The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1909-03-12
THE KNOCKERS CLUB.

The Morning Astorian. in justice
to itself and the city it represents
feels called upon to make plain and
direct statement OF its attitude toward
the new civic association in process
Of formation here, for the alleged
good Of the city, the "Businessmen's
Protective Union" or the Knockers
Club" or whatever it is to be called,
provided it is ever named at ali.
Primarily, we believe its sole and
signal purpose to be the Opening up"
Of Astoria to the old license in
gambling, dance-halls and other ele-
mental evils, that prevailed here three
years ago, and more or lesss (mostly
more) through all the history OF the
city. We believe it, because the in
ception OF this movement was had IN
secret; its first meeting was held in
surreptitious fashion; everything, even
its authors and guests and arguments,
we're smothered in a veil of silence
and mystery and only chosen few,
known TO be wholly committed to
aopen town" policies invited; the alb
sence Of all spontaneity, publicity,
and candor that herald straight and
genuine movements Of the sort was
conclusive of some ulterior idea, and
the known predictions Of the men
who were there, gave color to this
assumption. With this justifable con-
ception of the plan the Astorian pro-
ceeded to say what it thought; and
one Of the consequences Of its
frankness was that at the second
meeting, on Wednesday evening last,
an attempt was made to gloss over
the original propaganda, and set
speeches were made tending to show
that this "club" has only the high
and holy good of Astoria at heart;
save in three instances when the more
candid speakers turned their minds in
side out and told exactly what they
thought and wanted.
Secondarily: If it had been started
under proper auspices, with the real
safety and success Of the city as its
vital keynote Of existance and action,
it would have been called openly and
honestly and all citizens made well
come in the name of the community's
good; and there would have been
hundreds present instead of the doz-
en-, the score, that have so far been
lured to the sessions.
This paper has the courage OF its
convictions and promptly marked the
extraordinary character Of the as
semblage as move, and bid, for the
lifting of the lid" and did it for the
good of the place and people il stands
for. If this be knocking" then the
knockers Club may make the most
of it.
The tone of the speeches made by
Messrs. Bergman, Verschuren and
Kaboth, on Wednesday night last
we're apt expressions Of the real
issues upon which this Club" is seek
ing to organize and they deserve
credit for their candor and honesty.
1t pays to be straightforward and do
things in the open; the people do not
like to be deceived and invariably
recent It.
With hundreds Of business men in
this city, the Morning Astorian is yet
unsatisfied with the quality Of the in
spiration behind this organization and
proposes to say what it thinks about
it, il all the rest of Astoria keeps
silent. There is no need for any such
movement in Astoria. 1t is delib-
crate effort to paralyze the Chamber
Of Commerce, which might have been
used by these men, if they had the
warrant and nerve to carry their
schemes into that agency and urge
them there. This they we're told in
plain terms at the last meeting, by a
newspaper man.
AS to the estimates held in the Club
as to the Morning Astorian, this
paper can but say it wants the good
will Of every man acting with the
KNOCKERS" but It does not propose
to abandon its fixed principles Of civic
advantage, to secure il that an order