The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1906-03-27
THEY TALK POLITICS.
In Town Saturday-Many Statesmen
on the Streets-Some

AuoP "o' on Tue SoSCtS carly, ana
did not leave until a fairly late
hour. So was Joe Edwards, and
so was Virgil Carter. The first
wants the republican nomination
for senator, and the other two are
pitted against each other for the
republican nom nation for represen-
tative. Incidentally, Mr.. Edwards
and Mr.. Carter are the only two
now In the field, Marion Hayden
of Alsea having retired. Edwards
and Carter were candidates against
each other for the same place two
years ago, and Carter carried away
the honor, trotting through to ell
ection subsequently with no demo-
cratic opponent in the field.
Wbat ap old cipe Republicap Said.
Both are said to be skittish on
the subject of Statement Number
1. The story is freely told on the
streets thu they started to the court
house at one time Saturday to file
their announcements, and with the
avowed purpose of ignoring State
ment Number I; that friends heard
of their intentions and expostulated
with the result that both took the,
matter under consideration and de-
ferred the journey to the court
house for the present. Whether
either or both will sign the state.
ment remains to b seen. There
is no question about the truth, Of
the story. Two men who advised
with them when they were about
to start for the court house, told a
TIMES writer Of the episode.
A good old line republican who
stood on the street at the time.
heard Of the incident. "Well,
they had better sign" he said.
The tone of his voice left no doubt
of his sincerity. "They had better
sign if they hope for election I
have voted the republican ticket for
a long time but wonl vote for any
manfor state senator or for repre-,
sentative who doesn' sign it. 1
have two republican neighbors
who look at the question just as I
do, and we have concluded among
ourselves that we wont support any
man who juggles with Statement
Number I. We all know what the
United States senate is. We have
waited for long time for chance
to have direct vote for sen tor.
The primary law gives US the
chance to say which man shall be
elected by the legislature, aud we
want to do it. By the new plan
a poor man stands chance to be
elected senator; he never had that
chance before unless he had a rich
corporation back of him, promot'
ing his election with the under.
standing that it should rule him in
the senate. We want now to send
men who will know that they have
the people to answer to instead O.
corporations. Statement Number
I opens the way, and it is my hon.
] est opinion that any man who jug
giles in the least with it can not be
elected in Benton county. All we
4 want is square deal. That much
we have right to, and we are al
fools if we don't insist on getting
it."
Fiebe ouer State Se2ator.
! A. ]. Johnson was not among the
candidates in town Saturday. He
has been in the state of Washing
too for several days, examining
banks. The race between him anc
Ed Belknap for senator attracts
more attention than all the other
4 offices combined just now. Fol-
4 years past the battle over the sena
torial nomination in Benton has
been a vigorous one. Usually, il
is a pretty heated one. 1t always
leaves scars in the party. The in
| auence back Of the fight always, is
the United States senatorship. The
questi7n of what man is to be voted
for for senator, more than anything
else, is the influence that causes
these fights and gives them their
bitterness. Possibly that consider
alton does not cut so large a figure
in the present instance as in some
past fights, rs YER heless, it is more
or less a feature. For this very
reason republican renders his par
ty locally a service when he insists
that Statement Number be signed,
Wbat SiePiPe WoUld mean.
The moment that adherence to
Statement Number I is in vogue in
the county, that moment there Is
removed the influence that makes
bitter fights over the senatorsbip.
After that, the only influence in
volved III the senatorship viii be