Page:History of Oregon Newspapers.pdf/139

130 "Never," said Morrison, "until I have finished my own work, because I don't care to be influenced in any manner by the Oregonian editorials."

Then said Mr. Owen (as Morrison tells it):

"Well, I think you had better read them once in a while. Do you know that on this tax matter, Mr. Scott has a leading editorial in this morning's Oregonian, most emphatically opposing the entire proposition?"

Morrison said: "No, sir, but what of it? I am not writing Mr. Scott's mind, and I don't think Mr. Scott would want me to do that."

"Do you want to take this up to Mr. Scott and thresh it out with him?

"Sure."

So Mr. Morrison went to the Oregonian editor's office, stated the case to him, and handed him a copy of the editorial. He read it slowly and carefully, and then, "looking at me," said Mr. Morrison, over his spectacles with that wonderfully steady, penetrating gaze of his, he said:

"Do you believe that?"

"I most certainly do."

"Well, then, by God, print it!"

"There," commented Mr. Morrison, "is the greatest editorial writer in the state of Oregon attesting, in opposition to his own views, to the value of sincerity in editorial utterances."

While editing the Oregonian in 1876 W. Lair Hill came to the defense of his predecessor and successor, Harvey W. Scott, who was then collector of customs. The Salem Mercury had published a news story to the effect that a Wasco county man would soon be chosen to succeed Scott as collector. The Mountain Sentinel, of Union, commenting, had said, "The removal of Scott and the rending asunder of the Portland custom house ring . . . for years reeking and festering with corruption, was a move party leaders were to be compelled to make."

Hill's comment in the Oregonian (Friday, February 25, 1876) follows:

"The idea that the party leaders, by which is meant, of course, in this case, those who control the Federal appointments in the state-would assist in the "rending asunder of the Portland custom house ring" is both original and fresh. The only complaint made against Scott is made by the ring, and is based entirely on their allegations that he refuses to do the bidding of those who insist on maintaining, through said ring, a dictatorship over the party. The paragraph above quoted shows how completely the political situation in Portland is misapprehended in some other quarters."