much Capitalization of political
power in our great cities.
New York City dictates the politics
Of the state Of New York; Chicago die
tates the politics of the state of Illinois;
san Francisco dictates the politics Of
the state Of California; and this beau
tiful aud magnificent city OF Portland
dictates the politics Of the state Of Ore
gon.
Each state has but two senators in
the congress Of the nation, and in many
Of the states a county is only entitled
to one senator in the state legislature
no matter how great the population;
while here in Oregon we have thirty
two counties, and we have thirty
members in the state eenate, and Multi
nomah county has five of them, and
wanted the legislature to give her an
other, making six, or one-ffth Of that
body, and came very near getting it too
at the last session. Her delegation also
wished the legislature 20 grant her three
more members Of the house, winch
would give her one-fifth of that body
also. believe II to be a wrong princi-
pie to allow any one county oue-fifth of
the legislative body of any state.
The Oregonian stated the other dav
in an editorial, in effect, that much Of
the bad legislation which had increased
the burden of taxation ia this state,
was brought about through log-rolling
In the legislature, aud 1t might have
very properly added that the free pass
system, and the large Multnomah
county delegation was more responsible
than anything else in bringing about
that log-rolling. Personally the Multi
nomah delegation were all good mer,
but too much power breeds evil any
where.
Human nature is pretty much the
same the world over. If you people
here In Portland We're removed into the !
country, and we people in the country
took your places here in Portland,
when we were clothed with your pow
or, expect we would very likely start
up political machine too, and you
would then be the kickers. If the |
twelve apostles were upon earth l do
believe 1t would be unsafe to entrust
them with so much power.
We all know there are just as good
people here in Portland as ever lived or
died anywhere, and you have thou.
sands of good citizens who are well
qualified, and who would faithfully |
and honestly administer any office in
our state, but you won't find them
among the "free pass bosses" or among
that other class Of fellows who are ere.
formers" only for the money they can
make out Of the offices. When the
people who have built this country un
from a wilderness and made Il what II
Is, and who pay the taxes to our city,
county and state governments have to
organize themselves and form tax pay.
ers' committees who work without
In watching the men
who have managed to get themselves
elected to Office where they are draw
ing handsome salaries, 1t shows that
there Is something radically wrong
somewhere.
Legislative bodies In any city, state
or nation should be kept as nearly AS
possible free from all cOrrupting in-
duences. know that some men claim
they are 30 pure that they cannot be
corrupted, and that may be true, but Il
will never do any harm to keep evil IA.
iuences at safe distance from them
100, as well rs other people, especially
when they are acting In the capacity Of
public servants.
but 1t Is late and must close. Now
{ any OF you hear anybody kicklnp
'roun d concerning what l have said
'oout free passes, II you are sporting
nan, you eau safely wager dollars 10
marbles, even up, that that fellow has
free pass In his pocket, without any
ear OF loslngi aud II you hear any fel.
ow complaining about what 1 have
aid concerning the ntrallzation of
'oweE You eau safely make a similar
wager that he ls loafhg around some
Nh a.