Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1908-04-03
STATEMENT GAINS STRENGTH
Many Republican Legislative Candi-
dates Are Flopping Over to Its
Support.
Portland Telegram.

Within the past six weeks Statement
No. has suddenly developed strength,
or perhaps its latent strength is just
becoming exposed. When the Multi
nomah Republicans held their con-
vention it was supposed by at least one
faction that there would be no state
ment ticket and reports from various
parts Of the state indicated that the
statement was dead, or in the last
stages of unpopularity. Since then
there has been radical change.
James U. Campbell, who a short time
ago was opposed to Statement No.
has Topped completely over and is now
candidate for legislative nomina-
tion in Clackamas County on the state
ment. His transformation is the same
as that of several other Republicans
in Clackamas, although few weeks
ago there were many Republicans who
were asserting that the anti-statement
forces would carry the primaries. s. F.
Richardson, of La Grande, who seeks
nomination to the Legislature,
Topped yesterday. Hewas not In favor
OF the statement and now that it is too
late to change his platform on the
ballot he announces himself as a
believer in Statement No. /, and prom
ises to abide by the peoples choice.
Richardson wishes the voters of his
district to consider him a statement
nominee.
These are only few of the number
who have suddenly discovered that
they started off on the wrong foot.
While Marion County has been spoken
Of as rabid anti-statement county,
reports now coming in contradict the
first prediction. The statement men
say that Marion will be in the state
ment column and that the statement
candidates will carry Salem by about
300. Outside Of Salem, the statement
men say that the ticket will win hands
down.
On the west side OF the Willamette
Valley a number Of county conven-
tions have been held, at which anti
statement resolutions have been
adopted. Republicans from these Sec
tions are now coming forward with
the assertions that these conventions
did not represent the sentiment of
those localities. There were many
precincts in which only a few Repub-
licans got together and elected them
selves delegates, while the majority
paid no attention to the convention.
Yamhill county is said to be one of
these and Coos another. Republicans
who have come to Portland in the past
few weeks contend that there is dis
satisfaction over the conventions
adopting anti-statement resolutions,
and they assert that old-time political
manipulators are the ones who engi-
neered these resolutions through the
conventions.
The juggling Of its platform by the
Hodson ticket in Multnomah county
has not strengthened the cause of the
anti-statement cohorts throughout
Oregon. The Portland politicians are
naturally looked to for advice and
precedent, and the Topping Of the Hod-
son ticket has made their followers in
outside counties rather nervous. In
Portland, itself, the statement feeling
is growing more prominent, especially
since the announcement OF the State
ment No. Legislative ticket and the
failure to secure third ticket among
the business men.
This sentiment for the statement ia
looked on with satisfaction by the
Cake followers, while the Fulton
managers are doing nothing to
antagonize such candidates as have
subscribed to the statement