The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1898-03-19
EDITORIAL NOTES.

EDITORIAL NOTES..
A complete union of the silver forces
democrats, populists and silver re-
publicans-has been effected in Linn.
Marion and Lane counties. Tomorrow
| the same thing will occur in Wasco.
1t is not strange that the Oregonian
| has so earnestly labored to prevent
union of the silver forces in Oregon,
and the way union progresses shows
how little attention has been paid to
the Oregonian's advice. Silver people
are not needing the advice of their
enemies this year.
The death of General Rosecrans re-
moves the last of the great captains of
the Union army IN the civil war, and
is another evidence of the fleet of
time. A generation has been born
and grown up since that bitter strife,
and few indeed of the officers are left
who commanded the armies from 1851
to 1865.
Wasco county will furnish two can
didates bofore the democratic state
convention. W. 81. Mansfeld's name
will be mentioned for state printer;
and Prof. John Gavin for superintend-
ent of public instruction. If other
counties can supply as worthy candi-
dates, there will be good ticket NOM
mated.
An effort was made to drag political
issues into the school election held in
Salem last Monday. but it was very
forcibly set down upon by the people,
the ring candidates having been de-
feated by vote of over two to one.
This is right Our public school sys-
tenn is of too vital Importance to allow
it dragged into politics.
Some prete nded statesmen are ad-
vocating an alliance between the
United States and Great Britain in op-
position to Russia in dealing with the
Asiatic question. Such an alliance
would be an unholy one, for Russia is
one of the best friends America ever
had, while Great Britain has never
been our friend commercially or
politically.
The union forces of Marion county
pledge their candidates to reduce
county expenses $4,000 year if elected.
The pledge is no doubt made in good |
faith and will be carried out if the |
candidates of the union forces are
successful at the polls. A like pledge |
should be exacted from every political |
party in each of the several counties.
We are paying entirely too much for
county government everywhere.
The Clatsop county jury befor whom
the defaulting county treasurer Ward
was tried returned verdict of not
guilty last Saturday. On hearing the
verdict read, Judge Mcbride remark
ed: 81 hope hereafter the county of
Clatsop will be more careful either in
electing its officers or jurors. This
would be a good idea. II officers will
steal, juries should convict them.
Prison regulations are generally
supposed to be very strict and lawless-
ness of every nature is presumably
prevented by the guards, but this
seems to not have been the case in
Folsom penitentiary. 1t has been dis
covered that two convicts have been
operating counterfeit plant in the
engine room where they have heen
making bogus nickels, number of
which have got outside the prison and
into circulation.
The first effective union of the demo-
cratic and populist forces In Oregon was
at the conventions held in Vale on the
10th, when a joint ticket was nomi-
mated and a platform satisfactory te
both parties adopted. The silver re-
publicans refused to unite with the
other two paaties. In the distribution
of offices the democrats were awarded
the representative, clerk, school sup
srintendent and treasurer; the popu-
lists the sheriff commissioner, assessor,
and coroner. I
1t is an encouraging indication tha |
here are demands for better school |
'ystems throughout the state, when
he people generally are asking that ]
PRACTICAL teacher be put at the head of t
he school system, and that the Office {
If superintendent of public instruction I
,e taken away from the influences of q
ward politics that it has been in since
he Office was first created. With a {
borough school man like Prof. Gavin,
# this city, in that Office, it would be
onducted in the interests of the school
ystem instead of being run for what +
money there is in it as at present.
In advocating the gold standard and :.
a tariff for protection the >,
exhibits degree CT con- :,
istency, for absolute free trade and a.
he gold standard are twins. That the n
)regonian is first, last and all the :,
ime for gold no one will deny, and "
hat it is becoming free trader is G.
by the following expression W
hat appeared recently in its columns: re
Protection is not a principle. 1t is
My temporary policy. Its legiti-
late purpose is to establish industries
4 our country that could not stand or
row against foreign competition. Il
nee established, however, the need di
protection ceases; and then protec .,
en- may become, and often does be- =, =,
ome, prop of trusts and a means of -
th