The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1901-11-09
WHO ARE THE SMALL MEN OF
OREOON2


The result Of the election in the City
Of New York is a blow to machine poll
tics, to little, cheap and mercenary men
and politics. It is an inspiration Tor
men everywhere who have high mind
ed view OF civic duty.
II is clear that the people Of the Uni-
ted States are becoming less and less
disposed to tolerate sordid and mercen-
airy politics.
The suggestion to Oregon is that il dis
card and reject little and cheap politics,
and the little and cheap men TO whom
the larger aud higher purposes OF poll
tics are unknown.
The result in New York comes to clear
the political atmosphere OF the country
Oregon needs il, too. Shall we not catch
the inspiration, to put a check upon
small, tricky, mercenary, self'seeking,
cheap.little politics a1d mere machine
politics2. Is it not high time2-OreJon-
ian.
The above is very refreshing when it
is remembered that this state has just
reelected man who for twenty years
was the leaping advocate Of free silver
on the Pacific coast, and has never re-
canted his views and said the gold plat
form of the Republican party
upon which he reluctantly got a-strad-
die was good good enough for any silver
man. The man just elected to the
Senate is not one OF the cheap small
men referred to. He is large man, a
great man in tie eyes of the Republican
politicians and the dominant factions OF
the Populisis and democrats who elected
him, the former party disbanding and
the latter party dividing its organization
in order to let their representatives in
the legislature vote for him. Yet he
refused 70 commit himself on single
great question, and refuses to cay today
whether he is for or against the ship
subsidy, or for or against tariff revision,
or against the trust, OF for or against
anything. Is 1t that kind OF iounda-
tion of sand the Roosevelt adminstra-
ton ls going to build in the Senate?
The same aggregation Of Oregon poll
ticians do not care very much whether a
man has any principles, 20 long as he
can get them the offices and will not
interfere with any Of the great corpora
tion gratis that have been stealing our
timber lands by the hundreds Of thous-
ands OF acres. They will take in wha,
the OTegonian says about small fry, will
pull together and prepare to crumple
Mr.. Harvey Stott's horns. The little
self-seeker is the biggest thing in
American politics today, and he instinct
lively breads the big public-spirited
statesman style OF man. From the
turning Of the tide in American affairs,
when men like Clay and Webster and
Blaine were sent TO the rear, the little
fellow has been TO the front, and even
men like Schley and Dewey have had to
fight 10 keep their heads above water.
Ex-senator Corbett took high-mind-
ed statesmanlke views Of all the great
public questions. He opposed the ship
subsidy steal. He stood for an American
canal when Mcbride voted against IL
and got $4,000 job OF Mckinley as an |
ornamental fgurehead at the ST Louis |
Expo. Corbettt fought the trusts opanly,
in his own city, and the national COM
bines. He stood for free trade with
Porto Rico and seli-goyernmeut in the
islands and the upbuilding of our har-
bors when the little cheap and nasty
politicians have been selling them ont
in the interest OF trans-continental syn
dicates, and what did Republican legis-
lature do TO him2 Sent him home in
to retirement, and today the same crowd
are begging him 10 save the reputation
Of the state aud make theOregon exposi.
tion success. The Republican small
meAn-Iittle.and nasties had no use for
= man OF convictions and broad, states
manlike views, who would have been a
pillar OF strength to the Roosevelt ad.
ministration In its great battle against
the capitalistio combinations that are
prostituting the tariff and the govern.
ment 10 the purposes Of the shameless