Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-01-03
Hasty Judgment.

has had in fling at the membership,
especially OF the lower house, and the
latest thrust is from home paper,
the Partisan, which, in its last issue,
has this covert sneer at the Assembly:
There has been good deal of carpIng crit
cisn about the printing expenses OF the session
OF tho Legislature up to date.
Do you know how much II amounts to-
1t amounts TO about three days pay OF the Ieg-
islators who are of! on turkey JuDketlng "Trip
for sixteen days at the expense OF the State.
Now the STANDARD would not feel
disposed to enter the lists as the
champion OF Legislature almost
wholly Republican, were it not that
the knights OF old have set the ex-
ample by espousing the cause of those
who seem to he without an advocate
when their acts were passed in review.
We cannot see body OF men who
have responded to the popular will
condemned without hearing, or their
acts brought into question, without an
inquiry as to Tie justice of such CEN
sure.
There may be no doubt that many
OF the acts of the Assembly, so far,
have been of questionable policy;
there may be no dispute OF the profit
gacy OF some OF their acts; but the
question will recur to the mind of
every honest inquirer who passes judg-
ment upon them, "Was it venal-
ity Of the members which has led them
into this excess, or want of knowl-
edge of the duties which they owe to
the public as representatives of the
people in the high capacity of trainers
OF the primary laws of new State ?"
1t was to have been expected that a
large legislative body, such as the Con-
stitution has provided, would be cum
bersome and unwieldy. 1t seems
strange that the Convention should
not have closer weighed the relative
advantages of smaller body, with
limited representation, and one of the
present number and the admission of
all the discordant elements which so
large . representation involves. The
men who framed the Constitution
doubtless accepted the theory that the
more numerous the Assembly, the
nearer it would represent the individ-
ual citizen, and lost sight of the hui
initiating fact that the average voter
seldom passes judgment upon the
qualifications of the candidates sub
United for his judgment and choice be-
fore he deposits his ballot. If man
stands high. socially, morally or polit-
ically, he has his advocates on those
grounds, although he may possess
none of those peculiar mental quail
fications 90 necessary for a conception
of duty as law-maker or the education
to formulate the same into statutory
provisions. He is placed in the inn
portant position of law-giver because
he possesses qualities which appeal to
the heart, and not necessarily to the
brain OF the sovereign, while swaying
the scepter as voter. This, it must
be admitted, is the element of weakness
which enters into popular govern
ment. 1t subordinates reason to pas
sion, and policy to an inclination based
upon personal preferences rather than
the subserrance Of public interest.
But it is, nevertheless, the popular
estimate placed upon human capacity.
The Pdrtisan, if it acknowledges
these premises, must admit that its
structures are too severe, when it vehe.
mently demands more craftsmanship
and less Gemogogy." The men who
are elected to the present Assembly
doubtless feel quite as much of ambi-
ton to do their work well as the aveI-
age legislator. or to make the matter
still mora plain, the ordinary editor,
publishes u printer. They are walk
ing = the pathways which duty seems
to direct-at least it is fair to assume
that they believe they are so doing,
and it is unfair, thus early in the ses-
sion, to pass judgment upon their acts.
Is craftsmanship shown by the null
tiplicity of laws that are enacted? Is
fidelity to the interests of the people
demonstrated by hasty and imperfect
legislation Are the representatives
OF the popular veal to be judged by
those acts which are simply introduce
tory OF the work of the session. By
no means. Let US not Judge by the
volume of legislation done. There is
too much law and the world is gov.
erned too much. Let us not form
an opinion from the meagre work
OF the past month. 1t may be
blessing that calm deliberation has 80
far marked the labors of our law-mak-
ers, for it may result in much that will
prove of lasting benefit.
There is time enough to arrive at a
verdict when the evidence is all in and
the case is submitted.
CAPTAIN Dettmess, of the steamer
Cosmopolis, says that on the last trip
to Gray's Harbor, he saw a log, the
largest he has ever seen afloat or
ashore, in latitude Al deg. 40 min.
north, and longitude 124 deg. 90 min.
west. At first the Captain thought
that it was ship, bottom up, and he
steered for the object. This was on
December IA. The Captain estimates
the log was eighty feet long and seven
feet in diameter, and he considers it
very dangerous to passing vessels.
EVEN clergymen seem to have the
poor judgment sometimes to make
themselves appear ridiculous. Now
comes New Orleans minister, who, in
lecture Sunday evening, on the an
ner Life of JEFF Davis" likened him to
Chr1of Tko-o ..