Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-09-21

working people if the system of protective
duties is broken down. II the products
of American ships must compete in the
American market without favOring duties
| with
CHEAP FOREIGN LABOR
the effect will be different, if at all only
in the degree. Whether cheap labor is
across the street or over the sea, such
competition will soon reduce wages here
| to level of those abroad, and when that
! condition is reached we will not need any
laws forbidding the importation Of labor
under contract. They will have no in
ducemcnt to come and the employer no
ihducement to send for them. In the earl
ier years Of history public agencies to
promote immigration were common. The
pioneer wanted neighbor with more
| friendly instincts than the Indian. Labor
was scarcer and fully employed, but the
day of the immigration bureau has gone
by. While our doors will continue open
ed to proper immigration, we do not need
| to issue special invitations to inhabitants
of other countries to our shores, or to
share our citizenship. Indeed the neces-
sity of some inspection and Limitation is
| obvious We shAIld absolutely refuse to
~
paupers and criminals TO our ports. We
are also clearly under duty to defend
our social position by excluding alien rae
es whose ultimate assimilation with our
people is neither possible nor desirable.
The family has been the nucleus of our
best immigration and the home the most
potent assimilating force in our civiliza-
tiOn. The
OBJECTIONS TO CHINESE IMMIGRATION
Are distinctive and conclusive, and are
now so generally accepted as such that
the question has passed entirely around
the stage of argument The laws relating
| TO this subject would, if they should be
| charged with their enforcement, be faith
fully executed Such amendments or
further legislation may be necessary and
proper to prevent cvasions of the laws,
and to stop further Chinese immi-
grafton, would also meet my approval.
The expressions of the convention on this
subject are in entire harmony with my
views.
Our civil compact is a government by
! the majority, and law loses its sanction
and magistrates our respect when this
compact is broken. The evil results OF
ELECTION FRAUDS
| Do not expend themselves on voters who
| are robbed of their rightful influence in
public affairs. The individual or COM
munity or party that practices or connives
at election frauds has suffered irreparablc
injustice and will sooner or later realize
that to exchange the American system of
majority rule for minority control is not
only unlawful and unl,atriotic, but very
unsafe. To promote the disfranclilsc-
meut Of a single legal elecior by fraud or
intimidation is Il crime too great To be re.
garded lightly. The right OF every quail
flied elector to cast one free ballot and to
have it honestly counted must not be
questioned. Every constitutional power
should be used to make this right secure
and punish frauds upon the tallOt. Our
cOlOred people do not ask special legisla-
ton in their interest, but only to be made
secure in the common rights of American
citizenship. hey will, however, natur-
ally disirust the sincerity OF those party
leaders who appeal to their race for sup
port only in those localities where suf-
frage is free and elections doubtful, and
compass their disfranchisement where
their votes would be controlling and their
choice can not be cOerccd.
THE COMMON SCHOOLS.
pendent for prosperity and security upon
the intelligence and morality of the peo-
pie. This common interest very early sug-
gested national aid in the establishment
and endowment of schools and colleges
in the new states There is belief that
the present exigency calls for still more
liberal and direct appropriations in the
aid of common school education in the
states
THE TERRITORIES.
The territorial form of government is a
temporary expedient, not permanent
civil! condition. 1t is adapted TO the ex-
igency that suggested it, but becomes in
adequate and even oppressive when ap-
piled to fixed and pOpulOus communities.
Several territories are well able to bear
the burdens and discharge the duties of a
free commonwealth in the American
union. To exclude them is to deny the
just rights of their people and may well
excite their indignant protest. No ques-
tiSn of political preference Of the people
in territory should close against them
the hospitable door, which has opened to
twO-thirds of the existing states, but ad-
mission should be resoiutely refused to
any territory, a majority of whose people
cherish institutions that are repugant to
our civilization or inconsistent with re-
publican form of government.
TRUSTS
The declaration of the convention
against all combinations of capital, Or
ganized in trusts or otherwise, TO control
arbitrarily the condition of trade among
our citizens are in harmony with the
views entertained and publicly expressed
by me long before the assembling of the
convention. Ordinarily capital shares the
losses of idlencss with labor, but under
the operation of trusts, in some of its
forms, wage workers alone suffer loss
while idle capital receives its dividend
upon the trust fund. Producers who re-
fuse to join combinations are destroyed
and competition as an element ot prices
is eliminated. 1t cannot be doubted that
the legislative authority should and will
find method of dealing fairly and effect
ually with these and other abuses con
nected with this subject
PENSIONS FOR SOLDIERS.
1t can hardly be necessary for ME to
say that l am heartily in sympathy with
the declaration of the convention upon the
subject OF pensions to our soldiers and
sailors. What they gave, and what had
small measure experience, they gave un-
grudgingly. 1t was not trade, but an
offering. The measure was heaped up
running over. What they achieved only
distant generations can adequately tell
Without attempting to discuss particular
propositions, may add that measures in
| behalf of surviving veterans of the war,
and of the families of their dead comrades
should be conceived and executed in a
spirit OF justice and of most grateful liber-
ality, and that in the competition for civil
appointments honorable military service
should have appropriate recognition.
THE CIVIL SERVICE.
| The law regulating appointments to
classified civil service received my sup
port in the senate, in the belief that ii
opened the way to much-needed reform.
| still think so, and therefore cordially
approve the clear and torcible expressions
of the convention. Upon this subject the
law should have the aid of a friendly in
depreciation and be faithfully and vigor;
ously enforced. All appointments undei
il should be absolutely cree from partisan
consideration and influences. Some ex
tensions ofthe classified list is practicable
and desirable and further legislation eY
tending reform to other branches of the
service TO which it is applicable would
receive my approval. In appointments tc
every grade and department fitness and
not party service should be an essential
and discriminating test and fidelity and
efficiency a sure tenure of Office. Only
the interests of public service should sug
gest removals from Office. know thu
practical difficulties attending the attemp