2
THE OREGON SUNDAY JOURNAL. PORTLAND, SUNDAY MORNING. OCTOBER 25, 1914
.... .i , . , 1 ' 1 - ' ' i : : t :
THE JOURNAL'S RECORD FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE IS REVIEWED -
I vs & - m m. sV ewesw esssssB e. a m ew a awae. ev semes
ACHIEVEMENTS OF A DOZEN
? YEARS BRIEFLY RECALLED
WowsnnnAr's Stand Sinnfl Its Establishment on a Varietv
1 IW M VMUI W WhWl- v . . . w . - - . . . - " - -- -j
in Review Covering Twelve Years.
AIM EVER HAS BEEN JUo I IUL rUH ALL I HL rturLt
i Tl..t
S1NCK The journal caiuo i -land
more than 12 busy years of
city . ana state building have
psssed. - ' .
tm (j r ana in inai 1 1 1 1 1 r -
Portland's advance along every mre
ha s been remarlcaoie as to c-n
the wonder or me nation.
Th ooDulation has increased irom
lea than 100,000 to ?&o.uuu.
Th mmessedwaluatlon has grown
-from H3.380.637 to 30a.o,iiu ani
Valuo of school property irom i,io.,-
42 to $6,637,250. ,
! Tall buildings have changed the sky-
II m. pubUc improvements nava ueeii
- . . 1 A uA ft ra t lin I
Xiensive. murm
standards havB oecn cievaieo.
Uor broadly. Oregon has Decomo
known to "the world througn political
reforms, the accompllsnmeni or iaei
tn people's government, aireci legisla
tion and consequent greater con.mern-
tlmi for public welfare.
In these thiiRrs The journal nas naa
more tnan accidental pan. .
Journal Breaks Monopoly.
When the-first lsue of The Journal
was published. Marcn n. run-
land had been dominated nearly iu
years ay monopolisms nfntanci " -
ganisatlon. The oregonian naa ruiea
uncontested for almost nair a cen
tury.
" Its friends were those wno ouwea
to it. v
Its enemies wer all who dared resist
It and lift up their voices for political
purity, and lor government in ina
Interests of the people rather tnan lor
'select coterie of special bene
ficiaries. '
The situation was unique and un
fortunate. The state had been re
pressed. Development was backward.
TransDortation was limited. An area
f' Interior Oregon as large as the
state of New York had not a nine of
team or electric railroad.
Political corruption was past belief.
Public offices were to be got only
through boss directed, corporation-
governed assemblies. Grafting and
asiDiing were conaonea ana aigm-
fled.
The Journal attacked these evils and
worked for Improvement
A recount of the things The Journal
has proposed, has pioneered for, has
stood for, comprises a history of Port
land's progress.
Paper Has Tried to Be Right.
This paper has tried to be always
right and to make right win.
It has had no special Interests to
lave for, no "office policy" to change
the account of an affair to exactly the
opposite of the facts.
It has believed that Its first respon
sibility was to the people It served
and It has practiced that belief
The newspaper monopoly has been
broken. It no longer dictates. The
Old political convention has been abol
ished. -The direct primary has taken
Its place. Election - frauds are no
ITirtrn nlri frmwlfl WAr irnnBi1 on.Y 1 .
. . . . j . . i i t
'DpiriuiiniH nil 11 1 M mi.
Public officials hold public office
With new consciousness of their re
sponsibility to the people. They
eagerly make their acts known to the
Public, and the political boss Is out of
.Job.
The Initiative and referendum keco
the people. The recall stands as a
warning to office Holders at every
patting of the ways, suggesting to
then that crookedness and dishonesty
Will be revealed, will not be tolerated,
and that any official who tries a
double deal with the public will be put
. out
Traffic Agreements Exposed.
The traffic agreement between the
railroads that fastened a transporta
tion monopoly upon trade and pre-
jented extension of lines was exposed
nyine journal alone, and was ended.
Other lines have now reached Oregon;
' there la genuine competition between
them; water transportation has been
delivered from railroad control; all but
two counties of the state have railroad
transportation. The public service
corporations refute their former slo
gan, "The public be damned," and ac
tually use and practice a new one.
The publlo be aerved."
These axe not boasts; they are facts.
In t resume of The Journal's activ
ities. during the first three years of Its
life, printed January 1, 1905, the fol
lowing statement waa made:
would have been less than they are.
For the Improvement of the upper
river The Journal's fight has been
equally persistent. '
Worth Many Times Cost.
As a part of Its open river program
The Journal made a long fight for the
portage railroad at Celilo. It haa been
said that if this road had never earned
a dollar it would have been worth
many .times Its cost to the people of
the Columbia basin because of its ef
fect In connecting upper and lower Co
lumbia river boat transportation and
Its influence In reducing railroad rates.
The Journal worked with no less
zeal for the Celilo cancal which, when
completed early next year, will permit
river boats to steam from the north
of the Columbia and from Portland to
Lewlston, Idaho. Then, it is expected,
an Open Kiver .Steamer line will have
a success that was Impossible to a
first venture, also an expensive unit
in the open river program.
Still it must be- said of the Oper.
River line that without it the argu
ment at Washington for the Celilo
canal could not have been crowned
with victory, and railroad rates could
not have been kept so nearly reason
able. The Journal Persists.
The year to year system of appro
priations -for government improve
ments has seriously delayed the work
of securing a 40 foot channel over the
bar at the mouth of the Columbia
river. The Journal believes that when
total estimates of cost have been made
and the project approved authority
should be given to continue the work
without cessation until completed.
in 1913 It became apparent that the
The Journal haa always believed that
public utility corporations . holding
grants of privilege from the people
should' give accounting. It made a
campaign to require quarterly re
ports to the city by holders of public
franchises, covering receipts and dis
bursements, partly for the purpose of
determining the value of the fran
chise. -'. -
The campaign, started in 1906, broad
ened to include the demand that rail
roads file with state officials annual
reports of their business, in accord
ance with a request by Governor
Chamberlain. Protest was Included
against the regular annual car short
age and the failure of the railroads
to extend branch lines to meet the
needs of Oregon's development
Steam Abolished -on Fourth
Street.
For many years the Southern Pa
cific railroad had used Fourth street,
one of the ' most important business
thoroughfares of the city, without due
compensation. The Journal took up
this matter in August, 1906. The fight
was continued until the noisy steam
locomotives were taken off the street,
modern electric trains were installed
and some compensation to the city
provided for.
The proposal of the Harrlman rail
road interests to have the city vacate
east side streets in its interest, ac
cepting In return some park property
of questionable value, was opposed.
The Journal's fight for good roads
dates almost from the founding of the
paper. It was early realised that with
out good highways for vehicle trans
portation star's development would be
impossible.
Study of the situation-showed that
each county and, indeed, each district
had its own method, or, more properly,
lack of method. The state's annual
mud tax rah into millions of dollars.
That is, the bad roads increased the
cost of transportation, of development,
f living.
Good Road Legislation
Secured.
It was necessary to work fearlessly
against the system that made appro
priations for roads mean much to poli
ticians and little to the roads. A
state-wide campaign was instituted
and renewed from year to year.
Finally legislation permitting the
sale of state and county bonds, the
establishing . of a state highway de
partment and the construction of state-
aided trunk highways, was enacted
; THE JOURNAL NEWSPAPER
(An editorial which appeared in The Journal 'July 23, 1902,
' . when the present publisher assumed control)
The Journal property has been purchased and has passed under t!ie
control of the undersigned and the paper will be conducted on lines of
greatest benefit to Portland, t6 Oregon and to the great Northwest, and in
many ways conducted differently, as to men, measures and methods, than
those of its contemporaries which follow narrow grooves of newspaper
habit.
The Journal in head and heart will stand for the people, be truly
democratic and free from political entanglements and machinations, believ
ing In the principles that promise the greatest good to the greatest number
to ALL MEN, regardless of race, creed or previous condition of servitude.
Exuberant assurances are cheap and empty. I wish to make none.
Performance is better than promise; action more fruitful than words. The
columns of The Journal from day to day will better reflect the spirit behind
the paper. It will be a FAIR newspaper and not dull and selfish sheet.
In short, an honest, sincere attempt will be made to build up and maintain
a newspaper property in Portland that will be a credit to "Where rolla the
Oregon" country and the multitude of people who are interested in its
development and advancement.
Portland capital is largely behind The Journal, and the fund is ample
for all purposes. Coupled with energy and enthusiasm, the work of making
a paper, devoted to Portland's varied interests, is begun. The support of
the freedom loving, the intelligent, the generous people of . Orgeon, is
invited and will be duly appreciated by still greater endeavor and achieve
ment on the part of The Journal, which hopes ever to become stronger in
equipment, stronger in purpose, stronger in news resources, and stronger
in good deeds. C. S. JACKSON.
Portland, Oregon, July 23, 1902.
producUvity. that the sewcom3r ahouldj M PA fONDITION ARlF"
be given as favorable terms as D03si- I ' ' V w v I ' I I I I N W l I W L
appropriation for work on the North : and actual road building is under way
jetty wouia not be sufficient to carry i jn many counties, more uniformly,
; Broad Policy Adopted.
"From the very beginning The Jour
nal has taken strong grounds in favor
of public morality, a greater official
responsibility and a higher standard
f official accountability. It haa
sounded the keynote for a bigger and
greater 'Portland, a bigger and greater
Oregon.
"It has attacked public derellcUona
Wherever it found them, and has gone
after publlo abuses in a way thai
could not be misunderstood. But in
tfolng all this It has set a new and bet-
. ter stanaara.
. . It has attacked no one for a pri-
;vate motive; it haa never sought to
gratify a private malice or to tear
down a man whose only offense was
a lack of regard for The Journal.
Vlt has never permitted politics to
i stand In its way in commending an
official who deserved It, or in de
: nounclng an official whose conduct
Calls ' for denunciation. Since It has
been here every man could have a fair
... show and no- man need have gonv
without a hearing."
V .These words are as true today after
U years as In 1905. after three years.
Position on Waterways.
- Everybody In the Columbia basin
; knows The Journal's position on wa
terways' improvement. It has worked
Tor a 30-foot channel from Portland
to the sea and hopes to see Ihe dav
when the channel, now 30 feet will be
made 0 feet It led the fight for jefc-
ues at tne moutn or the Columbia. ;
' It upheld the proposition that the
north jetty now under construction
should be on a continuing contract and
that work should be on, double shift to
hasten, completion.
The Journal mustered all available
facts to show the efficacy of dredging
and no one who knows the facts will
deay .i that had it not been for this
paper the Chinook would never have
been returned to the Columbia river
bar, the two new 30 inch pumps would
never have been installed, and the s.p-
proprtations to continue the work
it through the next working season.
un September 7, 1913, The Journal
suggested tfcat the emergency should
be met locally.
The port commissions of Portland
and Astoria together appropriated
$500,000, and this was all that kept
the work on the North Jetty going last
summer. The Journal will conUnue to
urge business methods in the improve
ment of waterways.
Astoria's Cause Upheld.
The Journal defended the position
of Astoria and other communities at
the mouth of the Columbia river in
the fight for railroad terminal rates
on -.parity with Puget sound ports.
This Issue is now before the inter
state commerce commission. It is
one that affects the interests of the
entire Columbia basin, and success
will mean much to business develop
ment and futuro commerce of this
region. -
From tho earliest years until the
present time, .The Journal continually
recurred to the opening of the upper
Columbia to navigation as a com
mercial venture. The Open River line,
the portage road, the Celilo canal,
were essential units.
Channel Improvements Urged
It was urged also that the channel
be improved, that producers take ad
vantage of the opportunity for cheap- j
er water transportation, that feeder
roads be built leading back from the
river into the producing districts on
either side.
More recently has come the now
authorized project for surveying the
entire upper river with a view to
its canalization and the accompany
ing development of hydro-electrio
power for manufacturing and agri
cultural purposes.
The Journal was the leader in the
great campaign to bring more rail
roads into Oregon. It was this cam
paign which finally resulted in the
entry of the Hill lines, the opening
up of oentral Oregon, and the pene
tration of that area, as large as New
York, which before had no rail trans
portation, j
The Journal was in hearty accord
with the Effort of the Hill lines to
get entrance to Portland by means
of the North Bank road, and . argued
for the permit asked of the Port of
Portland commission to span the
Willamette wHh a railroad bridge.
Since the beginning of the cam
paign for railroads millions of dol
lars have been spent in railroad con
struction in Oregon. James J. Hill
once said in an interview in The
Journal that he had spent 380,000,000
on his North Bank road in merely
getting to Oregon.
Hill and Harrlman lines have great
ly increased transportation in the
Willamette valley and Oregon was
given first rank in the amount of
new railroad construction.
Common User Fight Won.
The question of common user fran
chises asserted itself during 1906. The
Journal declared against granting an
exclusive rrancnise on Front street
either to the United Railways or the
Willamette valley Traction company.
Th fight was protracted. It involved
the principle! of general common user
for, the protection of public interest in
service, by public utilities.
Of course the utility company In
each Instance argued it could serve
its own interests best by means of
the exclusive franchise. But the com
mon user franchise has become so
firmly fixed in popular approval that
It is a charter requirement under com
mission government
The granting of a new franchies to
the Pacific Telephone A Telesr&nh
company brought demand that in all
granting of franchises the rights ef
the public be guarded. Some of the
Important franchise previsions, in ad
dition to common user requirements, in
the present commission charter are the
response to tnese demands.
Railroad Commission Fight.
The very serious need 6f state regu
lation and control of railroads empha
sized the necessity of a state railroad
commission. The fight for the state
railroad commission began in The
Journal tn September. 1906. It was i
long fight and a hard fight and on.
posed by the most powerful interests
in the state, but it was successful and
uregon nas now regulation by commia
slon that compares favorably with that
or any otner stats.
more permanently than ever before, in
the terms of this legislation.
Oregon's scenic beauties constitute
an asset that is just beginning to be
appreciated. During 1909 The Journal
undertook the campaign -for the Duiia
ing of a road to Crater lake in order
to make that magnificent beauty spot
accessible. The campaign involved
both state legislation and government
approval. Its success can be pointed
to in the fact that the Crater lake
road will soon b,e completed.
Campaign for Columbia
Highway..
The Columbia Highway from the sea
through the Columbia river gorge was
the subject of a Journal campaign. Tho
building of a tourist highway to Mt
Hood has been more recently urged
and organization of the campaign has
been assumed by the Portland Ad club.
Every county between Portland and
the sea has voted bonds for the build
ing of the Columbia Highway. The
Journal has stood back of the Colum
bia Highway movement and first
urged it in 1907. Of equal Import
ance Is the section of the Columbia
Highway between Portland and The
Dalles which is now under construc
tion and partly open to use.
A plan to build a highway around
the east base of Mt Hood connecting
the Columbia and Mt Hood nignways
also has this paper's support
Trade With Alaska.
In early days Portland had the trade
with Alaska. Apathy lost It Puget
sound Drofited. The Journal consid
ered it one of its first duties not only
to urge resumption of Alaskan trade
relation, but to Induce the commercial
Interests of this city to renew actlv
rty In trade extention and ship lines.
The campaign for a Portland-Alaska
steamship line has been stubbornly
carried on. The fact that Alaska mer
chants resented the treatment ac
corded them by the eound cities helped.
The facts of Portlands natural com
matadtna: position as a port and dis
tribuiting center and a focal point of
railway lines strengthened the show-.
!ng. Alaska's trade was 111,000,000 in
1905 and approximately 319,000,000 in
1913.
As the completion of the Panama
canal approached it was urged that
Portland should have direct shipping
lines between this port and the At
lantic coast. It was shown that traf
fic originating in this city's business
area as well as the freight from Alas
ka for transshipment could be carried
by such lines.
Energy Backed Propositions.
The Portland-Alaska service has
been established. - The progress made
predicts greater success and that when
the Alaska railroad Is built and the
coal land leasing trill takes sTfect,
this city Will be in position ta-profit
from the business that will accompany
and follow development.
The Journal offered to subscribe
J1000 of $100,000 for an Alaska
steamship line. Then it offered to
subscribe $5000 toward a Portland
Oriental line and 11000 toward a Port
land-Atlantic coast line. This was in
continuance of its policy- to give ail
its energy to a community policy of
trade extension.
Coos Bay Business Betileved.
Attention was called in 1906 to the
business mistake of letting the Coos
Bay trade get away for lack of proper
boat service between Portland and
Coos Bay. Portland has boat service
now and a railroad is soen to strength
en the trade connection with the
southern Oregon coast.
The demands for ship lines pointed
to the need of harbor Improvement
and particularly, dock facilities. On
November 18,- 1905, Mayor Lane said
be wanted Portland to own docks.
Public docks alone, it was declared.
Would save this city from a railroad
controlled water front and a 'railroad
transportation monopoly. When sub
mitted to the people an issue Of $500,
000 to dock bonds was authorised.
Joseph Simon succeeded Dr. Lane as
mayor, xiis aaminisiraiioa rerused i.O
sell the bonds. Time rapidly passed.
refused to offer the first issue of
bonds for sale, a campaign was In
augurated by The Journal, cooperat
ing with the Chamber of Commerce
and other organizations, to vote an
issue of $2,500,000 in dock bonds. The
people in their two ,tb one vote for
docks showed their appreciation of
the issue's importance.
The west side deep sea public dock
has been completed to an extent that
it can be used. The east side park
age dock is under construction and
will be completed February 1. 1915.
Attempt to Recover Foreshore
The dock commission's experience in
buying dock sites showed that by leg
islative acts and Judicial decisions the
people had actually lost their right to
use that part of the bed of the river
called the foreshore In aid of com
merce and navigation.
Instead of having authority to use
the area between low water and the
harbor line without cost, an average
of $830 a front foot was paid. The
commission was restrained by the su
preme court from using the foreshore
without compensation to the upland
owners.
The effort to cure this Inequitable
condition resulted in the submission
of the tldehuid measures to vote at
the election November 3 of this year.
These if passed will give the public
the rightvto construct public docks on
.foreshore that has remained unused
and held for speculative purposes by
the upland owners.
Milk Crusade Begun.
The Journal's crusade for pure milk
in Portland is admitted by other
newspapers throughout the country
to have been one of the best and moat
sustained efforts in a public health
cause ever undertaken.
During the administration of, J. W.
Bailey as dairy and food commissioner
a very low standard of dairy operation
and milk distribution was permitted.
The Journal made a plea for pure
milk in 1907.
In 1909 a dairyman came to The
Journal saying he had tried in vain
to have his cows examined for tuber
culosis, the dairy and food commis
sioner had said they were all right. Tiut
the milk from one of them had killed
a cat He had regular customers for
the milk in Portland.
This really started the crusade.
Pure milk for Portland became the slo
gan cry of mothers, medical organiza
tions, local health organizations, wo
men's clubs and business organiza
tions.
Death Rate Reduced to Half.
Investigation showed only 2 per cent
of the milk served in Portland was
safe for babies. As a result of th
crusade, the tightening of regulation
by health authorities was recorded, a
new milk ordinance was passed, gov
ernment and city Inspection of dairy
cows for disease was established, the
milk supply was Improved 75 per cent
and, mqst important, the death rate
among babies less than 2 years of
age, reduced to one-half.
A law was passed partially com
pensatlng dairymen for the loss of an
imals found by test to be infected
with tuberculosis and this made more
equitable the enforcement of the city
ordinance prohibiting in Portland the
sale of milk from cows not found by
iest iree or disease.
J. W. Bailey was retired to Driv&te
me ana j. u. Mlckle. a man of intl
mate knowledge of dairying condl-
ble, and be helped as much as ponsl-1
ble to live through the time until his
crops should be gathered and returns
from bis labor begin to come in.
Opposed to. Taxing Farmers.
A movement in 1905 to tax farmers
who brought produce tor town to sell
was opposed.: The people were usRtd
to patronize home industries and The
Journaf then voiced the policy which
it has continued ,ever since, that one
of the ways to promote agriculture
and manufacturing In Oregon was for
Oregon people to buy Oregon pro
ducts. Aid was given the exposure of fraud
ulent orchard land transactions,
and the sale of lands general
ly at inflated values. Legislation wa8
proposed' that would result in selling
lands to settlers at. the lowest possible
cost.
Question was asked why eight to 13
carloads of hogs-should be imported
weekly from Nebraska when Oregon
is one of the states best liturai'.y
fitted for hog raising. The money
sent away for pork, beef and eggs an
nually amounted to millions of dol
lars. Farmers went more largely Into the
business of hog raising and importa
tions have practically 'ceased. Similar
success is predicted for the movement
to have more beef, poultry and eggs
produced in this state.
Reclamation Projects Favored
Along with its general felicy of en
couraging state development. The
Journal worked steadily for the devel
opment of reclamation and Irrigation
projects.
It voiced the resentment of the peo
ple because most of the funds received
by the government from the sale of
national lands In Oregon were spent
outside the state.
It steadfastly campaigned for thj
Umatilla irrigation project, and the
west Umatilla extension for which
$800,000 has now been appropriated;
it gave substantial aid- to -the move
ment for irrigation in the "Willamette
valley; it supported the plan to have
the state take over and complete the
Columbia- Southern, now the Tumalo,
irrigation project and this project,
the first to be state financed in the
country, is almost completed.
The Journal believes that irrigation
projects should include all possible de
velopment of hydro-electric energy,
and has had ready interest in the
great central Oregon project, now
under survey, which Includes much of
the Deschutes basin.
Fought for Conservation
Commission.
In 1911 Jay Bowerman sought to
have the Oregon censervation commis
sion, abolished. As a central influence
in directing sentiment toward the pro.
tection of the forests, development of
the state and the conservation of re
sources, The Journal supported the
commission and opposed the Bower
man plan. The commission is still
doing good work for Oregon.
Much space was given the crusade
for the prevention of forest fires and
the presnt anti-forest fire organization,
state and government and timber
owners, has resulted in preventing
losses of millions of. dollars.
Education and educational equip-
V. n n 1 ....... a lw.nn . ......4 K..
" " 'il.- The Journal as of the highest import-
ance. This paper has worked for !
AS CITY GROWS LARGER
Past Decade Has Seen Phenomenal Progress in Physical
Development of Portland New Buildings. Replace
Old New Issues Confront Public.
VIGOROUS STAND TAKEN. ON ALL VITAL "QUESTIONS'
tions and of progressive ideals, was
elected. Portland was proven at th3
recent North Yakima contest to have
the best milk supply of any city In
the northwest
Among the most determined sup
porters of high standards in milk pro
duction and distribution are now the
dairymen and milk dealers. The pure
milk campaign has not ended. It will
not end. Constant attention is neces
sary but the public has been informed
and the general attitude on the sub
ject has been changed from Ignorance
or Indifference to keen concern and
decisive action.
Excess Prices Fought.
The Journal was scarcely a year
old when it began the fight which it
has waged consistently ever, since,
contending that whenever the public
acquires private property for public
use. the price paid must bear some
near relation to the assessed valua
tion. The first Instance' was In 1903 when
the Port of Portland was considering
the purchase of Mock's Bottom as slti
for a dry dock, the price asked being
about 23 times the assessed valuation.
The Journal's fight against this pro
posal led to its abandonment
In 1909 The Journal began a cam
paign in favor of commission govern
ment It said that this plan of city
administration balances authority and
responsibility and holds officials more
directly accountable to the people for
tneir acts.
It proposed a survey of the. city
business by experts ot the New York
Bureau of Municipal Research and met
a large part of the cost of this sur
vey. Commission government was ap
proved Dy tne people in 1913.
Under commission government much
reorganization of city affairs for the
sake of efficiency has been accom-
piisned and economies have been nu
Strangle Hold Averted.
Portland was growing swiftly,
Water front prices advanced. Two
tnings were an own: That the rail
roads and corporations Were strength,
ening their strangle-hold on the water
front, and that the increase la prices
naa greatly reaucea tne frontage buy
ing power ot the bond Issue.
After the Simon administration had
trial will more completely prove the
worth of commission government
This paper has always given its
strength to the fight against the white
slave traffic and organized vice. It
has stood for a clean city morally, up
held officials who endeavored to en
force the law and condemned those
who did not
It opposed the Practice of nermit-
ting boys to learn gambling in pool
rooma It supported the more recjnt
laws requiring the names of owners
of buildings used as hotels or lodging
nouses to De posted over the Ujor
ways, and the abatement law which
permits the prosecution of those who
rent property for immoral purposes j
as well as those who engage in im
morality. Sunday closing of saloons was urged
and the offense against decency of
permitting women in saloons pointed
out
Capital Punishment Opposed.
The Journal took a position In favor
of the abolishing of capital punish
ment and supported Governor West in
his campaign to this end. An amend
ment at the last election abolishing
the death penalty was defeated. A
similar amendment has been submitted
for vote November 3.
Governor West's prison reform pol
icy or "honor system," was upheld,
because it gave prisoners wholesome
work to do which was of value to
them and the state, and made prison,
ers more fit to return -to soclsty.
From its very beginning The Jour
nsl encouraged newcomers to buy and
settle on the land. It held that land
proper support of the University of
Oregon at Eugene and Oregon Agri
cultural college at Corvallls.
coal and agricultural resources, and I
the building of Alaskan railroads. The I
coal land leasing bill and the Cham
berlain Alaska railroad bill, so named
because Senator Chamberlain, of Ore
gon, submitted it and battled for It
were in line with these efforts. And
in this connection the successful fight
e gainst Aldrlchism and Cannonism
must not be forgotten, nor the over
turning of the old regime which re
sulted In putting into the president's
chair a man of peace, of wisdom, of
progressive policies whose adminis
tration has already meant more for
the permanent public good than any
other of modern times.
Fought for Free Canal Tolls.
Believing that the exemption from
tolls of American vessels in coastwise
business when passing through the
canal would encourage American ship
ping and was within tho rights of
this nation that had built and paid for
the canal. The Journal supported the
free tolls campaignt
When the Panama canal Is formally
opened the Oregon will lead the fleet
of battleships through It The cam
paign to have the famous warship
take the lead was commenced by The
Journal, Augflst 6, 1911.
The Journal has always urged the
direct election of United States sena
tors and in 1906 took up its fight for
the election of legislative candidates
who had subscribed to Statement One,
in other words, those who had given
pledge to vote in the legislature for
the candidates for the United States
senate whom the people had indicated
as their choice.
Statement One Candidate
Elected.
This was a step In the movement to
insure to the people the power of
electing their senators. The fight was
carried on all over the state under
The Journal's leadership. It resulted
in the election of a "majority of legis
lators pledged to statement One.
The old Republican machine and the
opponents of popular election of sena
tors thereupon began their fight to
induce the legislators pledged bj
Statement One to go back on their
word.
They were fought to a standstill by
The JournaT wHh the final result of
Bourne's election in 1907. Bourne had
received the popular vote in the June
election.
During 1909 the Oregonian continued
Its attempt to have legislators go back
on their Statement One pledges in
voting for United States senator. They
remained steadfast Chamberlain, the
people's choice, was elected January
19.
The fight against the assemblyitea
who still yearned to subject state af
fairs to 'a political machine, and run
the machine, and against the Oregon
ian, their ringleeder, continued
throughout the year.
CAUSES THE JOURNAL HAS ESPOUSED
Improved waterways.
Celilo Canal.
Columbia Jetty projects.
An open Willamette.
Astoria's cause for terminal rates.
Common user clauses in public utility franchises.
Establishment of a state railroad commission.
Improved highways.
Good roads legislation.
Columbia highway and complemental roads.
Alaskan steamship line.
Attempt to recover foreshore
Pure milk.
Reasonable relation of assessed valuation to price paid for private
property purchased for public use.
Commission government.
Abolition of capital punishment.
Support of home industries.
Reclamation of arid lands.'
Oregon Conservation Commission.
Extension of higher education.
Vocational training in the public achools.
Free Panama Canal tolls.
Direct election of United States senator.
Statement Number One.
The Oregon system, i ,
Improved civil service methods in municipal affairs.
. Proper fenders for street cars.
The City Beautiful idea, t
Safe and sane Fourth.
Meter system for water distribution.
Public auditorium.
Efficient census-taking 'methods.
Safety first,
The Christmas shin.
Christmas campaign for the needy at home.
Equitable scheme) of taxation. -Flat
salary for state printer.
Restriction of the sale of firearms.
ISSUES THE JOURNAL HAS OPPOSED
Traffic agreement between railroads.
Fraudulent land transactions.
Method of conducting annual taxpayers' meeting in school district No. 1.
Assemblyism.
Tanner Creek sewer fraud.
Stand of the Broadway bridge obstructionists.
County tax frauds.
Consolidation of Colleges
Opposed. '
It opposed the .plan for their con
solidation which plan was voted down
at the last general election. It sup
ported the' appropriations for the uni
versity In the face of referendum in
voked against the appropriations and
the people sustained The Journal's
view.
It supported the campaigns for the
endowment of Albany college, Willam
ette university and McMlnnville co
lege. It has believed in modern pub
lie schools and well trained teachers,
and as a means for their training has
constantly been In favor of the con
tinuance and support of .the normal
schools of Ashland and Monmouth.
Inquiry into school board methods
was made and The Journal urged th
advisability of fireproof structures,
now required, as a means of Increas
ing the safety of the children.
Taxpayers' Meeting Farce Exposed.
For years the annual taxpayers'
meeting in school district No. 1 has
been a farce. The Journal has shown
that school affairs of a great city
cannot be handled by village style
meetings and has" endeavored to have
Improved methods adopted. It has
also supported the proposal that all
registered voters should have a right
to vote at school elections.
Frequently industrial training in
the public schools is spoken of as the
recent discovery of certain educators.
The Journal's files show that It began
a campaign for manual training in
schools before 1905.
Now there are 36 manual tralng
shops In connection with the grade
schools; there is what amounts to a
technical high school devoted to the
training of young men in electricity,
machinery and wood working, and a
similar school for girls devoted to do
mestic art cooking, sewing, millinery,
home making and the like.
It was believed that the standards
and ability of teachers employed In
the school would be reflected to no
small extent in the character of the
children. The Journal worked for
higher salaries for the then grossly
underpaid teachers; It worked for bet
ter school equipment and for a hasten
ing of repairs so that school would
not open in the fall with buildings un
fit for use; it started a campaign for
an east side (Washington) high school.
The Klgh Schools Secured.
There was then but the old Portland
high school on the west side; there ar
now three east side high schools
Washington, Jefferson and Franklin
and on the west side a new Lincoln
high school.
The Journal's activity In city and
state affairs did not prevent its' par
ticipation in national affairs and the
exertion of Influence that has been
realized in national legislation. The
congressional regulation of railroads
was urged many times by The Journal
before the passage by congress of the
laws now In force.
Bollinger's Scheming
Thwarted.
The later Issue of national conserva
tion was one in which The Journal
occupied a leading place, opposing the
plans of Bellinger and supporting the
efforts to conserve our national for
ests, water power and other natural
resources from capitalistic grabs, and
Alaska coal from the Guggenheim in
terests. Among other things that -come to
mind when speaking of The Journal's
relation to ' national affairs are this
paper's persistent advocacy of an es
tablished plan for developing Alaska's
Oregon System Upheld.
In carrying on the battle fox people's
government. The Journal's policies
were not .negative alone. It was not
enough to fight down the political
machine. The Oregon system, the
initiative, referendum and i recall, was
upheld.
The pure milk crusade .the open
river, public docks, commission gov
ernment and other campaigns under
taken by The Journal are of more re
cent years, but the reading of the
earlier efforts has fascinating inter
est. Many corrections nad then to De
suggested of conditions . and abuses
allowed to continue for years without
apparently any idea on jthe part of
the people except that if j approved by
those in power abuses could not be
cured but must be endured.
Exposure of Frauds Stunned.
For instance, the primary election
frauds of 1904. When it was revealed
by this paper that votes were being
bought by wholesale, that voters were
herded like cattle to the polls to vote
as directed, that ballot boxes were
stuffed to bursting, the people were
stunned.
They had heard fraud hinted at
whispered about They had never
been put in possession of the facta
Who shall say that it was not from
such revelations that the people
through their new newspaper voice
demanded and got direct primaries anC
direct legislation?
In 1905 the south Jetty at the mouth
of the Columbia was incomplete.
Progress seemed slow and It was ru
mored the rock was inferior. Sneers
met requests for official information
The Journal began an investigation,
employing an expert to learn the facts.
He reported that the contractor then
on the work could not finish, that
the rock was of poor quality. Gov
ernment action relet the contract and
got the proper quality of rock.
Secured Better Streets.
Portland had great need of street
improvement. There was little pav
ing and less maintenance. Street
signs were conspicuous by their ab
sence and this was prominently com
mented on by visitors who could not
find their way about the city. The
Journal started a campaign for bet
ter streets. Today no city in the
United States in proportion to its
size, has more miles of paved streets.
Street signs are placed at nearly al)
Intersections.
Civil service In municipal depart
ments had been largely a Joke. Ex
aminations were farcical. It needed
but a statement of the facts by The
Journal to secure correction, and the
strengthening of civil service tn the
public service has been contiguous
since. -
For a long time the waterfront was
without the protection from fire that
could have been afforded by a fire
boat The fire department was largely
made up of volunteers with limited
sense of responsibility.
firemen being given 24 hours off every
eight days.
Street cars were uneoi isned wit 4
fenders and the llkellhoo f fatality
in the case of accident I hereby in
creased. The Journal's c. Jiualan for
fenders was successful; tj .effort to
have more cars put into Service whs
equally successful. f
It can be fairly said th !t today no
city excels Portland In quality f
street car service and thet is evident
disposition to continue ti ,-meet traf
fic demands. 'v .
Police Abuses Cured.
There were a lot of police abuses. -
Chief of Police Hunt had a habit of
holding kangaroo court and liberating
prisoners as he desired without even
pretense of trial or Justification.
The police station was itself a
wholly disreputable and unclean plact.
uamDiing under Mayor Williams was
run wide open and vice flaunted itself.
Closed boxes were permitted in sa
loons and were the most efflcent
means ever employed in lrrlng young
.1.1. .t ....44. -
The Journal fought the a nauseous
conditions from the verfti beginning.
Tom Word was nominate knd elected
sheriff in 1904 on a clean-: platform.
FT.. - T - . V . . . - " . .
juuniw was me oni paper mm
supported him. He kept Ww promises
thoroughly, went after gajnbllng like
a destroyer. He has always been in
corruptible and effective and The Jour.
nal is again supporting him for re
election. V
Promise to The Journal Kept.
Dr. Harry Lane was : nominated
against Mayor Williams in 1905. He
promised, the people .that if elected
he would do what The Journal had
been urging should be done stop
gambling, put the closed boxes out of
saloons; separate saloons", from con
nection with bawdy houses and use the
police department to improve moral
conditions. He was supported by The
Journal. He was elected.. He imme
diately began keeping hs promises
and there never has be recurrence
of the conditions that existed in 190G
at the time of hia election.
There were strinuous lays tn city
affairs during the first months of
190S. When the questional granting
saloon licenses near the' Lewis and
dark fair grounds was presented five
council men hid to keep from voting.
As the Lane-Williams fight waxed
warmer more of the worWj of the ma-,
chine was exposed, including a plot to
elect Williams by mean of illegal
votes in the north end. ; Then .tame
the election day, a day oj victory for
the people, a day of confirmation-for
The Journal, a day forecasting the end
of machine politics, for Iffct Lane was
elected with a plurality si 1216.
t.
Politicians' Plot Laid Bare.
Machine politicians were, however,
not through. It remained for this
paper to lay bare a plot to keep of
fices In their grip by idfcprlvlng the
new mayor of his legal appointive
power even before he ad assumed
his office. I
The saloon element's better fight to
keep the closed boxes featured promi
nently In the news and tlie successful
enforcement of the crdlance forbid
ding them was recorded.
The system of garbage collection
previous to 19 1 amounted to but a
series of petty grafts. The Journal'
exposure stopped .the -graft Public
attention waa thus turned to a neg
lected aubject A- new' garbage cre
matory of theWost efficient type hu
been provided. JSonds for municipal
collection Jiave ben votel and will b--sold
when a new lnclntator can be
built to handle the incr ed amount
of garbage that would W f brought for
destruction under a sjf jtem of mu
nicipal collection. j
Need of Fireboat Urged.
This paper called attentlen to the
need of a fireboat and a rire depart
ment made up of paid firemen. The
fireboat was built it served its time
and has been succeeded by a larger
and more effective vessel. Members
of the fire department were placed oS
full time pay.
When the time came The Journal
called attention- to the poor accom
moda tions furnished them and correc
tions were made. This paper also took
up the campaign which resulted In
Sewer Fraud Dijctosed.
The exposure of the JTanner crek
sewer fraud was injected Into th-
constructive activities o 190S. It was
incidental to uncoverineJof the graft-
! lng and corruption wh.fh had pre
vailed at the tlty hall fin municipal
work, and the most valuable result
was to break up the dishonest rln
which had been swlndfng tsxpayem
out of large sums.
It was following this; exposure, too.
that Dr. Lane was elet jed mayor on
the platform of the dla pntlnuance' rf
the licensing of puJic gambling
houses and vicious resos.
After a high degree oFmoral cleans,
ing had been accomplished, under
Sheriff Word and Mayor Lane, fol
lowing The Journal's campaign, thi
next suggestion naturally was that
physical cleaning up of the town be
undertaken to make ltmore sanitary
and beautiful. fJ
The beauty of rose 'gardens and
hedges, well kept la )s, carefully
tended trees, high nelglj forhood ideal
of improvmeot, were ; escribed by
means of articles and Jctures.
War Against W.ef4 Waged.
Relentless war was declared against
weed grown .vacant lotss.and gardens,
rather than weeds and trash, sug
gested. An ordinance was passed com
pelling owners to keep; Jots free from
weeds. A campaign wa necessary to
have this ordinance enforced.
Unquestionably the campaign taken
up by. The Journal for y Scant lot gar
dens "grew Into the sehool garden
movement, also Initiated through this
paper, which has put Portland in the
forefront of cities glvlrTg children ag
ricultural education.
This movement also spread through
out the state and furnished good ar
gument for the passage of the .state
laws supporting agricultural educa
tion of newcomers anj oldtlmers on
the farms.
Kiiy nan gnaugurazea.
Another direct outgrowth of the
beautifying effort was undoubtedly
the organisation which proposed a
planning ot the city In reference to its
future as well as Its present needs,
and which eventuated into the Greater
Portland Plans association and re
sulted in the adoption (by the people
of an ordinance making the - Greater
Portland or Bennett plan the city's of
ficial plan.
As a means of city beautlfleailon
and as recreation spots for the' people.
The Journal supported the acquisition
and equipping of public purks. Much
Is yet to be done to rank Portland
with other Pacific coast cities In the
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