Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1922-04-08
rs Years Ago

nomc and industrial changes in the progress of the
muny quarter century ago there was not an autorno
bile or motor vehicle in Salem not yard of paved street
or highway and few electric lights In politics the old
regime held forth with graft and corruption rampant with
the Oregon system still unborn and the state treasury the
personal perquisite Of the treasurer The custom OF
coteric of Salem neutrality-suspicious. in swindling the
state supplies had secured recognition throughout the
state under the cognomen of the "Salem hog
glance through the files of the Capital Journal OF
that year 89 show that in spite of the many and varied
alterations that have gradually changed conditions there
were the complaints about hard times and high taxa
ton and similar reform movements under different names
and many of the old reformers still on the job now
leading the reormaons Instead of the tax reduction
league there the hosts of bmetasm with free silver
as the cureal of Populism divided the field with
the old parties and the eaconares feared to offend the
money power boycott the state they do unto this
day. Trusts monopoes and Wall street were blamed as
today
The year opened with the famed "deadocked session.
Of the legislature when the sensational scandal between
the factions of the republican party with its $4,000 brbes
snalized the breakdown of representative government
Oregon made possible the establishment of direct
legislation But fair trial Of the system shows that
it also has its flaws and needs fixn if are to have
responsible government
Many of the familiar figures of the Salem of today
figure in the Of 25 years Colonel E. Hofer had
just launched his chicken fancer, while Bob
Hendricks showing pep and progress. After having
advocated the Intensified hem the sures road to
perty he advised farmers grow peppermint hay for
for horses and counseed the manufacture of silk from
spruce trees declaring that Oregon has plenty of spruce
timber cothe the world in silk, if the scheme proves
advised by the Capital Journal to plant
patch of potatoes and in the meantime soak his head
Mrs w. p Lord whose husband was governor was
then valiaty championing the growing of flax
as industry She organized that year $4,000 cor
poration to build flax MILL Undeterred by failure to
sell the stock then organized the "Oregon Womans
Flax Association which that fall installed flax fibre mill
in the old flour mill north Front street. driven by water
power and the Statesman informed now and for all
tme that flax fibre is not on the inside OF the stem that
is the pith"
Hard times reflected in the fact that painters
and mechanics working for from fifty cents to dol
lar day and many could not get employment at that
figure Salem barber cut the price of first class baths
to IL 1-2 cents Collections for starving humanity
abroad in progress as now though for the famine
sufferers OF India instead of the east for relief work
had not then become systematized into profession A
Salem preacher Numbered against working in the hop
The rush the Klondyke materiazed during the year
and many Saemites ourneyed to the frozen godfelds
among them being Ben 0cott. jim Linn and John Farrar
Instead Of Arbucke Durant absorbing space in the
newspapers. The coal miners were strike in
eastern coal fields Remodeng of the court house in
progress now, bringing injunction suit by ndig
nant taxpayers Following exposures by the Capital Jour-
nal, County Judge Terrell and members of the county
court were indicted for misrepresentation of funds.
Instead of Ku Kux Klan, there the A. P. A. and
w NJ Cherrngton member of the school board resorted
election to employ but A. P. A. teachers which
thrown out of court Instead of moonshne wood
alcohol ammonia served for seller, killing pros
porous farmer
Gold digging had begun on the santiam- and is still
underway L. H, McMahan sold "fish-hook invention"
reported by enemies to be for suckers for $4,000 and left
for Switzerland to study the referendum, while o. p Hof
station agent of the Southern Pacific Irving accused
of lobbying for the great railroad attorney Mitchell
senator with Mitchell and Huntington paying all the bills
Postmasterships then of trouble and
stirred up less dscord in the party and without
l. L. Patterson 25 years ago, then state sena
tor, was, running for office He of the
recognized bosses under the old regime and his candidacy
for appointment collector of customs brought forth
series of charges against him by Harry Lane, who had
been superintendent of the hospital and was later to
be mayor OF Portland and United States senator Lane in
his newspaper attacks him the sobrique of Corn
meal Ike alleging that Patterson had sold sawdust chop
ped feed to the asylum for and short weighted
articles sold convcts Lanes official report filed with the
governor, began:
For the carless dishonest contractor who fills
his contract for cornmea with sixinch top layer of
beautiful goddust meal the remainder of each and every
barrel being an ashyookng mixture of God knows what
and wound for all this breed and barnaeles and lice
have had but scant store of patience and of respect
II ~~%E@H 4@HHNR