East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-01-30

Judge Lowell rkturns from the an
nual banquet of the Portland Com
mercial association with high hopes
that the irrigation bill introduced by
DIR. Cole will pfss both houses and
become a law. 1t will doubtless be
amended, but in directions which will
increase its efficiency. The measure
now has the active support of the
Portland Commercial club, the Port
land Board of Trade and the Portland
Chamber of Commerce. and those
bodies have taken steps to at once
install an influential lobby at Salem
for the bill.
Up to this time the bill has been
to a certain extent neglected-at least
it's friends on the outside of the legis-
Iature were not in evidence, while It's
enemies have been insistent and noisy,
though they brought to their unholy
cause no particular volume of ability
or of good argument. 1t is proposed
that from now on those who favor the
passage of the measure shall be ad-
eauately represented in the third
house" at Salem.
Placer mining and power company
interests have up till this time mani
tested n lobby to fight the Cole Dill.
and have had the friends OF the OIL
badly bluffed-not because they had
any doubts about the merits OF the
hill but because of the abounding
evidence that it's advocates were not
taking sufficient interest in 1t and
were not organized. These conditions
have been corrected. says Judge Low
ell. and he has, as stated, no doubts
about the bill becoming law
Among the devoted friends of the
measure now on the ground atNSalem
is IT. G. HALEY Judge Lowell's law
mariner. who left for the scene OF
action last night.
200 at the Banquet,
Judge Lowell states that the ban
uuet was one of the most successful
in the history of the Portland CON
mercial club, and was attended n
from $50 to 200 persons. Among
them were Governors Chamberlain
of Oregon, and Mead, of NaShing ton
and the executive clerk OF 69yernoI
HOOdlnR, VI ludbps Nhc ~NN'
possibly be present in person; aiso
the traffic managers of all dhe tpans-
continental railroads, and large
number of other men Interested IL
and representing all the great com
mercial interests of the Northwest
generally.
The most extensive oee=-hhdeFtak:
ing nv the Portland Commercial clut
of late was the raising OF Slo'VV'
for the Oregon Development League
IT now has in hand the cause OF gen
oral promotion of the Lewis ant
clark fair. 1t can be depended upor
t,at whatever 1t undertakes for anC
,r hehalf of the irrigation bill VII
he well and conscientiously done
When asked about what he though
Of the general work of the leglsia
ture Judge Lowell added;
"There is considerable interest man
,fest over the proposed constitution
al convention, a measure LOOKING u
that end. now pending before th'
legislature.
"The feeling generally appears u
no ono of suspician that 1t is move
,nent of political bosses, corporate IN
terests and liquor dealers to thereo!
get rid of the initiative and referen
dunn which all those classes rear
They have usually been able to con
troll legislatures, but direct legisia
tion vests in the people power whicl
the lobby cannot reach.
"The remarkable thing about tn
nresent situation is that men who TO
years have been bitterly hostile to