Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-05-03
CANDIDATES AND ISSUES.

In Doth parties there IS already
more or less casting about on this
subject. The republican party is
we'll supplied with first class pres
idential timber and has so fully
met the demands of the people
that it may calmly and conf
IDENTIFY look on while the demo-
cratic party selects a standard
bearer and decides what issue it
will present for the approaching
contest.
There is considerable perturba-
ton in the democratic camp and
it looks as if a candidate will
first be agreed on and then an
issue sought to fit the man. 1t is
quite natural the easier part of
the task should be first accom-
plished, as it will give longer
time for considering the more
difficult and perplexing One of
what the issue shall be.
Of possible candidates Tom
johnson, of Ohio, now appears to
receive most favorable considera-
ton. His late election to be
mayor Of Cleveland, usually a re-
publican city, has again brought
him into public notice. His
election to this office does not
indicate any increased popularity
up to that time. The republican
nominee was regarded as an un-
fit man by large numbers of his
party to whom his nomination
was extremely unsatisfactory.
They made protest at the polls,
and to this, more than to any
thing else, Mr.. Johnson owes his
election. The issue was that of
three cent street car fares which
he favored. He amassed large
wealth ia the protected steel bust
ness, yet he advocates free trade.
He increased his wealth by the
promotion of steel railways, and
yet he opposes corporations and
trusts and favors a very low
street car fare. He has large
holdings of real estate, but favors
the single tax; that is, all taxes
should be collected from real
estate. Surely, so 1nany-sided a
man would make an ideal DEMO
cratic candidate.
Carter Harrison, for the third
time elected mayor of Chicago,
is another possible candidate.
His popularity in Chicago is be-
cause he upholds the rights of
the city against the street railway
corporations. His most active
following, however, is found
among those who favor a loose
administration of the laws for the
suppression of vice and corrup-
ton in the city.
David B. Hill, of New York,
may also be regarded as a pessi-
BILE candidate. Since the coinage
question has been settled and the
democracy has gracefully accept
ed the single gold standard, Mr.
Hill should be an acceptable can.
didate.
With so many prominent men
in the party who have been
vociferous advocates on all sides
of every public question the
selection of a candidate should be
an easy matter.
Altogether different and far
more difficult is making up an
issue. Opposition to trusts will
not do, for the democratic party
is as responsible for the existence
of these as is the republican.
Besides this there is rapidly
growing feeling among wage,
workers that trusts insure more
constant and remunerative EN-.
ployment, because, through their
intelligent control of production
so that it shall not exceed de.
mand, strikes and lock-outs be-
come less frequent. If this feel
ing is we'll grounded, and the
activity prevailing in the manu-
factures of iron and steel would
indicate that it is, the wage
worker will not support any
party in a war upon trusts. The
recent advance in the price per
ton of steel bil1ets and plates, to
be followed by an advance in
steel rails; the fact that the rail
mills have orders for home con-
sumption which will keep them
at their utmost capacity for many
months to come, SO that they are
unable to entertain foreign or
ders, and the knowledge that
I