Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-12-05

ions, prejudices or fears of any class
however powerful. The path of the
elector to the ballot-box must be free
from the ambush of fear and the Ell
Elements of fraud, the count so true
and open that none shall gainsay it
Such a law should be absolutely non
partisan and impartial. 1t should give
the advantage to honesty and the CON
troll to majorities.
Surely there is nething sectional
about the creed, and if it shall happen
that the penalties of laws intended to
enforce these rights fall here and not
there, 1t is not because the law is Sec
tional, but because, happily, crime is
local and not universal. Nor should
it be forgotten that every law, whether
relating to elections or to any other
subject, whether enacted by the State
or by the nation, has force behind it.
The courts, the marshal or constable
the posse comitatus the prison. are all
and always behind the law.
One cannot be justly charged will,
unfriendliness to any section or class
who seeks only to restrain violations
OF law and of personal right. No com
munity will find lawIessness profitable.
No community can afford to have it
known that the officers who are
charged with the preservance of the
public peace and the restraint of the
criminal classes are themselves the
product OF fraud or violence. The
magistrate is then without respect
and the law without sanction. The
Hoods OF lawlsssness can be leveled and
made to run in one channel. The
killing of an United States Marshal
carrying Il writ of arrest for an cleo
ton oiierse is full Of prompting and
oiense to the men who are pursued by
city marshal for crime against life
or property.
But it is said that the legislation
will revive animositics, and some have
even suggested that when the peace
ful methods of fraud are made impos-
sible they may be supplanted by in
timidation and violence. 1t the pro-
posed law gives to any qualified elector
by hairs weight more than his equal
influence or detracts by so much from
any other qualified elector, it is fatally
impeached. But if the law j.: equal
and the animosities it evokes grow out
OF the fact that some electors have
been accustomed to exercise the fran
chise for others as we'll as themselves,
then these animosities ought not to he
confessed without shame, and cannot
be given any weight in the discussion
without dishonor.
No choice is left to me but to enforce
with vigOr all laws intended TO secure
to the citizen his constitutional rights,
and to recommend that the inadequa-
cies OF such laws be promptly remedied.
If to promote with zeal and ready in.
terest every precinct for the develop
ment OF its material interests, its rivers,
harbors, mines and factories, and the
intelligence, peace and security under
the law OF its communities and its
homes is, not accepted as sufficient evi-
dence of friendliness to any State or
section, l cannot add connivance at
election practices, that not only dis
turb local results, but rob the electors
OF other States and sections OF their
most priceless political rights.
POSTAL MATTERS.
The report OF the postmaster gener-
al shows the most gratifying progress
in the work committed to his direction.
The business methods have been great
ly improved. A large economy in ex-
penditure and an Increase of four and
three-quarter millions in receipts have
been realized. The deficiency this
year is $5,7S3 300, las against $780,
1873 last year. Notwithstanding the
great enlargement of the service, mail
routes have been extended and quick
ened, and greater accuracy and dis
patch in distribution and delivery
have been attained. The report will
be found full of interest and sugges-
tions, not only to congress. but to
those thoughtful citizens who may be
interested to know what business
method can perform in that depart
ment of public administration which
most nearly touches all our people.
LOTTERY ADVERTISEMENTS IN THE MAILS.
The passage of the act to amend
certain sections of the revised statutes
relating to lotteries, approved Septem-
Der -, 1890, has been received with
great and deserved popular favor.
The postoffice department and the de-
partment of justice at once entered
upon the enforcement of the law with
sympathetic vigor, and already the
public mails have been largely freed
from the fraudulent and demoralizing
appeals and literature animating from
the lottery.
WILL Manring, while visiting his
brother, who lives on the Palouse, last
week, met with an accident that came
near taking his life, says the Garfield
Enterprise. On Friday lie was out
hunting, carrying 44-caliber Winches-
ter rifle. His foot caught on some
thing as he was walking along, and to
save himself from falling he threw the
rifle forward for support. The gun
was discharged. The bAll entered the
ball of the right hand, breaking and
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