The new age., 1906-02-10
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EDITORIAL
WHO is THE STRONGEST MAN?

WHO IS THE STRONGEST MAN?
To win against Governor Chamber
lain, the Republicans must put up a
man who can carry the country, the
rural districts. 1t is certain that the
Republican nominee for governor will
hail from outside of Portland, because
this city desires the candidate for
United States senator, and has also
aspirants for state treasurer, state
printer, and secretary of state. Gov
ernor Chamberlain, a Portland man,
will be the Democratic nominee, and
everybody comedies that he is strong
here, and it is probable that he will
carry this city, perhaps by quite a
large majority. Four years ago he
was strong also in the state outside
Of Portland, breaking about even with
Mr.. Furnish. He has gained rather
than lost strength in the state, and
would surely win if pitted against a
man equally as weak as Furnish was
then. 1t is evident, therefore, that to
beat Chamberlain the Republican NOM
inee must be strong in the country,
should be the one among all those
who have announced their candidacy
who can get the most country votes.
Which one is he?
Some might say Ex-Governor Geer,
but this is to be doubted, for he has
been active in politics so long that he
ly, if not openly, would manifest
themselves in the count. While per-
haps never an extreme or bitter fac
ZIONIST, Mr.. Geer was on some occa-
sions at least decidedly on the Simon
side, especially in his veto of the
aPortland charter bill on one occasion,
and though it is professed, and we
hope sincerely, on the part of many,
that the factional hatchet is buried,
we doubt not that a good many for
mer Mitchell adherents would dig it
up for use once more if Mr.. Geer were
to be the candidate. Then it is al
legged, and in some quarters believed,
that his administration was vulner-
able; that attacks could be made
upon it that could not be explained
away satisfactorily. Mr.. Geer vigor-
ously defends himself, and claims that
there is no just basis for any of these
criticisms, but he would have to con-
duct a defensive campaign, to some
extent, and it would not be wise poll
tics to nominate a man who would
have to do that, even though none of
the censure of the ex-governor were
deserved.
Mr.. Johns, of Baker City, is a capa-
BILE man of good record, but is there
any good foundation for believing that
he would be a strong candidate in the
rural districts? He is lawyer who
has lived a good many years at Baker
City, where he is well esteemed, but
is not much known in other parts of
the state, and he is not a man whose
personality would attract doubtful
votes. He is not a good campaigner
like Chamberlain and Geer, and is
not calculated to make an especially |
favorable impression on strangers.
George" would pick up half dozen .
dubious voters to his one, so far as
and personal contact go.
Besides, it is evident that though he
has been elected mayor of Baker City
two or three times without opposi-
tion, Nhe has bitter and relentless op-
position there in his own party. The
candidacy of Rand for representative
and Of Brown for governor shows
that So it would seem that Johns
would not be the strong man needed.
Sehlbrede, of Marshfeld, will, of
course, cut but a small figure. He
will get quite a complimentary vote +,
over on Coos Bay, and in Douglas coun-
ty, where he used to live, but not
enough to be taken into consideration
except as to which other candidate his