The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-04-17

During The past week two bodies Of
moral. social and political refcrmsss held
state conventions in San Francisco, CaiiS0r-
mia. and ths reports OF their proceedings
furnished by the Leading local journaas OF
that city mako interesting and suggestive
reading. This IL more particularly The
cass inasmuch - both OF these conventions
had the sdvsntage Of similar gatherings Of
the leading corrupt old political parties
In that they were favored with .the re-
dining influence Of women" - delegates.
Ons Of these Was the first stats convcn-
hon Of IL Nationalist, Who in honor Of
The author of their creed are sometimes
called ssBsiiamites.' which in visw Of the
sild notions and frenzisd order Of their
proceedings might be with propriety
sliGhtiy chang gid in o~rthography. simply
substituting . d for the irst ! and making
II ''bsdiamit1s." Organized 10 overthrow
ths existing order Of things, and especially
10 do away with composition In the ordin-
ary Affairs Of life. with Its resulting conten-
ions and unequal distribution Of the pro-
ducts Of human effort and energy. these
ladies' and gentlemen. numbering but no
Ill told. assuming the role of educators and
rsformsrs. preaching IN evsngel Of equal
ity, justice and fraternity, divided in the
proportions Of ffty-six TO ifty-f0ur, and
aftsr INDUCING In frantic ahoutings. boot
ingp, cstcalis and nj manner Of disgracsfui
hostilitiss, sst up two rival and i~rrec0ncil-
ably antaeonistic establishments
Looking backward" 1t this demonstra-
ton ON occasion Of inaugurating this great
rsf0Fmatory movement, their les progres-
ivs and profound fsllow-citizsns viii
naturally wonder how these Nationalist.
whsn no Of the higher order of them can
not psaossbly and decorousIy set their liz
tie ball in motion. can expect in . quiet.
loving and millennial way to handle the
affairs Of . nation numbering q hundred
million or 70 Of inhabitants, and justly DIS
tribute TO each and all alike their equitable
share Of the products Of the whole. The
doings OF this convention were alone sufii-
cient to give an efIcctual quietus to the
movement with which Ii was identified.
The other convention represented IN
older organization and contained many
men and women OF high standing and of
recognized ability In their several voca-
tons. Many Of these have labOrsd for
best efforts TO promote the cause Of tenn
perance. which they have insisted can only
he accomplished by absolute prohibition.
Thanking God that they are not IS other
men and women. they have been unwilling
10 trust the great mass of their fellow citizens
who are identified with one or another OF
the two great parties which constitute more
than ninety per cent of the country Is popu-
laiion. but insist ON keeping themselves
isolated and apart, and attempting with
less than q ten per cent force the accom-
plishment Of IN hundred per cent purpose.
In this convention OF self righteous, self
constituted reformers also there was . high
carnival Of most incorporate and unbe-
coming ~antagonisms over matters OF trivial
import. and In the end what purported TO
be a convention strictly devoted to prohi-
hilton rs the only effectual remedy for in
temperance. was made TO embrace n en-
dorse innumerabie foreign isms, such as
state control OF railroads, teiegraphs and
the like, reckless imitation of the currency
and all manner Of chimerical undertakings.
The moral OF this whole business il that
the great mass of the American people can
better be depended upon 90 accomplish by
usual methods all that Is required In the
management OF their affairs than is any
small iunto who busy themselves solely in
finding fault and making complaint.