Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-10-11

house tables sample OF what hey could 40 Wheh ou' u
The grand jury Investigations into the systematic punderng
the taxpayers threw out corrupt crowd OF county poc
and compelled the ring politicians who took office to Keep nan
way straight until the county could get on cash basis and kept
there by enforcing budget system.
The Capital Journal next tackled the anquaed system III
the city that resulted in the new reform charter
and the Hayseed administration.
That forced the city onto cash basis by OF the popular
oan and put all city officials on flat salary and put all ices
Next The CAPITAL Journal files will show the affairs of the
Salem school district were taken up and high school was forced
upon the city, and the city school administration divorced from
politics. ,o.
of years we had low debts reduced and schools built up
until Salem has the best school system in the state
The biggest job The Capital Journal ever tackled was the
fight put all state officials flat salary and put all 1ees
into the state treasury. u
ton behind which the office holders hid and knocking
down salaries of from ten to twenty thousand dollars year
The data compiled for that fight by Sam Richardson
Salem lawyer and the job complete that the benecar
les of the graft could answer his arragnment
The issue was forced by The Capital Journal into the Rpub
an and Democratic state platforms and resulted in the cleo
on of Chamberlain governor and the downfall OF the old
The three biggest things The Capital Journal
psed for the people of Oregon securing the free locks
and canal at Oregon City, and the campaign for general Port
Commission bill and the District built railroad amendment That
was defeated.
The fight the Free Locks and Canal personally
Quoted by the editor as chairman Of the Open River committee
and was pushed through sessions Of the legislature to
the appropriation of $3OOOO and the necessary action OF
congress.
That fight for the open and free Willamette river made
without dollar under constant attacks and charges of being
hired by interested corporations and was won in spite OF msrep
Iresentaon.
The campaign for the general port commission act under
which every harbor Oregon being improved by coopera
government carried by The Capital Journal without
dollar of being paid by any community or tax OF dol
lar on the people E"%FN%tsrSGE ~ 81 @'N'
But the biggest thing done the people of Oregon
The Capital Journals fight for the district built railroad
amendment to the constitution which was not adopted
The fight consisted of holding ten great development con-
crosses from Coos Bay to Ontario and having prominent
from all the state tell of the great undeveped wealth of
the state.
The big railroad in control of the Hill and Harr
man systems aroused to knowledge of the conditions
and the of the people under that amendment was unm
tied.
Within three weeks after the Burns convention both Hill and
Hartman began building into Central Oregon and began deve
opmen work in Western Oregon extending from Portland to
Coos Bay and Klamath Falls.
The Capital Journal and its editor made that fight without
any subsidy from commercial body and it has resulted in
the construction of about thousand miles of railroad and the
projection Of thousands of miles that provided for
financially.
The Capital Journal has ever taken the side of the
interest against powerful and combined interests whenever
they arrayed against the common good.
with which has tried to keep in touch and the patronage of
the with only fifty cents month has been its manstay
There has been time in wentyhree years when the
poorest citizen the most unpopular person. regardless of pol
cs religion could not have hearing in its columns
Such person could get more and, if without money or
friends could get editorial and space and fair treatment
on equal terms with public officials those backed by wealth
The Capital Journal has taken dctation in its public
policies from officials party machines organizations nstitu
Itions any power to crush the Individual
That is the imperial function of free press justice to the
individual against oppression coercion from any
whatever.
The Capital Journal has been champion of popular govern
ment and firm believer in the peanence and superiority of
our form of government.
To show the power of newspaper with principles and
vctons and the ability to formulate public program there
two instances to be cited at the last city election.
The Capital Journal prepared and initiated two amendments
to the city charter that adopted by overwhelming maor
ties when all other amendments to the city charter de-
feated
One amendment the nonpartsan primary that improves
the Oregon Direct Primary law in doing away with partisan
designation in registering the voter and establishing majority
rule at elections
Another popular amendmento the charter the pro-
vdng that preference be given in all public the resi-
dent aboe whether the public work done by the city or by
contractors.
The Capital Journal found this feature of the charter ignored
by the city government and the city flooded with imported
tract labor and began campaign threatening the recall and
secured the enactment of ordinance protect the home la
Iborer
In the present city campaign The Capital Journal is leading
the fight for reform municipal program that has far been
endorsed by every public gathering of citizens that has been
held.
The Capta Journal has stood for definite nronositon and