The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-11-20
OTTO PETERSON HAS A
WORDOFEXPLAINATION
INTERESTING LETTER FROM
THE ALDERBRooK CITIZEN
ANENT HIS WITHDRAWAL.

StN0 NANAs0h NNhltAlta kWS hNhNN
ing interesting letter anent his re-
cent withdrawal from the pending
campaign and the Astorian gladly
publishes it at his request;
Astoria, Or, Nov, Is, 1908
Editor The As.orian;
Dear Sirs--In the news columns
Of The Astorian during the past 10
days ] have been given several write
ups and perhaps got more notoriety
than a years residence in Astoria
entities me to; il all having come
about owing to my having received
the nomination on three tickets for
the four-year term as Water Com
missioner from the Fourth ward.
1T is just as well that the public
should know how happened to be
a candidate for such an office. Sew
eral of the best citizens in the Fourth
ward asked me TO represent them in
the Water Commission, and my petit
ton was prepared partly withou, my
consent Having doubted the legal.
ity of being able to hold such po-
sition as my name did not appear as
a taxpayer or property holder-my
portion Of taxes being paid by a local
corporation in which am stock
holder and what property own here
and at Seaside being in my wife's
name-I did. before fling my peti.
ton, call at the Office OF local al
torney and after explaining the cir
cumstanees to him | asked, in the
presence of three or four gentlemen,
il l could legally hold the Office men
toned. was informed that could.
Hence the fling of my petition,
Even after such advice my sus-
picions were still unsettled so call,
ed at the Office Of Fulton Bros. -
seek further light. When explain
ed my case, was instantly referred
to Section is6 Of the Charter Of the
City OF Astoria, which section com
pleteiy knocked the underpinning
from one of the political aspirants
from the Fourth ward. My career
as a politician was OF short dura-
ton. However. in the future as in
the past, my name viii be Otto
Peterson, and a grateful memory
shall always cherish a kindly feeling
Tor the representatives Of the three
parties, Republican, Citizen and
Democrat, who willingly, and with |
lut solicitation, placed such conf
ienee in me.
Il shall not forget the fairness %
,f some OF my neighbors who were |
good and kind enough to take an
Indirect slap at me by stating (after
hey doubtless knew | was disquali-
led to hold the office) that there |
we're people working and inspecting |
streets who were not taxpayers.
"In closing | beg to say that I
rave been direct and indirect con-
ributor to the tax roll Of Clatsop /
,ounty for over 81 years; since the
lays when the street in front OF my +
was used as a county road
have paid for its improvement al
hough it always has been, and is
low, the only practical street leading
% Uppertown and now in my old
lays ! am not coming before the
public pleading lack Of sanitary Cor
,anity) conveniences and demanding
hat the property Of widows and or
,hans and generations yet unborn
,e bonded so as to improve the tide
lats in front Of my lots as do some
# your business and political char
atans when they ask for the building
# seawali, the raising Of the
,rade and the bankruptcy Of the city
# Astoria. Yours truly,
"OTTO PETERSON