Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-03-03
PARTY
NEEDS
LEADERS
New Line-U Demand
ed by Interior of
State
RepublicanSW We're Out General.
led In the Last Legislature
by the Opposition

Portland has no candidate for
state Office, but will make demand
for the next United States senator, and
will probably get that" said a Repub.
lican very prominent in the councils Of
the party in this city today. cit is con.
ceded that Linn county will keep the
state printer for another term, and the
attorney.general will stay with Doug
las. Lane may reach out for the gov.
ernorship, and Marion is conceded to
have a claim on the representative in
congress, if Hermann loses his grip.
The warfare on Hermann comes from
n source that is malignant and deep
seated. Although they admit they have
no proofs against him, they will never
let up their prosecutions until they
have downed the old man. But this is
al sage, and then added: "The party
has abundance Of material for candi.
dates, but it is sadly in need of better
leadership and wiser counsels. The Re.
publicans owe it to this strongly Re
publican state that they get closer to.
gether, and quit playing into the hands
of the Democratic politicians. In my
opinion there has got to be an organi,
zation Independent of Portland, that
will embrace the interest of the farm
ers and of the interior of the state, and
give the people a better business ad.
ministration in all departments and re-
duce state taxes about 80 per cent.
State Taxes Too High.
"The absence of Republican leader
ship and leaving all factions and mem.
bers to play "A game of fast and loose,
with the opposition under the keen po-
litical direction of Governor Chamber
lain, has cost the state dearly. Appro-
priations for the last two sessions have
run beyond all bounds, and state taxes
have gone up with a rush that is felt
by the taxpayers all over the state.
There should have been n definite pro.
gram of retrenchment, as was outlined
in The journal for months before the
session. The Republicans should have
passed at least one revenue bill to off
set the increase in demands on the
treasury. They might have known the
miners would not bear the heavy load
imposed on them by the Eddy bill, and
they should have passed the Some
mann bill, to tax the gross earnings of
the untaxed public service corpora
tions. But that is too late to speculate
about The fact remains our state
taxes are unconscionably high, and the
blame is about equally divided between
the legislature and the state officials.
We must have new alignment, new
men in the leadership of the party, and
a new program, if the party is to wealth
er the storm of dissatisfaction.
Portland Leadership Blank.
"There is dissatisfaction with the
failure of Portland Republicans to pro
vide any leadership in the legislature.
In both houses there was failure of
concerted action in the interest of the
party or Of the people The Republi-
cans of the rest of the state were look
ing to Portland for leadership, and got
none. There were not even confer
ences between the members of the
Multnomah delegation and the Repub-
licans of the interior feel that they are
abandoned and neglected at a critical
time in the history of the party. The