Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1875-10-30

= Since this old hat was new"
In previous issue of this paper we
alluded to the change made by the Re-
vised Statutes of the United States in
several important particulars as affect
ing the interests of the people of the
Territories. One of the most important
Of these, 10 principle at least, is the
provision which vests in the Governor
the authority for appointing the officers
usually elected by the Legislature, and
whose saleries are paid by the people
from the Territorial Treasury. As con-
strued by the present Executive, it
vests in one man, sent here by the
General Government, the power here
tofore exercised by thirty-nine repre-
sentatiyes of the people, chosen from
their midst, and possessing something
more than q political interest in the Sc.
lection of officers vested with grave
and important duties.
1t is interesting as well as humiliat-
ing to note the gradual encroachment
ment of the Administration upon the
right of citizenship whenever it can be
exercised without an opportunity for
redress. The odious rule maintained
under the name of Reconstruction, :"
in the Southern States, finds parallel
on the frontiers of civilization, among
o people whose only offense has been
that they have braved the hardships
and dangers of pioneer life and pre-
pared the way for national progress.
The people of the Territories are with
out the aid that popular sentiment has
afforded when the rights of citizenship
have been abridged in the reconstructed
States. They are actually living under
form of government less liberal in its
practical operations than that which
Great Britain maintaines in its colonies.
The small appropriations doled out SO
begrudgingly by the Government, while
inanifesting its " Fostering care" for
our people, appear ten-fold more con-
temptible when compared with the lib
eral expenditures made by all other
first-class powers to maintain their de-
Tendencies and colonies. Situated as
We are, so near our British neighbors,
the contrast is Unavoidable and humil-
iating to American, pride. Even the
little that has been done for the Terri
tories, has for the past ten years been
growing Smaller by degrees and beau
tifully less" yet so gradually has the
change been wrought that scarcely a
protest has escaped the loyal masses.
Under Democratic Administrations our
people were allowed annual sessions Of
the Legislature, nor were they limited
to forty days: an ample sum was ap-
propriated to defray all the expenses OF
printing. and the people were not re-
quired to bear any portion of that bur-
den as now, while the Legislature was
allowed TO select its own printer and
Democratic Secretaries were excused
from the duty of farming out this lu-
crative titbit TO sustain an organ which
would grind out partisan music on oil
occasions and under all circumstances.
But this was not enough. The Re.
publican idea of Capitalization of power
into the hands of the few has not culmi.
mated. The patronage of the Govern
ment, which has increased so immense.
ly under Radical hot bed growth, must
be "plaeed where it will do the mos,
good and the political poor-houses are
not places where influence can be sc.
cured to re-elect President or in shap.
ing in any way the policy or destiny Of
the "powers that be-" They could
only be made useful as Van Dieman's
Land is utilized. or as safety-valve is
called into play to free the political
cauldron from the noxious gases which
arise while the elements are in commo.
hon. II has not, therefore, of late
years been deemed expedisnt TO allow
the Territories even the small appropri-
atoms formerly made and necessary
for their support, while the political
grip has been frightened by the bril-
liant stroke Of policy which designed
that the Federal Executive should ap-
point the few officers the Legislature
and the people have elected (the act Of
Congress originally including even the
county ofiicers) and 1tspeople should be
made 10 pay aser salariesi Could abso-
Lutte despotism 60 any farther? Is there
any form Of oppression that would de.