Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1907-02-07
SALEM (OREGON) LETTER.
EDITOR CLARION:

EDITOR CLARION:
You remember last spring when l
was so interested in our new primary
Law" and our aim to elect two United
States senator's who should be the choice
of the people, and that gave you de-
tail of the proposition and prophecy
Oregon would "blaze the way in this
political reform? Well, now am pleas
ed to inform you that our Legislature,
now in session, last week ratified the
choice of the people and Jonathan
Bourne, Jr., and Frederick Mulkey land
l am proud to add, personal friends of
mine) will represent the people of Ore
gon in the United States senate.
One complimentary vote in the Senate
was cast for Judge Bean and five demo-
Gratis voted for the republican candidate.
In the House there is only one lone dem
ocrat, and he voted for the peoples
choice, and three renegade republicans
threw their standing away with their
votes when they refused and voted their
private preference for Judge Moore.
Now we will see what we will see, and
everybody will see that pioneer Oregon
will be followed in this regard by many
other states for this is one of the things
which come because Minerva like, it
springs right from the heads OF the peo-
pie.
Every two years I take bit Of holi-
day by assisting my friend, j. Conner,
proprietor of our big hotel, The William
cite. He is very busy man with other
interests than the hotel and as he states
it in his own terms, "has no time to gas
and visit" SO when our lawmakers and
all the camp followers come here for for
ty days and forty nights, | take his place
and work the hot-air lever-try to pacify
the injured, satisfy the doubtful and dis
pense all sorts of local information picked
up in fifteen years about town. BY COM
mon consent here in Salem it seems to be
that, one may come here stranger, but
if he goes away without my knowing him,
he must have left in the centre Of the
night via box car route. Beside those
members who live in the hotel, one is eX-
pected to know the others by sight, and
their friends and the friends friend-an
endless chain-and really the best way to
get away from all sorts of questions is to
be able to answer them promptly. Every
train has it's going and coming crowd, and
when a man comes in from Jimtown you
must be able to tell him who else is horc
from there and who has just gone back
to Jimtown. Then there is the case when
you take a cigar-but do not light it
"now" because you don't smoke, and to
refuse to drink point blank and have the
other fellow understand that you play no
favorites, but that each day the same,
you arise and go to bed drihkless, but he
need not do that on your account. | get
infinite entertainment out Of the coming
and going people, and while one need not
go into the detail of studying human ma
ture, much will come to you in the way
of knowledge of Municipalities just by
brushing up against strangers as they
come end go.
On Wednesday evening our hotel was
the centre of democratic activity when
MIR. and Mrs. VIM. Jennings Bryan and
party arrived. Covers were laid Tor only
twenty Of the double-dyed faithful, in
Guiding our democratic Governor, ex-Gov-
ernor, Mayor and Senate and House COM
mittees, as VIM. J. strenuously objected
to banquet on big scale. Mr.. and Mrs.
Bryan retired at once to their rooms end
while he was being LucasiZed by the head
barber, the faithful and overflow mingled
III converse and smoke till he came slowly
down the stair and mingled with the
crowd. This was the first short range
observation | ever had of the great com
moner, and l must say he looks good to
me. Tall and dark with warm broad
smile, face full of strength and yet as
kindly lighted as that of ones good old
granddad. Mrs. Bryan dined with some
ladies at the farther end Of the room and
seemed all unconscious Of that party of
twenty jollyites at the other. She is
medium sized woman, dark completed,
not modish but well gowned and is as
kind faced and approachable as her Willie,
She is learning the physical geography of
her own country as She asks many qucs-
lions about the towns and is fully aware
before hand that you will tell her that
the the weather just now is most unusual,
At eight o'clock the Opera House was
thrown open and it is said that not even
Uncle Toms Cabin Co. had such a lot of
seatless people left over after every nook
and corner was filled, but then this was a
free show and Salem turns out immense
crowds at free shows.
You may not know that from 6p. m.
Bro. Charles has charge of the register and
the comfort of our guests. During his
watch some double-eyed william cut from
the days page the part which had upon
it Mr.. Bryan's name and now Charles
who is Bryante, claims that some ras-
cally republican did it just as they have
been stealing all other good things dem
ocratic. In the morning l had fully five
minutes visit with Mr.. Bryan before the
gathering of the hosts and mentioned this
little circumstance to him when he laugh
ed heartily and declared he had, as yet,
not signed for himself, but that his Sec
rotary had, whereupon he came around
to the desk and now we have his own 81