Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-01-31
SELF-APPOINYED CANDIDATES.

SELF-APPOLNTED CANDIDATES.
A glance over the state iadi-
Gates that political movements
are assuming active conditions.
In a form of government said to
s'be of the people," one would
naturally expect such active
operations to spring from the peo-
pie, rather than from the Office
holder or the constant seeker af-
ter public official position. Closer
investigation of this widespread
agitation develops, unmistakably,
the fact that people generally. have
not taken in the situation, and
are unable to locate the cause or
place from whence originates the
political move, until after they
make investigation.
After such investigation at the
present time, one learns of sew
eral persons who have determin-
ed, each in his own estimation,
that they are the most fit and
proper persons to- be elected to the
United States senate, and each
in turn has solicited such friends
as he can command in each coun-
ty to enlist their efforts in work
ing up public sentiment to NOM
mate certain individuals as can
didates for election to the next
legislature. AS prerequisite to
such nomination it must be un-
derstood that the coveted candi-
date shall be pledged before NOM
ination to vote in the Legislature
for the prime mover for United
States senator. Thus far, the
soil in and about Portland and
the mouth of the Columbia river
seems to have developed the only
timber sufficiently tall to aim at
so lofty a position. 1t may be,
however, that available material
in other localities has not been so
fortunate as to obtain converts to
espouse and push their cause be-
fore the people.
The mass of the peopleare anx-
ious that men be nominated and
elected to the legislature who have
permanent intersts in the county
from which they are elected, and
particularly that they be not
pledged to higher officers. Self
seekers after official position,
pledged ito some aspirant to the
United States senate, are not
thought we'll of by the people
generally. The general public
is more interested in having its
members of the legislature guard
against the passage of laws which
are detrimental to the public well
fare.
The four or five sessions of the
legislature last past, have enacted
few laws of any material benefit
to the public, while several un-
just laws have passed which
would better not have been enact
ed. Much of the states time and
money was expended in holding
up the legislature to decide which
of two OF three men should be
elected United States senator,
while needed legislation was be-
ing neglected.
The great political quarrel
which has been progressing in
and about Portland for the lasts3o
years has assumed such proper
tions as seriously to effect all
other parts of the state. No doubt
'emissaries can now be found in
every outlying county seat in
Oregon, setting up the prelimin-
;arv machinery to nominate and
elect members to the legislature
who will support and vote for
candidates for United
Stated senator.
For these reasons, and others
good and sufficient, of which
there is not room nor time here
to make mention, the people
may do we'll to look to localities
in different parts of the state for
for the United States
senate. There are other locali-
ties in Oregon, that have import
ant interests requiring attention,
and when our senators all come
from Portland it is difficult to get
improvements continued unless
the road leads to Portland. While
the GAZETTE has a just pride in
Oregon's chief city and its posi-
bilities, it, nevertheless, likes to
see other localities grow proper
and meet with just rec
ognition. Some of these in times
past have been ignored because
the highway to be improved did
not lead to Portland. Twenty
wears aoo. If was difficult tn elect J.