The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1895-05-23
AFTER THE BArrLE:

election recently held was whether or not
the laws of this city should be enforced.
1t may lie atlmi ted that faction styling it.
self ..Tanrmany, u (,nd of which the retir-
ing mayor is the chief mosuD attempted to
make this an issue niI choose the position
by which i. hoped to place its adherents
in office.
The first positive move in the g1me was
m1tle by the mayor. when he inflicted his
''message" upon the unsuspecting and coll
filling citizens of Corvallis 1t became the
mayors duty, in this document, to paint
the moral status of the city in the darkest
dyes of the devil, and everybody knows he
could do it to perfection. His work was
unquestiunably well done, considering the
kind of job he undertook. 1t is observed,
however that the brush came in contact
with his reputation and left mark which
will outlast the stains he placed upon the
fair name of the city of Corvallis.
This 'messnge" was then heralded to
the world, with editorial comment in line,
by the local papers, and the sound of Tam
many's first gun resouuded to the remotest
parts Of the state: and even now, since the
smoke of battle has cleared away, and the
slam are laid peacefully to- rest in the little
graves which their small ambition dug for
them, the reverberaticns of that first gun,
augmented by later volleys from tho light
artillery, are echoing through the hills and
wales of our beloved Oregon. These sounds
are nuw uuwe leone to the "moral wavers"
because they call up memories OF bitter de-
feat. They are unwclcome to the better
citizens because of the untruthful message
they hear to the parents and friends of the
young men and young women who are in
the shadow of this city seeking the ad-
vantagcs of our institutions of learning.
Let me hope, Mr.. Editor to be pardoned
for itimating to our friends abroad that
Corvallis, city, is not conspicuously de-
praved; allow me to even assure them that
Corvallis is as clean, morally, as any other
city in-say the Willamette valley. My
individual opinion prompts me to include
wider scope for comparison, but L do not
wish to presume too much on the indulgence
of the GAZETTE and Times, which, l am SO
very certain. are such staunch guardians OF
the best interests of our beautiful city.
Their course in the election just past may
not seem consistent with my estimate of
thcan but I am confident that they con-
scientiously believed the ends justified the
means.
How easy it would have been, had the
'noral wavers' been successful, to have as
sured the outside world that the city s
morals hid suddenly lecome immaculate.
Persons in this city would have known
better. but where there are other sources
of information, the newspapers are some
| times believed. But since those who ten
porarily assumed virtue to enable them to
push the cause of reform, did not succeed in
grasping the reips of city government, it
seems to me that it is now the duty Of the
local papers to make clean breast of the
| facts, to the end that Corvallis may be re-
instated III the ssterhood of Oregon cities.
II is uncomfortable to be abandoned as a
moral leper and quarantined by our neigh
| bors. We are getting lonesome. Let the
cloud be lifted. Our generous friend, Col.
kslsay, The mayer-elect, l am sure, will
assist the papers in what is plainly their
duty
| In this connection feel constrained to
pay my respects to that powerful body of
reformers known as the A. z. A. I UNDER
stand that it's first duty is to persecute a
worthy religious sect, and that its next duty
is to labor for ''good government. Since
there were no members Ct an Objectionable
religion to be opposed at the. city election,
the organization reluctantly endorsed" the
candidates who, in its Judgment, would
stand for the secondary object. For the
first uime in the history of Corvallis, A. Z.
A. tickets were last Monday Haunted in
the faces of her voters The chief ticket
cultural College, but, be it said to the credit
of the college, he occupies subordinate po-
| stion. This general of the A. P A. hosts,
! in order to show his devotion to American
Mas endorsed" the ticket that, by its
professions and declarations, was imparing
| the usefulness of our college, which, in
the strictest sense is an United States insti-
tuition.
The bread cast upon the waters of Cor.
wallis some time since, by an alleged ex-
priest, seems not to have brought forth a
bountiful crop of A. P. A. voters in time
for election. l should not be surprised if
| the cold stamp of public opinion had frozen
the tender shoots us they emerged into the
sunlight of observation. The ballot of
Monday proves that this is true, or that in
dividual members of the A. 2. A. did not
vote for the endorses.
In conclusion, wish to say that our in
stitutions are in more danger from preirdice
and ignorance and those who patronizs these
twin evils than they are from the pope of
Rome We are in no fear of either. When.
ever a faction or organization community
becomes arrogant the American Deonle inst