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About St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 26, 1913)
t 1 . Hlitorical latlilf St. Johns is Calling You It second in number of Imluitriti. It tevenlh in population. Can to Portland every 16 min. Has navigable water on 3 sides. Has finest gas and electricity. Hat two strong banks. Has five large school houses. Has abundance of purest water. Has hard surface streets. Has extensive sewerage system. Has fine, modern brick city hall. Has payroll off 95.000 monthly. Ships monthly 2.000 cars freight. All railroads have access to it. Is gateway to Portland harbor. Climate ideal and healthful. St. Johns is Calling You Has seven churches. Hat a most promising future. Distinctively a manufacturing city Adjoint the city of Portland. Hat nearly 6,000 population. Hot a public library. Taxable property, J4.500.0OO. Hat large dry docks, saw mills Woolen mills, Iron works, Stove works, asbestos factory, Ship building plant. Veneer and excelsior plant, Flour mill, planing mill, Dox factory, and others. More industries coming. St. Johns it the place for YOU. ST. JOHNS REVIEW . Devoted to the Interest of the Penlntuln, the Manufacturing Center of the Northwest -2JT , DUCK! vol. to ST. JOHNS, 'OREGON, FRIDAY MBUR 26. 1913. NO. 6 - STRONG SPEECH By Mr. Lafferty in House of Representatives Hon. A. W. Lafferty recently made a speech in the House of Representatives, and as it con tains much of local interest, and tells where Mr. Latterly stands and his views on a number of momentous q testions, we have decided to publish it in full. Owing to its length, wo will be compelled to publish it in weekly installments. We believe it will bo read with considerable inter est. The address follows: Mr. Chairman, I wish to apol ogize to the House for the fact that my remarks will not be di rectly upon this resolution, but they will bear upon the subject of the education of our people. When the House is in Commit tee of the Whole on the state of the Union it is permissible for members to discuss any subject that relates to the welfare of the country, ami 1 desire to say a few words on the state of the Union. My remarks shall bo directed to legislation which 1 deem nec essary to the happiness of the people of the United States. It will be my purpose to point out the kind of a fight that must be made to secure this legislation. In doing so I shall endeavor to show that the .channels of news at the present time are all con trolled by the money power, and that, therefore, if the people arc to win there must hereafter be more direct communication bo tween members of Congress and Senators hero in Washington and their constituents at home. A small portion of my remarks may appear to be local in their application, but I doubt not that over member within tho. sound of my voice will ngreo that con ditions with reference to our present news service are much the samo all over the United States. I have heard it said that no man can be nominated and elect ed to Congress or to any other important public office under present conditions, unless ho be supported by n daily newspaper. That statement is not true, in my opinion. If it were true it would bo mo3t unfortunnto for tho public welfare, for in that case our Government would be completely dominated by. and our public servants would be entirely subservient to, privately owned newspaper corporations. All special privilege corporations stand together when in common danger. In my district there are three dailies, all owned by millionaires, H. L. Pittock owns a majority of the stock in the Oregonian and tho Telegram, which 1 treat as one paper: C. S. Jackson owns, a majority of the stock in tho Journal, and E. W. Scripps owns a majority of the stock in the Daily News. It would be as reasonable to expect a camel to go through the eye of a needle as to expect any ono of these three newspaper corporations to support me here after, or to give publicity to the work I am doing here in Con gress to break up private monopoly. Among other trusts there is the Newspaper Trust. The As sociated Press supplies the Ore gonian and the Telegram with news, frdm outside of Portland, without which news neither paper could profitably run for a week: and the United Press supplies the Journal and the Daily News, the Journal receive ing the full report and the Daily News the "pony" or abbreviated report, and neither paper could run without such outside news. Theee press associations now have it in their power to control the policies of the papers they serve, for the reason that they may withdraw their service at i L ? !.! 1 any contract expiring penou uuu irive the same to another. Be sides, all daily papers are under obligations to the press associa tions for not furnishing the same service toothers who would start comnetintr papers. Last April 1 introduced a bill to make the Associated Press. the United Press, and all other press associations common car riers of news, and to place them under the jurisdiction of the Interstate Commerce Commis sion. The effect of that bill, if it becomes a law, will be that nress associations will nave to furnish their news reports to all comers at the same price and upon equal terms, and if that price bo deemed exorbitant, any newspaper may complain to the Interstate Commerce Commis sion to have a reasonable rate fixed for the service, just an ap plication may now be made to the commission to have fixed a reasonable freight vate. There fore, if my bill becomes a law any man may start a newspaper and be assured that he can buy any press report on the market upon equal terms with any other newspaper. That would break up the newspaper monopoly and would make local newspapers independent. About the time I announced my intention of introducing that bill, Mr. Bond P. Geddos. a re-i porter here in Washington for the House press, a gentleman whom most of the members know personally and whoni I now seei in tho gallery, came to my office and complained that I hud said in a statement which appeared in the Congressional Record that the Associated Proas and the United Press were controlled by the money power. Mr. Geddos stated to me that the United Press was owned by E. W. Scripps, the same man who owns the Portland Daily News, and Mr. Geddos, after pointing i out that the Daily News had supported mo in the last cam paign, asked me to print a re traction in the Congressional -Record of my statement that the United Press was eontrolloWy the money power. Mr. Getldos stated that in coming to see me he was acting under orders from J the Wash nuton. D. C. manager of the United Press, who at this resent time is Mr. Perry Arnold, n the Munsoy building. I de clined to prjnt any retraction.! From that day to this my name1 has not appeared in the Daily News, except for brief mention when 1 was recently in Portland. Tho paper refused, as did the other three papers of Portland, to mention my departure from Portland for Washington on. November 2G. 1913. to nttond the present session of Congress. Personally. 1 did not care, but 1 , notified the Daily News, the' Journal and tho Orcgoninn of my departure, and it- was as little as they could have done to notify their readers, many of whom are in official corres pondence with me as their Rep resentative here, of the fact that I had been in Portland for threo weeks and of my return on tho day mentioned for Washington. Tho Oregonian and tho Telegram refused to either mention my arrival or departure Having stood by my bill to break up the Newspaper Trust, and my statement that both the Associated Press and the United Press are controlled by the money power, well knowing that such action on my part would alienate my last .vestige of news paper support, so far as the dailies are concerned, I desire to give other members of the House and my constituents and tho country at large, so far as I can, my reusons lor so tioing. Since I became a member of this honorable body threo years ago I have had but a single pur- nose, and that purpose is to worK and vote for tho public welfare upon all occasions as against special interests. I appreciate as highly as does any gentle man hero the great honor ot sitting as a member of this House, But l did not regard my election to the House as the end, but as only a means where by I could help accomplish an end, to wit, tho enactment of laws for the public welfare. Very few of those who voted for me, or lor any uepreseiua tive within the sound of my voice, had any special interest in our elections, but they were interested in the trust wo are to discharge. 1 want to make it plain that members of this House cannot fully discharge their duties to work for the common people and the general public welfare if they permit their course to be influenced by newspapers print ed by private corporations for private gain. There has been entirely too much toadying to "the press." Mayors of cities postpone important engagements in order to admit to their offices some gentleman repre senting "the press." Governors do the same thing. Cabinet officers, and even the President himself, scan the papers to see what sort of a "story" was "carried" by the various press associations concerning some of their activities. These press associations and their news papers soon let it be known what shading of opinion they win "BURBANK OF DRY FARMING WORLD" Has Oregon Products at United States Land Show In Chicago C ilu Add. 11. 1.. I'ata Hindu Tllluntn Hmiter ih "lliirbiink of tho Dry I'liriiuni: Vtwld About ten jihiw uiro liu It ft In hum In livnnivlllo, Itul., broken In body mill uplrlt, ami liu wont went In iiiicut of limilth, Ha not "illy found health, but won wenlth nml fiuim hn woll. Ilu Iih'uUmI In Cuntrul Oregon unit I'lonevml It iim a ciiltivitinr of tliu dry fnrinliiK variety Ilu workod wonder, (.'rowing tivcrylliliiK In tho nhtipo of irrnlns mid vejietnlile Hint tiro produces! with mom ttniplo rnlnfnll. Tilts your nt tho Intrrimliomtl Dry I'nrinliiK' Kxnonltlon In TuUu, Oklu., Itontor, for Out third connccutlro Urn, nwitpt the txmnlN In ronixtltlm with thu oxhlhlta of tint entlro North A morion n continent. luU IIIII, clmlr mnn of lint bwml of dins-torn of tint (J rent Northern rnllwuy, Inm luttnllod u portion of tliu funiculi Iteutcr exhibit in thu Ort'itt Xottlinrii rnllwity'ii (moth nt tho United Htnto IjiiiiI Hhow, which opened Nov. 20th In thu CIiIchbh CoIUciiiii. Hunter, meanwhile, U too biwy Kcttlnir rendy for hU next yenr'x f rop to nttnml tho OhlcnRo show. He Ik out to innko It four eontwmtlvo "world's t'lmmploi)Hlilpn" by Improving hi next dry farinlnic cowcrena oxhlblt. "play up strong," as thoy call it, and what they will ignore. In that way "tho press" wields a powerful influenco today on tho ; actions of many public servants. "The press has two ways of I killing off a public servant who proves recalcitrant and insists upon serving the public welfare i In season and out of season. One is attack and ridicule and tho other is silence. By ono means or the other "the press" figures it can bring any public servant to his knees before it. I have defied the ''press." 1 shall continue to do so. In no other way, in my opinion, can a public servant be absolutely independent and serve his em ployers. It was as natural that the special interests should have seized upon "tho press" as a means of controlling public ser vants as it is for a thug to grab the first bludgeon within his reach with which to strike you down when ho desires your pocketbook. In forhier years the special interests could con trol public servants by sending their agents into conventions to nominate men known to be "safe," and by putting up the money to elect such men. but with the coming of tho direct primary laws, the direct election of Senators, and the corrupt practices acts, requiring that it shall be made public by afhdavtt where campaign contributions come irom. all ot which laws started with William S. U'Ren. in the state of Oregon, the special interests are, in their ex tremity, left with but one power ful weapon still under their com plete control, and that weapon is "the press." Continued next week. The Linnton Leader made its initial appearance yesterday. It is edited and under the manage ment of D. N. Byerlee, formerly editor of the Review and a news paper man of long and varied experience. The new paper is a six column, four nase paper and presents a nice appearance. Tho Review wishes the new publica tionia long and prosperous career. Review 50c Per Year Jtis the-custom of many news naners to oifer premiums oc casionally in order to acquire a I larger subscription list. Differ-1 ent articles that run the gamut' from books to household utensils i arc thus held out as inducements' by various publications. The Review has decided to inaugurate i a campaign for n larger subscrip-1 tion list in St. Johns. Owing to the closeness of times and a cor-1 responding scarcity of the coin of tho realm, instead of offering premiums, the Review will bo sent to any address in St. Johns at one-half price, or fifty cents per year, which we believe will be moro appreciated than n pre mium would be. This reduction in price will hold good only until January first. Present subscrib. ers may avail themselves or the bargain rate also by paving up arrears, if any exist, and fifty cents for ono year in advance. Every home in St Johns should" receive the Review each week. It is a duty every citizen owes to the community, because the larger the subscription list the better paper, and the better tho paper the more benefit it will be to the community, Take advan tage of the bargain rate, and tell your friends about it. Mrs. Mary Erickson of Port land who last week threw a stone through a cigar store win dow in Los Angeles because sue was hungry and wanted to go to jail to obtain food; is to become the wife ot Fred smith ot uen ver. Chief of Police Sebastian nronosed to Mrs. Erickson for Smith. The Denver man wrote the Chief that he was willing to marry any wtrnian who could throw straight enough to hit a window and who had the Bpunk to break into jail to keep from starving. At first Mrs. Erick son refused the proposal. She relented, however, and said her first decision was because the proposal was "so sudden." Work for a Greater 8U Jotuu. Fire at East St. Johns Fire broke out at the Pitchless Lumber Company's plant in East St. Johns last Friday night, and before the flames could bo stayed tho entire plant, with the ex ception of the o:Tico building and a small storage room, were com pletely destroyed. M. Mackey, the night watchman, had made his rounds 10 minutes before ho noticed tho f'.ames, which broke out in tho main mill. Tho plant had not been running for two weeks, and there was no firoany wiiero about tho plaht, and it is believed that the fire was of in cendiary origin. Tho plant was owned by 13. F, Boutan. Tho St. Johns and Kenton fire depart ments were upon tho scene in short order, but could do little to stay tho flames which were eat ing their way through the in- flammable material. Besides tho buildings, a quantity of oxpen- sivej machinery and mill stock was destroyed. The loss is es timated at $21,500 with insur ance of $5500. The suit of the Maxwell Land and Irrigation Company against the Hcrmiston Bank and Trust Company to provent tho sale of plaintiff's lands under the Uma tilla project, Oregon, by which an injunction had been secured which was afterwards set aside on demurrer has been ap pealed. The sale of the lands had been fixed for December 27, 1913. but in view of the appeal of the case to the Oregon Supreme Court, which now has tho matter under consideration, the sale will not take place on December 27, as advertised, but must necessarily await the deci sion of the Supremo Court of the state relative to the validity of the deed of trust given by the Maxwell Company to tho Hermiston Bank and Trust Company. Where shall I get my haircut? At Gilmore's barber shop, adv. COUNCIL MEETS Matters of Importance Receive Attention j All members were present ati At last, the long coming Christ the regular meeting of the city) ma8 vacation has arrivedl There council Tuesday evening. with:nv0 K0Q( prospects of coasting Mayor Bredeson presiding. 'and snow balling during the A petition for a Special police- hnllrlnvs. All nrn iintiinrr Hint man in tho East St. Johns dis- II li b V, 413 IV1U14UII IU tliu ilU411l.ll and police committee lor recom mendation. A petition containing 02 sig natures asking the city council to place on the ballot at the reg ular city election the proposition of voting bonds for the installa tion of a new water system, fo connect with the Portland mains, was presented by Ciuis. Ander son, who stated that he had re ceived advice from Attorney General Crawford to the elfect that such action could be legally undertaken. On motion of Councilman Vincent the matter was referred to tho city attorney to look up the legal aspects of tho proposition. The obvious in tention of the petition was to ignore any rights or considera tions the present water company might be entitled to. An invitation was extended from the fire department to the city council to attend a smoker to be given by the department Monday evening, January Ctli. which was accepted. M. J. Carson in a communica tion asked that action be taken in regard to his petition that the liquor ordinance be altered so that a license might be given him to do business on Alta street. Upon recommendation of the li quor license committee the re quest wns not allowed. Owing to the fact that a grave yard had at one time existed on portions of Mucrum ami Swift avenues and a cloud had since rested on the title to the land, and upon request of M. L. Hoi brook, part of whose holdings are involved in the matter, it was decided that an attempt be made to secure a clear title, Mr. Holbrook having agreed to pay any costs entailed in so doing. Renewals of liquor license were granted to T. D. Condon, Sher man Cochran, M. F. Joyce and Thos. Glover, whose present li censes expire December 31st. The report of the polico de partment for tho month of No vember was read and accepted. The petitioned for improve ment of Banks street was held over for another week ' in order that more signatures might be secured on the petition. A resolution providing for tho improvement of Ilartman street from Central avenue to Oswego street by irrado and cement side walks was adopted, as was also a resolution providing lor uio improvement of Willamette boul evard between Burlington and St. Johns avenuo by cement sidewalks. 18 foot curbs and concrete navinir. Tho liquor license committee was instructed upon motion to investigate the provisions of tho liquor ordinance relative to open ings to saloons from Jersey street. Upon motion of Alderman Vincent it was the expressed senso of the council that two park sites be placed upon the ballot at tho city primary election to wit: The Caples tract and the Catlin tract, one being in each ward, with the proviso that a satisfactory price bo obtained upon same, and to bo voted up on as u unit. . Tho motion car ried unanimously. Alderman Martin suggested that it might not bo a bad plan to submit an amendment to tho city charter to the people where by city councilmen should bo elected for different length terms so that an entirely new council each year would not be a possi bility, and asked that the sug gestion be given some thought. The following bills were al lowed and ordered paid: St. Johns Gas Co., gas for City Hall $1.25; D. A. Bert, 2 days' work on street, 5.00; W. D. Wright, 7 hours repairing road roller, $3.05; S. W. Bugbee, 3 days' work with team, $15.00; W. E. Marsh, 15 days' work on street. $3.75: J. Anson. 24 days' work on street, $6.25; F. H. Mead, 1 days' work on street, $2.50; Bert Oiin, G days' work on street, $15.00; George Skaar, G days' work on street. $15.00; Chas. E. Miller, sharpening tools etc., $1.80; total, $G8.G0, HIGH SCHOOL Items of Interest Regard ing School Doings the snow will continue through tho vacation, which will last un til the fifth of January. Tho girls uro progressing rap idly in the art of cooking. After weeks of plain cooking they were allowed to make candy for their last lesson previous to the holi days. Many were the "ums" and "alts" when at last they saw, then tasted the result. Friday night, December 19th, our basket ball teams met the Bcaverton teams in tho first outside game of tho season. The James John teams wore both victorious, the girls with a score of 2 to 11, and tho boys with a score of 30 to 18. Tho girls' team showed well in spots, but were weak on basket shooting. and showed lack of practice and team work. Tho material Is there, but some team work and training is necessary before strong teams are played.; The boys were ragged and ineilectivo in tho first half, but came back stronger in the second half. Their passing wns good when It started, but was very slow in starting. Fumbling was the order of tho day, and much care less passing was also done. Basket shooting was wild and woolly, hut this can bo remedied later in the season. The elfort is to obtain team work first anil then devolope tho shooting art later. Had our girls made every Hold goal they attempted tho score would have been almost 500; had the boys made all their shots good their score would have been about 1000. The game was ably handled by Referee Davis of Pacific University and Umpire Smock of St. Johns. The third meeting of the Dramatic Society of thu High School was hold Tuesday after noon. A short but very inter esting program was given, con sisting of music, both vocal and instrumental, and of several readings. At tho close of the program Santa Claus appeared on tho scene and distributed the presents from the very "Christ masy" tree. Each member of tho society received a gift, and judging from every ono's joyful smile, it was just what ho most longed for. Pop corn for every ono appropriately closed tho joy ous occasion. Reporter. A Pleasing Recital The students of Miss Malena E. Long gave a splendid recital at her homo at I01 Alta street Saturday evening. December 13th, before a number of invited guests. Tho students acmiittod themselves in u most creditable manner, and the recital was en joyed very much by thoso pres ent. The following program was rendered : In tho Mountain Hut - Heins. Edloweiss Glido Vnnderbeck. Miss Arllne Shaw. The First Waltz Biederman. Margery Moxon. Martha (Flotow) - - - - King. Miss Masie Petersen. Golden Star Valse - - Streabbog. Thelma Kirkpatrick. Nocturne Read. Dance of tho Brownies - Kaman. Miss Sudio Cramer. Gretchen Serenade - - Heins. Miss Blanche Edlefsen. Merry Bobolink - - Krogman. The Hunter's Horn - - Schmoll. Miriam Clarke. Moonlit Waves - - - Fearis. Hunting Song - - - Spindler. Miss Florence Davis. Tho charity ball given by tho Bachelor Club in the skating rink Monday evening was a most enjoyable affair. Almost 100 couples were in attendance Tho rink was beautifully and taste fully decorated for the occasion, and the music furnished by Rudd's orchestra was simply unsurpassable. The floor was in superb condition, and every element conducive to a perfect evening's enjoyment was pres ent. We understand that about $250 havo been raised by tho Bachelors toward the Christmas fund, which went toward mak ing a happy Christmas for many poor families of St. Johns.