Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 3.djvu/121

Rh "That to the republican party is due the credit of successful resumption and restored prosperity and business revival, and we insist that the paper and coin circulation of the country shall at all times be maintained at par with the gold standard of the commercial world."

That was probably the first public platform utterance favoring the maintenance of parity of all coin and currency on a gold standard of valuation.

On this platform M. C. George was elected Oregon's representative in congress, defeating, by a majority of one thousand three hundred and ninety-seven, ex-Governor Whiteaker for re-election.

The democratic state platform that year opposed any and all protective tariff and on the money question it "Resolved, that while we recognize gold and silver as the constitutional currency and regard it as the real money, we deem any further contractions of the paper issues of the government unwise in the present financial condition."

Whatever had heretofore been the platforms concerning tariff, the congressional campaign for that year (1880) was the first time in the history of the state when the canvass was mainly upon a protective tariff issue.

At that election, E. B. Watson, William P. Lord, and John B. Waldo, all republicans, were elected to constitute the new supreme court, whose members were no longer to do circuit court duty. This new supreme court was in fulfillment of that clause in our state constitution providing that "When the white population of the state shall amount to two hundred thousand the legislative assembly may provide for the election of supreme and circuit judges in distinct classes."

W. H. Odell was also elected at this time state printer to fill the vacancy caused by the death of W. B. Carter.

The legislature elected in June, 1880, being repub-