To the Promised Land: A History of Oregon Government and Politics

Contents

Contents Preface and Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1 “Who’s for a DiviDe?” The oregon CounTry, 1834-49 . . . . . . . 8 The Death of Ewing Young / Decision at Champoeg / No Taxes, No Liquor, No Negroes / 1844: New Blood / A Government Gone Broke / Oregon’s First Newspaper / The Whitman Massacre and the Cayuse War / Men Go South, Gold Comes North 2 from TerriTory To sTaTe, 1848-59 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Meet Joe Lane / Two Houses Instead of One / Samuel Thurston and the Donation Land Act / Counting Noses / Daily Life in Territorial Oregon / Congress Pays the Bill / Go Home, John! / Where Should Our Capital Be? / Rival Legislatures / Asahel Bush and the Oregon Style / The Salem Clique / Temperance and the Challenge of the Know-Nothings / The Democratic Landslide / Hurrah for Stephen Douglas! / Slavery as a Political Issue in Oregon and the Nation / Republicans Appear / Democrats Dividing / Free State or Slave State? / Oregon’s Constitutional Convention of 1857 / Democrats: A Two-Headed Party / Were Oregonians Ready for Statehood? 3 early sTaTehooD anD The Civil War era . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 1860: A Year of Decision / Civil War / Oregon’s Union Party Takes Charge / Lincoln: Reelection and Assassination / Arguing Over Reconstruction / Oregon’s Union Party / Dumping James Nesmith / The Return of the Democrats / Growing / Woman of the Century 4 John miTChell anD oTher Tales of CorrupTion, 1868-73 . . . 65 Ben Holladay, Wheeler-Dealer / Land Scams / The Railroads / Something Is Rotten in Oregon / The Lowdown on John Hipple Mitchell / No Love Lost / Getting “Guts” Gibbs / The Era of Democratic Domination Ends 5 money, CorrupTion, anD The reformers, 1882-1902 . . . . . . . 77 The Big Three: Power in One Place / Weeding Out Political Corruption / The Legislature of 1885 / Governor Grover and the Chinese Issue / Sylvester Pennoyer Rockets into Power / Regulation and Abuses / Harrison Yes, Cleveland No / Reformers in Oregon / Populism Takes Root in Oregon / The Campaign of 1894 / Mountains of Money / The Hold-Up Legislature of 1897 / Joe Gets His Wish / A Winning Strategy / The Vote for Women? / The Oregon System Is Born / George Chamberlain Steps Up 6 george Chamberlain anD The os WesT express, 1903-13 . . . 106 More Disappointment / What’s in It for Me? / Oregon’s Infamous Land Fraud Trials / Reform Continues with the 1905 Legislature / Enter Dr. Harry Lane / Chamberlain Gets Another Four Years / Testing the Direct Primary Law / The Campaign and Election of 1908 / The Contest for Governor / Governor Oswald West / West and Bowerman Lock Horns / The Woman Suffrage Victory of 1912 / The 1913 Legislature: A Shining Star and a Punch / Progressive Reforms / Os West Saves Oregon’s Beaches / America 1912-13 7 oregon During WorlD War one, 1914-20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 Governor James Withycombe / Oregon’s First Women Legislators / The Election of 1916 / An Issue of Race / The 1917 Legislature / Senator Harry Lane Votes Against War / Oregon, the Great War, and Unbridled Patriotism / Intolerance Runs Amok / Oregon’s 30th Legislature / Violence By and Against Labor / A Special Session / The 1920 Senate Race 8 The eleCTion of 1922, The Ku Klux Klan, anD governor WalTer pierCe, 1921-27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 The Klan in Oregon / The Klan and the Governor’s Race of 1922 / Walter Pierce Is Inaugurated / The “Yellow Peril” / Walter Pierce Hammers Away at Tax Reform / Pierce and the 1925 Legislature / The 1926 Senate Race / Isaac Patterson 9 TWo DeaThs: 1927-33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163 Many New Faces / A Special Election / Mr. Smith, Mr. Hoover, and the Election of 1928 / Wall Street Trembles / The Legislature of 1929 / Republican Scramble / A Crusading George Joseph / A “Rich Boy” for Governor? / Other Results in 1930 / Oregon Slips into the Great Depression / Oregon’s First Depression-Era Legislature / Politics Undergoes Fundamental Change / Oregon Is Dead Broke 10 fDr, olD iron panTs, anD The poliTiCs of upheaval, 1933-38 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177 FDR and the New Deal / The Ugly Reality of Deepening Depression / Election of 1934; General Martin Runs for Governor / Portland’s 1934 Dock Strike / Oregon’s Second Depression Legislature / Labor Strife Resumes / The Election of 1936 / Man Is a Fighting Animal / Charles Martin Out, Charles Sprague In / Republican Resurgence / A New Capitol Building 11 hoW The War ChangeD oregon, 1939-48 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194 Governor Charles Sprague / The 1939 Legislature / The World Lurches Toward War / 1940 Election / Pearl Harbor! / Frustrated Democrats / Charles Sprague’s Defeat / The 1942 General Election / The War’s Impact on Oregon’s Economy / Lawmaking in Wartime: The Legislature of 1943 / Oregon’s Isolationists / Senator McNary’s Death / Republican Shuffle / Governor Earl Snell / The Legislature of 1945 / The Nation’s Leading Lumber State / Oregon Elections of 1946...