Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-11-29
THE CITY CAMPAIGN
Sharp Practice of the City Machine
to 0isOrganize the Opposition.
Good Government in Good Faith Alone
viii Save the City and Make a
Greater Salem Possible.

The Republican machine did some
sharp work to get the taxpayer Re-
publicans TO first endorse the regular
primaries.
But the taxpaying Republicans
saw their mistake and now favor a
bipartisan ticket. Their delay aid
change may give the machine Repub-
llcans a great advantage and may
make IL more difficult now TO secure
taxpayers victory. The fact is, the
machine would probably have carried
the primaries in all but the second
ward. II the taxpaying Republicans
had carried the first and second
wards, the city convention would
have been a tie and a compromise
would have been a result with an In
evltatle victory for the machine.
THE JOURNAL does not agree with
Mr. Catch in opposition TO all bond
Ing. Bonded debt to certain extent
is Inevitable, and 1t should be carried
at the lowest possible rate Of interest,
without any middlemen or bank get
ting rakeoff. An agent for bond
dealers Is not interested Ia securing
the lowest rate for the city. He Is
interested Ia selling bond so that 10
will pay him as big margin as pos
sible, aud IN selling 1t 10 such a
manner that he will get u profit on
payments OF interest. None but
sworn officials who are directly re-
sponsible TO the people, should ever
negotiate loan.
Mr.. Gatch's figures produce one in
evltable onvlctiOn-either the city
must cut down its running expenses
one-half or default on interest pay
ments, orelse all territory properly a
part OF the city OF Salem must be
taken into the city limits for the pur-
pose Of increasing the city revenues.
The latter proposition does not find
favor with Suburban property owners.
They would resist Ia every way, even
In the courts, every effort to take
them into the city, and who can
blame them The way the city
finances have been run, the,only in
ducement Is TO stay out. Still II Is
thought there is some obligation upon
the suburbs Of this city TO help carry
their just share OF the expenses OF the
city government, They derive all the
advantages OF being part OF city Of
ten ito .twelYe thousand population
without bearing any OF the expenses
or sharing the responsibility.
There are three things lmperatively
demanded OF the city administration:
/. Reduction OF running expenses OF
the city.
2. Refundlng the city debt at a
lower rate OF interest, wherever IL ca
be done.
3. Revision OF the charter,
IL these things are done properly,
and the affairs OF the city are put in
good business shipshape, which Is nc
more than anyone should expect and
hope for, then a Greater Salem might
be possible. But there must be some
evidence OF good faith aud good works
10 the direction Of good government,
before That can be brought about.
The political push has got to be
reduced TO normal dimensions, JEFF
fersonlan integrity on the part OF
officials and American enterprise In
the Interest OF the masses are not
unreasonable nor unattainable ideals,
The complete separation Of machine
politics from the conduct Of city
business is the only remedy. The
success OF the county, state or nation
al administrations do not depend upon
a hlgh-prlced push closely connected
with the criminal classes, whether
they be mere transient lodging house
Yote-sellers, or the higher type Of
resident political jobbers.