Oregon City courier., April 10, 1908, Image 1

THE MAN THAT DOES NOT READ AND KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON IN HIS COUNTY IS NOT COMPETENT AND FULLY QUALIFIED TO VOTE FOR HIS BEST INTEREST
COURI
25th YEAR.
OREGON CITY. OREGON. FRIDAY." APRIL 10, 1908
No 48,
OREGON
CITY
THE SENATE
UNDESIRABLES
The Story of the Rise of the Political
Understrapper of the Late
John H. Mitchell
SENATOR FULTON OF OREGON
Mask Tom From Face of Senior Senator From
Oregon Immoral Guide Post of Public
Conscience
(From Collier's Weekly.)
Out of the nest they fouled all the
political crooks and thimble-riggers
that have dominated Oregon for years
have been driven all but one. He
has been pilloried In the stocks of
public contempt, but the law Is pow
erless to reach him.
Charles W. Fulton, the present sen
ior United States Senator from Ore
gon, has been In politics for a good
many years. He was In the State
Senate of Oregon for several terms,
and was a political understrapper for
John H. Mitchell. The success with
which he has used cayenne pepper on
his shoe-soles, and the boldness of his
denials, even when caught red-handed,
have In the past lulled the public Into
a semi-confidence In Fulton's Integri
ty; but his recent vicious attack in
Washington upon President Roose
velt's policies, after a hypocritical ap
proval of them for home consumption
In Oregon, has served to tear the mask
from his face.
In 1897, John H. Mitchell was a can
didate for the office of United States
Senator to succeed himself. That
was the legislative session known in
Oregon as the "hold-up" legislature.
The political forces for and against
Mitchell deadlocked. The Populists,
opposed to Mitchell, refused to per
mit the organization of the House of
Representatives, fearing the persua
sive power of Mitchell's "sack." The
Senate, always the bulwark of cor
porations In State Legislatures, was
organized by the Mitchell forces.
Wherever Wheels Turn
Electric Motors arc Needed
No matter what they drive or where
they are
These
Anyone using power can profit
by consulting
i
Portland Railway, Light & Power Co.
e. G. MILLER, Agent
Oregon Gity, Oregon
There were two organizations of
the House of Representatives. One
of these recognized Representative
Davis of Umatilla County as Speaker.
The other, the Mitchell faction, recog
nized Representative Benson of Doug
las County. At the request of the
Mitchell faction, Addison Dilly, chief
of the Salem police (Salem being the
State capital), appointed nine men as
special policemen, for the purpose of
aiding the Mitchell wing to maintain
possession of the House of Represen
tatives by force, if necessary. One
of the objects was to prevent Davis
from taking the Speaker's chair.
When Davis attempted to take the
chair, the special policemen got in his
way. Rough-house methods were re
sorted to for the moment. All of these
special policemen were armed, some
with both clubs and revolvers. A re
volver which one of them had in his
pocket fell out on the floor in full
view of those standing around. Charles
W. Fulton, the financial agent of Sen
ator Mitchell, paid these special po
licemen for their services.
The hold-up" legislature lasted fif
ty days or more. There was no elec
tion. The most desperate efforts
were made by the Mitchell men to
secure the requisite number of votes
to organize the House and elect Mitch
ell, offers of money and official posi
tions being the commonest means
employed to acomplish this purpose.
Charles W. Fulton was the recognized
The Bribing of Smith by Mitchell and
Fulton.
J. S. Smith, from Linn County, was
A Saving in Power A Reduction in Expense
An Increase in Output An Improvement in Pro
duct Some Decided Improvement Always Results
When Electric Motors Turn the Wheels.
Benefits are especially
valuable to
Bakers, Blacksmiths, Bottlers, Butchers, Confect
ioners, Contractors, Dentists, Dressmakers, Grocers,
Launderers, Housekeepers, Jewelers, Machinests,
Printers, Woodworkers.
a Populist member of the House. He
was opposed to the Mitchell faction.
Rumorse of corruption were rife. The
Populists were determined that Mitch
ell should not go to the Senate, if they
could prevent It. Smith conferred
with the leaders of the anti-Mitchell
forces, among whom were Jonathan
Bourne, the present junior United
States Senator from Oregon; John C.
Young of Baker City, State chairman
of the Populist Party; Frank Williams
of Portland, then a member of the ex
ecutive committee of the Populist
Party; and H. L. Barclay, Republican
Representative from Marlon County.
Smith had a plan of campaign, in view,
of the rumors of corruption. It was
to go to Mitchell and secure some of
his money in order, he swears, "to
furnish a clear case of the methods
Mitchell and Fulton were pursuing to
procure the re-election of Mitchell."
Smith's plan did not meet with un
animous approval among the anti
Mitchell members with whom he con
ferred. He carried it out, however.
The opportunity came, as he expected;
James Powell of Albany, sought him
while he was seated in the chamber
of the House, and said that Mitchell
desired to see Smith personally at
the Mitchell headquarters. Powell
accompanied Smith to the Willamette
Hotel. "As soon as I entered the
room," said Smith, "Mitchell and Ful
ton Invited me into an adjoining room,
where they urged upon me that I ow
ed It to my own future career to at
tend the legislative session and stand
with them. Fulton said to me in
Mitchell's presence: 'I will give you
three thousand dollars, and pay you
fifteen hundred of that amount right
down now if you will go Into the House
tomorrow and make a speech explain
ing that you think there s been
enough of this delay and urging that
the members take action and vote for
Mitchell for United States Senator.'
Mitchell added his assurance to that
of Fulton.
Smith evidently wanted a corrobora
tive witness. "Well, you have this
man Powell," he remarked, "who has
already talked with me. You can ar
range the paying over of the money
with him."
"Mitchell and Fulton acceded to
this," says Smith. "I left the head
quarters and went downstairs to the
lobby of the hotel, where I was joined
in a few minutes by James Powell,
who took mo aside and handed me two
packages of greenbacks, one contain
ing $1000 and the other $500. I had
hardly got through with Powell,
when Mitchell, who had followed Pow
ell downstairs, came up to me, took
me by the arm, and said: 'We have
$35,000, and the boys who are training
with you can have all of it if they will
do as you are doing and come In and
vote. The cab out here is at your dis
posal to get them here tonight and
see us. We want them fo vote right
tomorrow morning.'"
Smith's Refusal to Stay "Bought."
The next morning the roll-call clerk
called: "Smith of Linn." Smith was
not present to respond. He stood out
in the lobby. Charles W. Fulton, the
present senior United States Senator
from Oregon, be it remembered, rush
ed out from the House chamber and
into the bbby. He approached Smith.
"Aren't you going in this morning,"
he inquired anxiously. "Going .In
where?" asked Smith. "Into the ses-
IMPROVEMENT
CLUB MEETS
MT. PLEASANT IMPROVEMENT
CLUB PASSES RESOLU
TIONS. SIDEWALK WILL BE BUILT
Newly Elected President Gives Ad'
stress Followed by
Others.
The Mount Pleasant Improvement
Society held Its regular meeting in
the Mount Pleasant school house ou
Tuesday evening, and business of In:
portance was brought up for discus
sion. There was a good attendance
of members, who took an active In
terest In the proceedings of the
meeting. This being the first meeting
of the club since the election of the
new officers, the newly elected presi
dent, A. A. Pease, was Introduced by
Bert Clark, who in turn gave a talk
on "What the Club Should Pursue the
Coming Year," and by the Interest
manifested by the members at the
meeting, it is an assured fact that a
great deal can be accomplished. Mrs.
A. C. Warner read a paper on "The
Work of the Club and What It Has
Accomplished Since Its Organization,"
and it was Interesting to note what
had been acomplished by the faithful
workers of Mount Pleasant. S. T,
Roman, secretary of the Club, talked
on "The Civic Improvement Club and
its Advantages," and brought out
many good points in his address.
The committees on sidewalks made
their report, and everything is in
readiness for the construction of
same, which Is to extend from the
Mount. Pleasant school house to the
Tabor place, a distance of one and
one-fourth miles. The lumber is on
the ground, and the work will be tak
en up immediately by the men, who
are to donate the labor.
A resolution was passed favoring
the reservation and protection of side
walk space along the public highway,
and along the sidewalks which Is to
be built at Mount Pleasant ,it Is pro
posed by many of the residents to
have shade trees planted, which will
greatly assist In the attractiveness of
this suburb of Oregon City.
The Club will give an entertain
ment at the school house on Tuesday
night, April 14. It will be a "Guess
What Social," and an appropriate
musical and literary program is being
prepared. After the program a sup
per will be served.
sion." "No, sir," answered Smith.
You give back that money then,"
said Fulton. "I will never give back
a cent of It," answered Smith. ' Fulton
was too angry to try cajolery. He
threatened. Then look out for your
self personally," he said. Fulton now
noticed that a crowd was gathering
and began a hasty retreat toward the
House chamber. Smith followed him
up to the door. He proposed that Ful
ton and he, In order to settle the mat
ter, sign a statement setting forth the
actual facts, and publish the state
ment in the Salem "Journal." Fulton
did not, of course, agree to the propo
sition. The next scene in this edifying Ore
gon drama occurred in the office of
the present Governor of Oregon,
George E. Chamberlain.
In January, 1903, while Governor
Chamberlain was considering the ap
pointment of Smith as an officer of
the State Penitentiary, Senator Charles
W. Fulton called on him and entered
a protest against Smith's appoint
ment. Fulton urged, as the only
ground why Smith should not be ap
pointed, that he, Fulton, had been
present at an interview, between Unit
ed States Senator John H. Mitchell
and Smith, during the legislative ses
sion of 1897, and that at that inter
view Smith had been paid $1000 or
thereabouts (or was paid such a sum
Immediately after that interview.)
This sum, said Senator Fulton, was
paid with the muutal understanding
that Smith should attend the session
and break the "hold-up" by helping
to make a quorum and declaring him
self in favor of Mitchell's re-election.
"The particular point that Senator Ful
ton, curiously enough, made with me
In regard to this transaction," said
Governor Chamberlain, "was that
Smith was absolutely unreliable be
cause he had agreed to be bought and
had refused to stay bought. I told
Senator Fulton that it looked to me
as though the entire affair reflected
very little credit upon any party to It,
and that, if anything, the participation
of himself and Mitchell in the deal
was considerably more subject to
criticism than that of Smith.
"It was Smith's declination to carry
out the terms of the corrupt bargain
and not the fact that he had entered
Into it that formed the basis of Sena
tor Fulton's protest against Smith's
appointment," added Governor Cham
berlain. There were those who criticized
Smith for what he did, even though
he sought to expose those who were
bedeviling his State and eating out Its
heart with corruption. But what shall
be said of a United States Sfiantor
who says he went to Governor Cham
berlaln, urged by a high sense of duty
to his State, to protest against Smith's
appointment on tho sole ground that
he had broken his word in a crooked
bargain, and then deplores the "ur
gentlemanly" conduct of Governor
Chamberlain in making the Interview
public?
Fulton' Virtuous Indignation.
" I felt that It was my duty to tell
Governor Chamberlain," wrote Sena
tor Fulton over his own signature re
cently. "Therefore I did go to him
and I told him that I knew Smith to
be a grafter, and that he had'tuken
money from Mitchell on a promise to
go into the House, qualify, and as
sist In breaking the 'hold-up,' and had
kept the money, but had .done back
on his promise "
"Whatever money was used," says
Senator Fulton, in this same mto
rnent. referring to the "hold up" Legls-
lature, "was not used to r-urchate i
votes, but either to indues men who
had been elected to the House to take
their oath of office or tj refuse to do
so." In the very next sentence, al
most, Senator Fulton says that Mitch
ell had enough votes to elect him, if
a permanent organization could have
been effected, showing on his own
word that the money wan rea'ly paid
to elect Mitchell. "Everybody knew,"
he says, "that Mitchell had sufficient
votes to elect him if ever a ballot
could be taken, but no ballot could
be taken. Hence a fight was on, on
the one hand to get forty members to
qualify, on the other hand to prevent
those members from qualifying. It
was a matter of common knowledge
that men were being paid large sums
of money daily for remaining out and
refusing to qualify, iu order to pre
vent the assembling of a quorum in
the House, but nothing could be done
to prevent it, for it was not a viola
tion of law to pay a man not to accept
an office to which he had been elect
ed. Even if Mitchell had offered to
pay Smith, and did pay him, to quali
fy and take his seat, so as to make a
quorum, even to make a speech for
him, it would not have been a viola
tion of law."
Not much is to be expected of the
youth of Oregon If this remarkable
declaration, either of morality, or of
law, laid down by its own United
States Senator, is to be a guide-post
of the public conscience. Even Cruse
of Clackamas, a poor, obscure mem
ber who died of typhoid fever during
the session, refused an offer of $5,-
000. The unreachable integrity of
this man was the most stinging re
buke to Fulton's shameless logic.
Fulton has some notion of social
amenities, however. "I certainly nev
er dreamed," he says, "that he (Cham
berlain) would take advantage of it
for political purposes. I would only
say that it would not be possible for
me to do such a thing."
But we need not stop to quarrel
with the crooked logic of Senator Ful
ton, who condemns Smith, who sought
to save his State from the effects of
corruption by tjje same methods (If
viewed in their woist light) that Ful
ton had used to undermine and be
smirch it.
Fulton says he did not tell Govern
or Chamberlain that he was present
when Smith was bribed, He (Fulton)
derived that knowledge, he says from
confidential sources, which however,
he Is careful not to give. The honor
of a gentleman is at stake again, per
haps.
Not only was Senator Fulton, Mitch
ell's paymaster and general disburs
ing agent during his campaign of
1897, but he was notoriously the most
prominent member of tlia Mitchell
ring, which carried matters with so
high a hand in Oregon that It cor
ruptly dictated appointments to sub
ordinate offices in the State and Fed
eral Government. The methods were
the methods of criminals. Most of
the leaders were criminals forgers,
embezzlers, professional perjurers,
and political highbinders. Not in the
political history of the United States
was there a more unconscionable
gang. Some wore cleaner linen than
others, and these appropriated the
larger share of the dividends and hon
ors.
The "Cleanest" Senatorial Election In
Oregon.
Senator Fulton says that his own
election to the United States Senate
was one of the cleanest In Oregon
a doubtful one. There is this circum
stantial evidence of bribery in Ful
ton's election. Up to the last hour of
the session, Fulton had but thirty-five
votes. It took forty-Bix to elect. At
the last minute the hands of the
clock had, as a matter of fact, been
turned back there was a stampede
to Fulton. Some of the men who went
over to him were: Banks, Steiwer,
Dailey, Hobson, Ferrar, Croison, Hahn,
Jones, Nottingham, and Webster.
Banks was afterward appointed As
sistant United States Attorney for
Oregon through Fulton's Influence.
Steiwer, who was a wealthy merchant
and stockownor, was afterward in
dicted with United States Attorney
John H. Hall for conspiracy In main
taining a fence around 25,000 acres
of public land. Hall was lately con
victed. He had failed to take criminal
action against Steiwer, although con
stantly threatening others with prose
cution for a similar offense. He pro
tected Steiwer from prosecution
through the interference and at the
request of Senator Fulton. Steiwer
pleaded guilty to an indictment later.
Fulton, after the land fraud prosecu
tions in Oregon had warmed up and
had begun to smoke out the large
game, Induced Steiwer to return to
him a letter which he had written
Steiwer announcing that he had
squelched the prosecution against him.
Dailey was appointed Surveyor-Gen
eral for Oregon. Hobson was promis
ed a deputy surveyorship for a rela
tive. Ferrar was appointed postmas
ter at Salem. Croison was allowed to
dictate some political appointments
and made political boss of Marlon
County. Hahn was appointed post
master at Astoria, Fulton's home.
Jones was mixed up in some fraudu
lent homestead claims on the Slletz
Indian Reservation. Fulton endeavor
ed to get the commissioner of the
general land office at Washington and
the Secretary of the Interior to allow
these homesteads to go to patent.
Falling In this, he urged that the ques
tion of validity of the homesteads
might be held up until Fulton could
secure the passage of a special act of
Congress curing the fraud. Jones has
since been convictnd. Nottlngnam,
otherwise incorruptible, was persuad
ed by a Southern Pacific attorney to
vote for Fulton. Webster was promis
ed the office of State Game Warden,
but contented himself with the office
of Deputy Fish Commissioner.
There were four Congressmen from
Oregon Fulton and Mitchell, the two
Senators, and Williamson and Blnger
Hermann, the" two Representatives.
Mitchell and Williamson were convict
ed in Oregon. Hermann was tried In
Washington, but acquitted. There are
two indictments still peodlng against
him in Oregon. Fulton was active in
fomenting opposition to these prosecu
tions. He appeared as a character
witness for Williamson. He was
constantly quoted In the press, East
and West, as declaring that the prose
cution against Mitchell was without
foundation and malicious, even up to
the hour when Mitchell's partner took
the stand and confessed to having
perjured himself to protect Mitchell.
EYE OF EAST
Washington Keenly Interested In
Struggle of Bosses to Defeat
People's Election of Senators
FULTON'S ELECTION IMPROBABLE
Senator's Line-up with the Interests Caused Break
With President Roosevelt
WASHINGTON, D. C. April 3.
(Special Correspondence.) An ap
proaching election In Oregon alwayB
excites great interest at the Capital.
This Is not because of Oregon's par
ticular importance as a political fac
tor among the States of the Union,
for her vote in the National conven
tion and In the electoral college is
comparatively small, but the Oregon
election comes far In advance of elec
tions In Eastern States. Politicians
look to this war in western state for
some sign to show them the temper
ament of the people. If, for instance,
the issue of tariff revision is raised
In Oregon, and tho press and the peo
ple seem united for revision, this Is
taken by Eastern politicians as a sign
that the people all over the whole
country may bo thinking along the
same line as the voters of Oregon.
But there Is additional Interest at
tached to the coming Oregon election.
Oregon has come to be known as the
State of reform legislation. With her
Initiative and Referendum, her Direct
Primary and her election of United
States Senators by the people, she
has attracted the attention, of the
whole Nation and every State in the
Union Is waiting to see how these
lawB will work out.
Washington uollUcr.l circles know
that Oregon's popular provision for
election of United States Senators by
the people as embodied In that part
of her primary law commonly known
as Statement No. 1, Is being subjected
to a supreme test at this time. They
know that Jonathan Bourne became
a senator by operation of the law and
that this fact has won him a place
very close to President Rosevelt. They
know that if the people of Oregon
rally to the support of the law and re
fuse to permit Its overthrow the vot
ing population of every other state
may demand it and that this may mean
the shelving of Senators who have
been held In place for years by reason
of the great corporations having a
complete mastery over State Legisla
tures. Should Eastern states adopt
the method of electing Senators in
accordance with the Oregon law or
Statement No. 1 it is thought here that
the Stnl trust and the Sugar trust and
the ship building trust and various
other trusts might not be able to
each own a United States Senator or
two. And indeed it is a matter of
common remark that the great capi
talistic organizations are interesting
themselves in the fight that is on in
Oregon right now. They would gladly
contribute a few millions to nip in
the bud the first tendency to get away
from the old method of Senatorial
elections.
President Roosevelt has not gotten
along with the corporation owned Sen
ators and when Senator Bourne wont
to Washington as tho first Senator
ever elected by popluar vote, bo at
once became one of tho President's
most intimate friends. This widened
the breach between Senator Fulton
and tho President, for Fulton felt that
he, as Senior Senator, should have
the first place with tho President. But
there was already a deep gulf between
President Roosevelt and Senator Ful
ton. Fulton was known to have al
ways had the support of the railroad
Inlluonce in the Oregon Legislature
and when he arrived in Washington
he was set down as a railroad sena
tor. In addition to this he exerted
his utmost effort to place obstacles
In the way of the Administration's
prosecutions of the perpetrators of
tho Oregon land frauds. He made a
bitter fight to keep Francis J. Ileney
out of the State. He strive with all
his might to keep John Hall, who af
terwards was convicted as a party to
the land frauds, in the office of Dis
trict Attorney. And it is no wonder
that tho President came to look upon
Fulton and to treat him as if he were
a partner of those land thieves, the
administration was trying so hard to
hunt down.
All Washington knowing these
things only smiled when the report
came back through an Oregon news
paper that Fulton and Roosevelt had
buried the ax. Any one who knowB
Roosevelt at all knows that when he
satisfies himself of the unfitness of a
man for public office he never buries
the axe. The president does not con
sider it his business to mix In Oregon
politics, but neither will he consider
it his duty to discuss public affairs
with Oregon's Senators unles he con
siders them fit and proper persons to
hold places of public trust and confi
dence. Washington Is now waiting
to see whether the powerful Influenc
es that control the personnel of the
United States Senate will be able to
secure Senator Fulton's return or
whether the people of Oregon hai In
Statement No. 1, a weapon which
they know how to use and a weapon
ON OREGON
powerful enough to send to Washing
ton another Senator who will have the
ear and confidence of the President.
Quite a flurry has recently been
made In Congres over the railroad
land grants. Senator's Fulton's grand
stand plays In this connection and his
effort to present himself as an ene
my of the railroads has been, to an
observer, extremely laughable. Sena-'
tor Bourne and Congressman Hawley
stirred up the opposition to the rail
road land grants. It was plain to be
seen that their efforts were being
supported by the people of Oregon
and that there was bound to be a
demand that the Attorney General
commence suit against the railroads
to annul the grants. Fulton got in
ahead of Hawley and Bourne and in
troduced a resolution in the Senate
authorizing the Attorney General to
bring suit. He had it heraldi d
throughout the press as the Fulton
resolution and has succeeded In pos
ing before the people of the State as
an anti-railroad man. The laughable
featuro of the whole thing Is the fact
that Mr. Fulton had been in the Se: .te
more than four years and his consti
tuents from Oregon had long co.n
plalned that the railroads were not
entitled to hold these lands, but not
until it cams time to stand for re-election
and not until the Attorney Gen
eral was to be forced by Hawley a.id
Bourne to take action, did he consid
er It time to heed the demands of his
Oregon constituents.
So, altogether, there is much of in
terest to Washington going on out
In Oregon. The president Is interest
ed, his cabinet is Interested,, political
circles are Interested. If Oregon comes
out good and strong for Statement
No. 1, there will be, In a very short
time, other States electing Senators
in the same manner. If Statement No.
1 fails, the popular election of Unit
ed States Senators will be put back
many years. No wonder the Nation
is looking on.
SEVENTH ANNUAL BALL SUCCESS
Knights and Ladies of Security Give
Grand Ball at Armory Saturday
Night.
The Seventh Annual Grand Ball
given at the Armory last Saturday
night by the Knights and Ladles of
Security, was one of the most suc
cessful affairs ever given in Oregon
City. Over 150 merry dancers enjoy
ed the excellent music furnished by
the DeLarzes orchestra, a new musi
cal organization of Portland. This Is
the first appearance of the DeLarzes
orchestra in Oregon City, and from
the general satisfaction it gave Sat
urday night It will not bo the last, as
It already has established Its reputa
tion with the dancing public of this
city who attended, and had the pleas
ure of dancing the 21 dances. M. P.
Chapman, Roy Woodard, A. J. Wilson,
Colonel Montgomery and Ed Confer,
composing the committee In charge,
are deserving of great credit in the
management of the dancing party In
making It such a success.
New Fire Chief Is Given Reception.
Charles Burns, Jr., the newly elect
ed chief of the Columbia Hook and
Ladder Company, was tendered a re
ception on Friday night In the head
quarters of the fire department. There
was a good attendance, nearly all of
the fire laddies of Oregon City being
present. During the evening musical
selections were enjoyed as well as a
banquet, with Charles Pope acting as
toast inastor. Mr. Burns has been a
member of the Oregon City fire depart
ment for several years, and he, like
the rest of the volunteer firemen of
the city, has always been ready to
glvo a helping hand In the time of
neod, and is one of the most popular
men of tho company.
First Presbyterian Church Holds An
nual Meeting Monday.
The annual meeting of the First
Presbyterian church was held in the
church on Monday evening, and Rev.
J. R. LandHborough acted as modera
tor. Reports of the various depart
ments of the church were presented,
and by the reports that were read, it
was shown that the church was in good
standing financially, and the depart
ments are working well.
Among the Important matters that
wore brought up for discussion was
of the installing of electric lights la
the manse, and other improvements
are also to be made upon the building.
Officers elected were: trustee, H. A.
Rands; deacon, W. G. Thompson;
elders, W. E. Barr, George Brown, and
A. E. Frost; Sunday school superin
tendent, A. Robertson; treasurer, C.
Schuebel.