Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1876-09-23

The Republican fuglemen are en-
gagged in the vain endeavor to make
political capital out of a series of reso-
lutions introduced by Mr.. Turpin in
the Democratic County Convention re-
Gently held in this city. Just the point
they wish to make is not apparent, nor
have we found any two Of these self
constituted critics who precisely agree
as to the object of the resolutions or
the intent of the convention in laying
the resolutions on the table They try
to make the people believe they have
discovered the outlines of cat under
the meal, but whose cat, or the kind OF
cat, or the purpose of its concealment,
are as vexed questions as the solution
of the 47th Problem to the tyro in
mathematics.
Now we propose to enlighten our po-
litical opponents as the object of The
convention in tabling the resolutions,
and their author can doubtless give a
satisfactory reason for their introduce
ton. The convention regarded them
as unnecessary and partaking too much
of the nature of buncome, to be put
forth as the deliberate action of con-
vention called into existence by, and
deriving authority from, party organ
ization. The national platform covers
the ground for all measures of retrench-
ment and reform, and to re-affirm its
principles does not add to their power
or efficiency in any degree. If any To-
cal cause existed for specific measures
of reform, there might be some neces-
sity for an explicit enunciation of the
object to be subserved by the county
canvass; but none have yet been
brought to the surface here, and the
only charge make against those having
immediate control of county affairs has
been that they have been too careful OF
The public purse and ignored just debts
of the county, under mistaken idea
of what really constitutes retrench-
ment. Like the chieftain, who, when
complimented on his erect bearing,
stood so straight that he leaned back
wards, our County Commissioners have
been guilty of like absurdity. The
resolutions, if they meant anything,
meant the reverse of this, and apply in
our local administration of affairs about
as a round plug would fit square
hole. Stripped of this kind of verbase,
the "platform" is left with but a single
plank, a declaration of the policy Of
selecting county officers regardless Of
party politics" Why this policy should
apply alone to county officers, does no
appear, nor can we see the propriety
of employing party machinery to nom.
mate a no-party ticket. We see nc
necessity for going outside of the party
to find honest and capable men for all
positions of honor and trust, and
much less to sanction the practice by
inc operating it into the party creed
This was the view which the conven.
ton, by a unanimous vote, took of the
matter, and there are but few who will
question its propriety. The time is
past when much stress is placed on
platforms constructed solely for ex.
pediency. Those who vote for capable
men, without regard to political affilia
tons, will do so quite as readily with.
out concessions which have no more
binding force than a politicians pledge
| These are the reasons why the reso.
lutions were tabled, and the Olympiar
and its friends are welcome to all the
capital they can make out of the tran
saction. They are making much ado
about nothing as will be apparent in
the result of the canvass; for popula,
sentiment is with the party of reform
and it will lead on to a glorious victory
MINE ExpLos1oN.-The Seattle Tribune
learns that the gas, or fre-damp be.
came ignited in the Fitzwilliam mine
at Nanaimo, on the 10th inst, which re-
suited in terrible explosion, killing 6
white man and Chinaman outright, and
wounding three others. The mine had
not been used for some days, and wher
the miners went to work the explosion
took place. Fortunately, but three
men had fairly entered the ehaft wher
the accident occurred, else moro would
have shared the fate of the unfortunates
No material damage was done to the
mine. The following is the list o.
killed and wounded: George Brown
miner, native of Leicester. England
killed outright; Matthew Mcdowell
miner, lately from Illinois, severely Gu,
about the head and body and badly
burned; the doctors entertain no hope
OF his recovery. John Frame, cut in
the head and badly burned; he will re.
cover Andrew M;llor o1;obflv ;p;uro1