Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-10-14
Some O.:car Ideas of Economy.

might select, aud anprooriatlnS a
sufficient amount to pay for the eX-
pense from thepub,ic treasury. Inc
measure was not suggested by any
of the newspaper fraternity, so far
as we have any knowledge, but was
thought to he by its mover a proper
means of communication between
the representatives AID their con-
stituen.s. The local press can be
relied upon as Jealous and stead
fast advocate of the wants OF the
community it represents, and general
" submits the claims OF the people
in a terse and logical manner which
commands respect. AS an aid to
proper understanding Of the duties
REQ uired of men legislating for the
whole Territory, it is invaluable; and
besides this, it furnishes the cheap
est and most effective means of keep
ing remote constituencies informed
of the progress of legislation, and Of
ascertaining whether their delega-
tons are faithful to the trust reposed
in them. One of the representatives,
who is an experienced legislator,
has such keen appreciation OF the
value of newspapers that be has Or
dered thirty copies of the STANDARD,
alone, to be served each week during
the session, and several others take
from five to ten copies for the ex-
press purpose of keeping their con-
stituents informed of the progress OF
legislation
Tue whole cost of the proposition
to furnish each member with five
copies of the Territorial papers
would have been less than 500, still
the House put its foot down upon
the measure as needless extrava-
gance, Notwithstanding each OF our
local papers and the Oregonian are
at least twice the entire cost Of
the proposed expenditure in prepar-
ing a synopsis of proceedings.
This action may be right, but it is
certainly in marked contrast with
the action of the House when the
measure came up for "adjusting'
the mileage of the members, a mat
ter in which each felt an individual
interest reaching to the very bottom
of his pockets. The amount appro'
priated by Congress was as fully ex'
pended as it could be apportioned
although it amounts to from two &c
three times the actual cost of trans
portion. As an instance, the men,
bers from Port Townsend are appor-
toned about $50, when the actual
; cost is about one-third that sum
and the members from East of the
mountains receive considerably ovel
500, twice the cost of passage, to say
, nothing of the amount which will bt
saved by the free passes carried in
the vest pocket of each member and
officer. This should have beer
enough to have satisfied the mos
exacting advocate of economy
> and "reform," but that it was not
, was shown by the suggestion of the
honorable member from Klickitat
Clark and Skamania (NIr. Holcomb,
who proposed to increase the amour
from III cents per mile to Is, thu
maximum rate fixed nearly 80 years
ago when the cost was just about tn
p full amount allowed, and to pay til,
. balance by an appropriation from
the Territorial Treasury! The pro
| position was received in silence, bu
r even this was significant of an in
v clination to consider the feasibilit,
a of the plan, which was in marked
3 contrast with the promptitude will
which the honorable gentlemen hav'
"sat down" to borrow an expression
vulgarism, upon some other PROPOSE
tons which carried with them
semblance of justice
Let it not be said that these OK
cepiions are taken to the action O
the House, for the reason that tn
share which might have fallen to u
in the meagre patronage the meas
ure afforded is involved. This is no
the controlling motive. We have
> higher incentive and better object il
a. view: to portray the beauties of tina
: jewel, Consistency. We wish t,
show, thus early in the session, t,
the honorable members, the rugge,
way and thorny path when each &C
is not Lased upon the basaltic roc
OF true principle. Without this,
it is utterly impossible to pursue
e course which will exactly line at al
3: points, where SO many diverse inter
: ests control. 1t may be rather I'm
s fortunate that the contrast shout,
: be discovered in a measure in whicl
r each member is personally and pecu
:. narily interested, but it will doubt
8 less serve the purpose of ILLUSTRATION
C better that it is so.