, 1886-08-26

awaited the result with breathless in
terest. 1t was a contest to determine
whether or not the lawful authority
of these United States should be
trampled upon with impunity -
whether brutal crime and rank trea-
son should go unrebuked, or whether
this government of ours would prove
itself strong enough to punish helm
Gus crimes committed in the name of
laboring men. 1t is gratifying, and
augurs well for the future of our ma
ton, that the spirit of disorder and
crime receives such heroic treatment.
1t will serve notice upon all such in
future that the gallows surely awaits
all who take innocent life; that our
laws mean something, and that crim-
inals will be dealt with as such,
whether they are met singly or in
droves.
1t is the merest balderdash for the
territorial democracy to resolve" it
self in favor of statehood. Two years
ago We were told that the surest way
to secure state government would
be to eject Mr.. Voorhees, to congress.
We did so, and what was the result?
Our statehood bill was passed by the
republican senate-only few demo-
cratic senators voting against it-and
when it reached the house, where our
democratic delegate stood watch
over our interests, elected as he was
with the strongest kind of statehood
pledges fresh upon his lips, he had
not influence enough to get that bill
resnrrected from the pocket of the
committee where it has been quietly
slumbering ever since. Does anyone
suppose for moment that if the
democracy really felt friendly toward
a state government for Washington
Territory, such a state of affairs
would now exist? IL they do, we
sympathize with their child-like
trust. No, these statehood resolu
tons pro mulgated by the politicians
at Tacoma are simply part and par
eel of the policy lodges put forth to
J gull the public. They were expressed
because the democratic politicians
} knew of the overwhelming sentiment
: throughout the Territory in favor of
J statehood, because they knew that
nothing else would be regarded with
, favor by voters. and because they
thought they could persuade the
, dear gullible public that the demo
cratic party Of the nation is in sym
pathy with US in our desperate efforts
to secure justice and the rights OF
citizens under the national govern
ment. In this way the statehood
; question is sought to be used as a
lever to again assist young politi-
cal adventurer to secure an election
as our delegate to congress. 1t is
} the rankest hypocrisy and insincerity
for democrats to make such preten-
sions. If this whole electioneering
dodge is not fully exposed between
: nov and November, throughout the
; length aud breadth of the land, the
} Argus will feel that great public
duty has been neglected by republi-
: can orators and republican newspa-
pers. The democratic party is a
: party of expedients rather than a
Iparty of principle, and its course this
year in Washington Territory does
not belle its general characteristics.
1t is an organized aggregation of dis
eordant elements, bent upon advo-
eating or seeming to be anything in
order to secure the loaves and fishes.
Republicans, vote your convictions
this year, and when we get enough
, republicans and fair minded demo-
Gratis in the lower House of Congress
to pass our statehood bill we will be
| admitted to statehood-dnd not be
: fore! Bear this in mind. All the
persuasive eloquence of Mr.. Voor-
: hees, nor all the ''resoluting' in the
democratic platform can change the
attitude of the two parties On our
statehood question. The national
democracy has had its opportunity,
and has deliberately, uneqnivocally
and tauntingly pronounced its posi-
ton to be one Of uncompromising
hostility to our admission. No argu-
ment showing our right to admission
by every test or requirements recog-
nized in the past had a feathers
weight We were bluntly told that
because We are a republican territory
therefore we should be denied state
hood as long as the democracy couId
keep MS cut. To be sure, Chairman
Springer, of the House committee on
territories, intimated that we might
better our chances for admission by
voting the democratic ticket this fall
but such an intiInation is in keep
ing with the miserable hypocrisy of
the democratic party in this Territory
upon the statehood question. They
made no nominations for mill
tia officers, thereby confessing that it
would he useless to do so. Does
anyone suppose the net result would
Ire changed if we were to again elect
Mr. Voorhees,? We might get
laughed at for having allowed our
selves TO be caught with such chaff.
but the national democracy would
I know then as it does noW that We are
strongly republican. and would be-
come a republican state If admitted.
The overwhelming republican major
tiles IN our legislatures are an infal-
IN NJ Il r y"