The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-09-14
IN BORROWED rLunaeE.

~ @@~4~
II IL customary for the Democrats
party 20 array isseif in b~orrowtd
piumage and 10 strut t~fore the pab
lie casing IondiY abyus tbs Ane isasA-
srs with which ID has sought 70 eoyer
its own black exsAt. It~forgets that the
very voice ia Nhich il erosks prove
70 be nothing bat a dismal crow and
that be must he stupid indeed who,
In spite Of Its iueeszsBt cas-, would
mistake ii for a bird Of paradise.
The feathers which the Democracy
chiefly enYies are shose 81 the Ispu6-
lican party. For every good deed
which hat party hss accomplished,
for every line Of policy which Il has
successfully carried out, the Demo
eraey claims the credit. IL claims the
credit for ~suppresaiBg the rebellion
which it fos;ered and encouraged II
claims the credit for unfolding the
credi. Of the nation Ahieh ~ vainiy
sought to destroy. IL even claims
that il II and always has been the
friend OF the cul0rsd race. though
slavery va is shtbbaleth for a
quarter OF a century and though It's
power today Is eemented by the blood
OF the hundreds Of colofed voters Of
the South who have gone down 10
death because they dared u be Re
pubiicans.
The latest attempt og the Deaao-
eracy to claim credit for the good
things which the Republican party
has done is the absurd pretense that
% the Democrats Is due the admission
OF the Northwestern territories. The
platform adopted n Elieusburg de-
clarea ''that Washington territory
was wrestetl from British possession
by Democratic courage stasesmanship
and diplomacy: that IL was FIRST or
Ranixei "a a political division by a
Democratic administration that the
bill for the admission OF all the new
states vas formulated by a Denaocra-
tic committee. passed by a Democratic
house and promptly signed by a
Democratic president.
A Indicating series Of state
ments could not be strung together.
One would Judge lrom II that the sole
mission OF the Democrats party had
been 10 hefriend aud protect the peo-
pie Of Washington. "Wrested from
British possession by Democratic
courage. statesmanship and diplo-
macy All, yes. The Democrats
showed courage enough in the cam
paign Of iSii, when their orators went
mp and down the country with the
clustering cry of "Fiftyfour.forty or
fight. Bat their courage did {, out
last the election. We did not gci
ffty-four-forty. nor did We eight.
Pledge and prsmises ended with the
counting Of the ballots. Courage dis
ppeared when the time Co show IL
came. Instead of Insisting upon the
fifty-foar-foFty line, a. 1t vas
pledged 90 do. the Democratic party
weakly compromised by accepting
the forty -nin,h parallel a. the bound
AIRY, thus snTreudering 30 Great Brit
Gin a vast tract of territory which
rightfuliy belonged 80 the United
States. Even then British troops
were permitted to remain ON the soil
Of Washington territory until Il he
publican administration forced them
10 leave is borders. Truly this was
Democratic courage and Democratic
statesmanship. sud Democratic Ill.
plomaey. Aud we humhly pray that
our country may he spared any fur
ther manifestation of such courage
such statesmsnsbip and such dlplo
macy.
The events connected With the ad
mission Of Washington are "a recent.
the record IL 50 elear, that il is sur.
prising that the Democratic bird
should dare q claim lai- bright plume
u its WI A. early a. isSi the Re
publican Senate passed q htIl for the
admission OF Washington. bat il
failed Ia pass the Democratic House
Of Representative. she Democrats
openly declaring that they would not
permit the admission OF aoy Of the
territories nntil after the election Of
1851. The Republican platform of
lisa contained a demand for the al
mission OF Wa hiaeton. hut the Dem
oeratle platform ws= silent on the
subject Evidently the Democrats
had determined "a permit their pr,.
teges In the Northeast "a shift for
themselves.
The Democrats Wen she election of
lisa. but IL WAS hy = margin ~ narsos
tina, they realized that The admission
of the Northwestern territories wuulI
be fatal &C. their future chsnes.. They
accordingly set themselves ike a fiat
against the admission of rev states
President Cleveland failed 10 mention
the subject in any Of his message
though te was repeatedly lmroriuuel
60 do s. The Senate passed several
bills tor The admission III " 4shfaxt0n
and the nskotas. but they Invariably
met a lingering death at the hands If
the liemos ratic majorsty in the House
SO well known, So universally rv,s,x
nized. vas the attitude oi the Demo
cratic party towards the Territories
that when Delegate yooshevs -
turned g. Washington after hts over
whelmiag defeat in i>SS be TODD H.,
colleagues plainly that they hsa host
Washington territory because q their
hostility 10 lis admission.
When the eleetlon * iN>> ar
preached the Democrats as taatthrv
must make sogne pfeIcnse 81 frsrrA
ship to the terntoT!es They socor4.
ingiy prersrsd = hi Pssyatjns sor the
admission 1t hakots A. ere ssats and
81 Montana. Washington and New
Mexico. the lsst named scrrisrr
isg VIGOROUSLY unet for sta,ehe.s4
BEFORE this bill has breo assIIv = tea
uaon the presidential e,sct - ies,s