The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1898-02-19
ADDRESS TO VOTERS
Principles Of Democracy Are
Clearly Defined.
SILVER AND REFORMS
These Are the Issues That Will Be
Presented by the Democrats
of Oregon.
The Republican Party Arraig ned for It's
Failure to Keep Its Pledges
in State Admins
tration
SILVER AND REFORMS

At meeting of the state democratic
committee held in Portland last month
q committee consisting of Judge w. S.
| McFadden, of Corvallis; F. A. Z. star,
of Portland: Judge A. S. Bennett, of
Tie Dalles: Judge John ]. Daley, OF
Dallas, and II. l.. Heath, of McMlnn-
vile, to prepare an address to the
people OF Oregon. They have COM
pleted their laLors, and have issued the
following as the principles on which
the democratic party will ask the suf-
frage of voters in the co.hing cam
paign:
To the people OF the state of Ore
gon: The democratic party of the
state of Oregon reitcrates its firm ad-
herence to the principles of the party,
as laid down by the national demo-
cratic convention of 1896. We believe
that no character of legal tender
money should be discredited or de-
monetized; that the option of redeem
ing obligations of the United States in
silver or gold belongs to the govern
ment and not to the holders thereof;
that Understanding bonds should not
be issued in times of peace; that secret
trafficking with banking syndicates for
tie sale of bonds is reprehensible and
intolerable, and that congress and not
70 ho III ino
coin and issue money and notes in
tended for public and private debts
and receivable for dues to the govern
ment; that greenbacks should not be
retired, but should be continued with
the same attributes they possess under
existing laws; that the financial ques-
tion is now as it was in 1896, and will
be until settled rightly-the living
issue before the American people, and
that its correct determination offers
the only effective and complete reme-
dy for the present impoverished condi-
tion OF the masses. We believe in
direct legislation as the only means
by which wise and economical laws
can be placed upon our statute books.
s That as citizens of Oregon we are at
this time confronted with responsible
des paramount to az party considera--
tions. Our system of government was
wisely instituted for the sole benefit of
the people; not for mendicants ana
mercenary spoilsmen who eat out their
substance.
Flagrant profligacy and financial i'm
becility are everywhere prevalent in
this state; the treasury is full to over
flowing and locked on $557 900 of the
tax money of the people and still state
warrants stamped not paid for want of
funds, with interest accruing on state
liabilities at the rate of over $4,000
annually. Within two months the
extortionate exactions of the various
counties from the sweat money of the
tax payer will aggregate nearly another
half million dollars to still further
glut the state treasury; with no means
provided to disburse the same under
existing conditions.
Yet, Notwithstanding this. sixty
eight of the ninety members of the
present legislature are solidly republic
can for sound money, retrenchment
and reform.
Republican inaction and studied con-
tempt for platform pledges have forced
an exigency whereby monied sharks
are making merchandise out of the
holders of state warrants.
Our state and its interests have been
persistently outraged and dominated |
by one or the other of the factions OF |
the republican party, to the general
disgrace of the body polite. A sys-
tenn of spoil has been fastened on the
state whereby an army of retainers.
place hunters, beneficiaries, teaches |
and kindred concomitants in the shape |
of commissions, haye become snthron-
ed as the special champions OF either |
Simonism or Mitchellism. In this in |
cessant strife of isms every interest OF |
state and It's people have gone into |
total eclipse, while MIR. Corbett, armed |
with a governors commission as U. S. |
senator, stands forth triumphant as
the highest exponent of honest
methods and sound money. With the !
chasm between these two lsms bridged |
by a governors commission andti
Corbeit as the keystone thereof,
honest men are forced to- action or
love of state has become extinct.
The republican state platforms of
1S92-94-96 contain the most emphatic. J
binding pledges of retrenchment and
reform: with fierce denunciation oi ;
other republican legislatures for ST.
of omission and commission. Ia 1854
it reached this graphic climax: I'VE
condemn the prodipality and excess of
past legislatures. and call upon the
next legislative assembly to keep all
approx riaLioDs within limits, etc."
"The sovereign voter, ever slow TO
wrath, and prone to accept platform
pledg, in lood faith, in order to en-
able these pledges to be verified, elect
ed both branches of the legislature re-
publican by from two-thirds to three
fourths majority. While the call was
loud and long it reached not the ears
of the Baal Of prodigality. The promis-
ed reforms slumbered and the people
still cried for relief, for there was no
balm in that Gilead.
Oblivious to the pledges of 1891. that
same party again pledged itself to the
people in its platform of 1896, as fol-
lows:
"We pledge the republican party to
rigid economy in the expenditure of
public money, to the reduction of ex-
cessive salaries and the adjustment
of all useless commissions and oppose
the incorporation into the general
appropriation bill of items for the ex-
penditure of public money not author.
lied by law" The people again ac-