Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1906-05-11

but direct from the people. be-
lieve in popular government and
in the right of the people to nom.
mate their own public officers.
"The direct primary law has
come to stay and it ought tc
stay. 1t imposes burdens upon
the candidates greater than those
OF the convention system. But
it also lodges political power
with the voters, where it right
fully belongs. I believe the law
will be increasingly popular for
the people, and, while some
changes in detail may prove to
be desirable in the light of ex-
perience. the plan of nominating
public officers by direct vote of
the people must not be disturbed.
1t is my paramount desire to
prove worthy as a candidate OF
the trust imposed in me, and,
if elected to justify the confidence
OF the people who have support
ed me. For IS years Oregon
has been my home. 1t is with
pardonable pride I refer to the
fact that l came to this state
when a boy. My manhood has
been spent with the people of
Oregon. I believe that l know
them and appreciate their needs.
I yield to no man in loyalty to
the state of Oregon and in my
faith in its future.
1t is nv desire that the cam
paign which I conduct with my
democratic opponent shall be a
dignifed campaign, free from
personal abuse. / have no dis
position to indulge in epithets.
l do claim that the record of the
republican party in the past is
the pledge of its usefulness in the
present. I believe that its prin
ciples make for the welfare of the
people and at this time the in
dorsement of these principles is
m IRE important than any ques-
ton of preference between men.
1t is proper, however, that I
should say that no man has high
er ideals than I of what public
officer should be. He should be
fearless in the performance of his
duties. He should be amenable
to reason, but when he is sure he
lis right he should not be afraid
of criticism. He should, ruore-
over be man of clean life, an
example to others, one to
whom the people may look with
pride, both in his capacity as a
private citizen and in his record
as a public official. He should
take the people into his conf
dence.
The government is the govern
ment of the people. They are
entitled to know what the public
officials are doing and it should
be the aim of the executive
branch OF the government honest
ly and impartiality to protect the
laws which the people have made.
This is critical time for the
republican party of Oregon.
Although the state is republi-
can by a vote Of more than
two to one, many of our
important offices are filled by
members of the opposing party.
If the republican organization is
to be maintained in Oregon and
if republican policies are to be
supported, republicans must vote
the republican ticket. I believe
the republican party has a great
mission yet to perform for the
country in general and for the
state of Oregon in particular. II
elected, it shall be my aim to
heal the wounds inflicted by TO
years of factional strife and to do
all in my power to strengthen the
party organization, with view 10
its increased efficiency in the
public service.
We are entering upon an era
of tedious development. The
world has awakened to kuowl-
edge of the value OF our forests
and mines. Men in distant
states have learned OF the fertil-
ity of our soil, the productiveness
Of our farms and our orchards.
Capital is seeking investment