OREGON-ELECTION OF JUNE 6, 1898.

The Oregon Congressional and State elections were held June 6 this year. The result was an overwhelming victory for the Republicans, who elected the entire State ticket, a majority of the Legislature, and both Congressmen, over a complete fusion of Democrats, Populists, and Silver Republicans. To Republicans throughout the country the victory is especially gratifying because the campaign was waged on straight party lines, the Republicans declaring in favor of the maintenance of the present gold standard, unqualified opposition to free coinage, support of the Administration in the conflict with Spain, and adherence to the Republican national platform of 1896; while the fusion platform demanded "the free and unrestricted coinage of silver and gold at the present legal ratio of 16 to 1 without waiting for the consent of foreign nations," and expressed its unalterable opposition to the retirement of the greenback and in favor of the issue of "a national money, safe and sound," by the General Government only, without the intervention of banks of issue, such issues to be legal tender for all debts, public and private; also demanding an increase of circulation and the abolishment of imprisonment of citizens for indirect contempt and ruling by injunction. On these declarations the battle was fought. On both sides the campaign was vigorously conducted, the Fusionists having the assistance of ex-Congressman Towne, “Cyclone” Davis of Texas, and other stumpers prominent in the contest of 1896.

The official returns showed the following result:

The first district was carried by Hon. Thomas H. Tongue, the present Representative, in the spring of 1896 by a plurality of only 63 against the Populist nominee. The second district was carried by Hon. W. R. Ellis by 378 plurality over the Populist candidate. In the Presidential election of 1896 McKinley's vote in the first district was 23,819 and Bryan's 25,611, showing a majority for Bryan of 1,792. In the second district McKinley received 24,960 and Bryan 21,128, a majority for McKinley of 3,832, giving the Republicans the State by a majority of 2,040.

PLATFORM ADOPTED BY THE OREGON REPUBLICANS AT ASTORIA, APRIL 14, 1898.

We, the Republican voters of the State of Oregon, in convention assembled, congratulate the people of the State, as well as the whole nation, on the unmistakable fact that the dark cloud of adversity, which has hung like a pall over our fair land, has been dissipated. We recognize that the return of prosperity is due to the restoration of the Republican party to power.

We are in favor of the maintenance of the present gold standard; we are unqualifiedly opposed to the free coinage of silver and to all other schemes looking to the debasement of the currency and the repudiation of debt. We believe that the best money in the world is none too good to be assured by the Government to the laborer as the fruit of his toil and to the farmer as the price of his crop. We condemn the continued agitation for free silver as calculated to jeopardize the prosperity of the country and to shake the confidence of the people in the maintenance of a wise financial policy; we particularly condemn as unpatriotic the efforts of the free-silver agitators to array class against class and section against section; we declare that the interests of all classes and of all sections of our country alike demand a sound and stable financial system.

While we deplore the imminence of war, we recognize that the country is on the eve of a war, undertaken for the vindication of the national honor and the performance of a work dictated by every instinct of humanity; we declare that the administration is entitled in this conflict to the confidence and support of the entire people.

We are firmly attached to the principles of the federal Constitution; we recognize that representative government is one of these principles, and we are opposed to any change in law or Constitution which will abrogate this time-honored principle.

We are in favor of retrenchment and reform in State and county

matters.