The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-02-19

II ehG CNA0AtNE ia tAAt 4NhAVNt&tN RfNtS VAN
are holding office In the city BY Virtue
of the assistance OF the republican,
who are republicans for personal aus
private gain, That Is the dominating
influence OF the democratic ring hal
produced small revenue for them
SUFFICIENT to induce them to forsak'
party principle for private gain.
That large majority of the peopl,
OF Astoria are conscientlously opposed
to raising revenues by these methods
admits df no doubt. yet they excus,
IL on the grounds that II II Is not done
taxes will be higher and they win bt
icompelled to contribute and make III
for the loss that viii be sustained 4
gambling and kindred vices wer'
closed down.
/ In nearly every city In the STATE
where these practices have been II
Vogue and where revenues have beer
derived. public sentiment has changed
ana they have been entirely eliminated
The city government goes on just the
same: other means have been adopted
| for raising revenues: there are Just
as many improvements made ana the
city or town Is just as prosperous,
There is a noticeable change In the
social atmosphere OF the community
and In every city where the innovation
has been made it has proven both sue
cessful and gratifying. 1t removes
temptation from the rising generation
is beneficial to society, TO good morals
and there is more money In circulation,
OF course public opinion has to be
moulded up to the benefits OF making
sweeping changes, especially In COM
munity where everything has been
wide open for years: where vice and
official corruption go hand in hand;
where politics is controlled by an ele.
ment that ought to be disfranchised or
denied the right of suffrage for con-
slant violations of the law. but who
have the controlling influence in all
municipal elections, aided and abeted
by police influence and politicians who
never enforce the laws and ordinances
which they are sworn to enforce. Their
oath of office Is of secondary consid
Grafton. and they are pledged to pro'
tect offenders in order TO insure theic
election to office.
The time win come in Astoria when
there will be change in public senti-
ment. When ways and means can be
devised for raising the necessary reve-
nues for the support and maintainencs
of the city government without n sys-
TEN of license for vice and crime. There
ought TO be other ways Of raising reve'
nues than from the sources now In
vogue in Astoria. This city is one Of
the very few on this coast that has the
reputation Of being wide open town.
This reputation is an inducement for
the idle and vicious to come here and
locate where they will be protected
by democratic police commission and
democratic police force. but it is not
an inducement for the intelligent peo-
pie of the east TO come to Astoria and
locate. 1t drives capital and intend
ing investors away. No man is COM
ing TO Astoria to raise family where
such conditions exist. As a matter of
fact many of the prominent citizens
of Astoria have moved away and taken
their families with them. on accoun.
of the city being under the control Of
the immoral element Astoria has the
reputation of being a wide open town.
and it also has the reputation of being
an underisable place to raise chill
dren in.
Hundreds of eastern people have
come to Astoria during the past year
looking for a place to locate. Nine out
of ten Of them inquire first about the
school facilities; second, about the
churches. and invariably as to the
moral conditions as being a proper
place to raise and educate children.
Hundreds Of letters have been re-
ceiyed asking the same information.
When the actual facts are known to
these intending investors and settlers
they never come to Astoria. They have
been accustomed to live In communi
ties where vice ana crime are not the
dominating influence Of city life. These
are facts and are we'll known to every
member of the chamber Of commerce
and to many Of the prominent business
men. As long as this condition Of af'
fairs exists Astoria will never receive
any aceessions to its population. II
must either be fit habitation for the
refined and progressive or the immoral
and vicious. 1t cannot combine the
two
Pushing the Work.