Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-11-29
PUBLIC BUSINESS.
AS II is Conducted end Some Sugges-
tons Of Improvements.

hb u 10 OoHuuStcu biau ASOuiC oAbbSo
tions Of Improvements.
EDITOR JoURNAL:-"Blessed be
nothing" The less property a man
has within the city limits OF Salem,
the better position he Is In TO derive
a generous fund OF amusement from
the present situation. To the one
who has his little all invested here
IL may nut seem quite so funny that
the same element which has run the
city so hopelessly 10 debt Is still so
strongly intrenched as 10 be able TO
bid defiance to the solid taxpayers
and better element OF the dominant
party; but 10 man upa tree, the
entertainment presented is highly
edifying. That meeting OF Republi.
can taxpayers, appointing u commit
Tee 10 humbly petition the city chair
mao 10 hold the convention at such
time as would allow the people TO
have some choice In the selection Of
the city officers, was spectacle for
gods aud men.
Can IL be that the western Amerl-
cans are losing that hne sense Of
humor which prevents man from
making himself rldlculOusY
IL Is satisfaction 10 know that the
city chairman did not take this opera
bouffe play seriously, He understands
his business, and his business Is TO see
that this city IL run according To the
most approved system of municipal
spolIatlon. How long could ne hold
his job II he should let his nerve be-
come shaken by one little squeal from
the victims ?
What Is the use Of the sheep TO
bleat after allowing themselves TO be
driven into the shearlng pen? This
city is being run strictly according u
the latest gold bond hnanclerlng
principles, The only way 70 do busi-
ness Is TO borrow money 20 do IL with.
Without th> money lender the world
would 20 back into barbarism la iif-
teen minutes. La order for the money
lender 10 exist there must also be
borrowers; aud who can give better
security than a municipality This
city has been squandering its income,
which rs right aud proper, for II It's
Income had no. been squandered there
would have been no chance TO run
In debt, and without debt there could
be no bonds. For any one who be.
leYes in the Wall Street system OF
tinance 10 raise yell now because
over half the city's income goes for
Interest, leaving not enough for other
expenses, Is simply childish. Those
who dance must pay the fiddler,
though Ia this case, unfortunately
the lat Is also passed among those
who haYe no taste for danclng.
These latter have some standiIg In
court 10 make protest, but the old
guard OF spoils politics aud bond
money" tuanclerlng, who always
stand In with whatever gang happens
TO be In control OF the party" have
no sympathy coming. Let them sub
mlt with becoming humility.
Surprising they arise ia their might
aud smash the machine; how long will
IL stay smashedy That remedy has
been applied at longer or shorter
Intervals In every city Of the United
States for many years. aud as a better
ment OF conditions IL has proved a
lamentable tZ2le. These spasms OF
virtue never last until The next
election, and then the gang makes up
for lost time. IL Is an expensive
comedy, and II grows stale by repe-
titiou, but IL Is the only "reform"
drama that We are likely 20 witness
under the present system.
Some day people will awake 20 a
realization OF what fools they are Co
put their public affairs absolutely snd
irrevocably out OF their control aud
into the hands OF irresponsible aud
unmanageable Oticlals Then they
will insist upon having something "a
say AS 10 how their money shall be ex-
pended aud their property mortgagel
for debti and they won't care whether
IL Is Popullst doctrine or not, so long
As 10 Is common sense. But that day
has not dawned In Salem, aud the
conservative element" may az well
take It's medicine without crying.
This is only little side iss ue, any
way, in the great scheme OF robbing
the many for the benefit Of the few,
aud those who believe In the right.
OF that way OF doinS Ousin
ought not to complain. II you EN-.
ploy band OF thieves 20 do your
dirty work, you must expect them To
make an occasional haul out OF your
own property.
c.