The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-05-16
POLITICAL NOTES.
Hap-Hazards Mourn and the Demo
Gratis Refuse to Console Them
In a Hard Row OF Political
Stumps,

The Astorian has had in its posses
sion for several days letter from Mr..
LYMAN in answer to the criticisms oil
this naper regarding his conduct in ar
raigning the Americans for their war
upon the Tagalo guerrilla Agumaldo,
Mr.. Lyman. however, tries to avoid rec
ognizing the fact that it is the Astorian
that is finding fault with him and his
utterances. and continues to address
himself to my anonymous critics.
For Mr.. Lymans benefit, as well
as for the benefit Of the voters Of this
county. the Astorian now plainly
states to him that it objects to the
election of any man to the office OF
county superintendent OF schools who
believes in giving aid and comfort
10 Aguinaldo. or who considers Aguin-
aidf 4 hero allied" to the heroes or
this country, or who tas any sympathy
to waste on the avowed enemies OF the
United States.
Now that Mr.. Lyman thoroughly un-
derstands that it is the Astorian that
is criticising his conduct, which tact
should have long ago been apparent
s.to anv bur the most obtuse or distorted
mind" he may write another letter.
and providing he avoids offensive per-
sonaiities and confines himself to de-
tense of his conduct, If he can, in seek
ing to give aid and comfort TO Aguinal-
do" it win be published. so far as
MIR. Lyman's views as private citlzen
on the war in the Philippines is con-
a. Artn nothing
saw. II Is only the utterances of the
candidate on the hap-hazard ticket for
county superintendent Of schools with
which the Astorian cares to deal. By
the way, the Astorian did not call Mr..
LYMAN a traitor. 1t simply quoted the
statutes OF the United States. They
were explicit enough. II he is traitor,
il is the law which makes him so, not
the Astorian.
Speaking Of publishing Mr.. Lyman's
letter. what would the poor, lost, for
lorn, hop-scotch candidates on the hap
hazard ticket do for newspaper mention
If IL wasn't FOR the Astorian? Not
only are the so-called citizens candi-
dates without party but they cannot
find a newspaper in Astoria that Is
willing to take up their cause The
s,utchers and mentioned their existence
from time TO time. not because they
in anyway menaced the success Of the
regularly nominated republican county
ticket. the only party ticket on the bal
lot or before the voters, but simply
because this paper hoped that some OF
the hop-scotchers might be made to see
the ridiculous position into which they
have been forced by a few designing
democrats and be brought TO realize
the utter hopelessness of their being
elected. without party. platform or
pledges behind them. The Astorian is
not vindictive towards its political Op-
ponents and it would like to save the
tipc and money Of some Of the men
on the headless and tailless ticket If it
could.
But What has become of the demo-
cratic press Of Clatsop county, any
howe The few old line democrats re-
naming admit they do not know and,
sorry to say it, they do not care. The
hop-scotchers won't admit that demo-
cratic paper is ashamed to champion
their cause They have another reason
they advance for the failure of any
paper tc support them. They say they
have no money. Well that is their
misfortune. The average newspaper
belongs to some recognized party and
It does not ask money to support that
partys candidates, policy or platform,
other than is earned in a legitimate
business way. A party newspaper feels
that it is its duty. as well as its priv
ilege, to support the party and does 1t.
That is what gives it standing and
prestige with the people. Now the hop
scOtchers. being without party. have
no right TO expect a newspaper to sup
port them without pay, so they had bet
ter dig up.
But. looking at It from the hop
scotchers' point of view, II is mean
of the democrats to drag them into such
a mire and then run away and leave
them in the mud. OF course the Sim
on pure democrats are sore, and have
been sore. ever since the failure of their
convention to nominate a straight out
democratic ticket. The old line demo-
Gratis feel that they have simply been
wiped out Of existence in ClatsoI
county, and not even by fusion with
the populists. They have simply been
buried under mass Of people collected
at random on the streets one after
noon, and who held a so-called conven-
tion and nominated so-called citizens
ticket which the old line democrats
We're forced to accept. Then the Law
stepped IN and refused to recognize a
hap-hazard gathering, such as the so.
called citizens convention was and de-
MED It the dignity of a name on the
ballot II was then the democrats
dropped out of sight never to rise
again, the old timers fear.
II anybody thinks that Z. p. Parker
is not holding up his end Of the string
on the republican ticket in his race
for the coronership. let him call on Mr.
Parker and suggest the fact. The pres.
ent coroner, who is rapidly fading
away being neither hop-scotcher, re
publican, democrat or anything else
-WiH--get job IL anybody tells Parker
he is not out to win.
The office Of the county clerk was
thronged yesterday with citizens who
went there 10 register and when the
books had teen closed at o'clock, ex-
actly seyenty-fve new names had been