Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-11-19
Twenty Years Old

volume OF the STANDARB. diuou
us, reader, if We linSer ere we close
the last page, to indulge in brief
retrospect of the eventful years
which have passed since it was first
embodied to catch the capricious
breezes of popular favor. We have
written the word tdrOr: We shall not
erase it. While We in common with
all journalists, have sought the ap-
proving smiles of the dear but exact
ing public, We do not believe that
even our enemies will charge that
the course of this journal has been
swayed from an exact and impartial
sense of public duty. The mile
stones set up on the journey OF life,
if sighted, will be found to range;
the track is straight and well-de-
fined, with no crossroads or devious
pathways, leading from the goal
which it has always kept in view-a
high plane of intellectual influence,
where it might serve as a factor for
advancing the best interests of the
whole people.
Twenty years! How long and
yet how short that period appears!
The day seems indeed distant when,
having just entered upon manhood's
estate we prepared the first number
of this journal for the press. The
same hand which now pens these
words placed in type the leading ar
ticles of the FIRST issue, task which
the grown son of its protector now
performs. But when we glance
at the mighty changes which have
taken place all over the civilized
world, the epoch seems but as a
pebble on the sands of time. The
first number of the STANDARD an.
nounced the probable election of
that noble and good man, Abraham
Lincoln, President of the United
States. The events which rapidly
followed soon eliminated in armed
treason against the Government;
then followed four years of war
during which time the popular pulse
was kept in constant fever of ex-
element, amid a continual alterna-
ton from hope to despair The
war closed in the triumph OF nation
al supremacy, and although none
labored more heartily to sustain the
Administration, ct q time when to
hesitate was to give "aid aud COM
fort" to the enemy, at its close we
adopted the conservative principles
which have ever since dictated our
policy. just as patriotism required
m abandonment of all partisan feel
ing and prejudice to save the life of
the nation, in like manner it impelled
all the leading men of the Union
party at the close OF the war, to fa-
yor general amnesty for the restor-
alton of that fraternity and good.
which constitutes the most potent
bond of unity, and the best and most
lasting guaranty of prosperity.
The vindictive feeling which has
since Resulted in the estrangement
of the people, and caused a Solid
South to DO arrayed against a Solid
North, formed no part of the plan of
restoration contemplated by Mr..
Lincoln, or his Cabinet. It is an
outgrowth from an entirely different
sentiment. which served in no way
to enlist the hundreds of thousands
OF patriotic Democrats in the war
for the Union. Hence the victory
is not complete, nor will it be until
sectionalism, North and South, gives
place to political and social equality;
when every American citizen shall
feel devotion to tine Government
second only to the reverence he feels
for Deity.
The changes resultant from the
war, require no enumeration to show
that we have, as nation, crowded
the history of ages within the COM
pass OF a score of years. Nor have
the tenn oral affairs of other nations
been marked by scarcely less transi-
ton. We live in decidedly fast
age. The STANDARD in its infancy,
was us pleased with the Pony Elk.
press. which required nearly month
TO bling the news from the East, as
any child with its first hobby horse