Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1892-10-20
OUR NEXT GOVERNOR.


Aberdeen, Hoquiam and Cosmopolis,
without regard to political faith, came to
Aberdeen to listen to the address of the
Republican candidate for governor, John
H. McGraw. McGraw was given an OPP
portunity that is offered but seldom to
any man. Had he been the man for the
occasion he would have added strength
to his cause and that of the Republican
party. At the beginning of his talk, his
audience were sympathetic and ready to
enthuse at the slightest touch of warmth
or expression of sincerity. At the close,
they were disheartened and bored. They
had listened to tiresone statement of
state finances, given in order to make
out case in defense of the Indictment Of
gross extravaganza brought by the people
OF Washington against the two last legis-
latures of this state. The value OF this
defense, made entirely from the point of
view OF a Republican candidate for office,
can be rightly estimated at it's full value
by those who heard it, when the HERALD
reminds them that such an item as $780,
O00--appropriated ostensibly for geological
investigation, but in reality for the junket-
ing expenditures of the state geologist
and the Republican scape-goat, Lieuten-
ant Governor Laughton-was entirely
omitted from this one-sided statement.
However, the only bearing these state
ments can have upon McGraw's candidacy
arises from the fact that he assumes the
responsibility for them, and that, as
matter of fact, he has been, with the ex-
ception, perhaps, OF very small fraction,
the Republican party of the state of
Washington.
With an honest desire to find some
thing commendable in McGraw's talk,
the HERALD has been forced to content
itself with his attitude on the canal plank
in the Republican platform. Contrary to
his course in the eastern part OF the state,
he was not silent on this important ques-
ton; bht said:
IL stand flat-footed upon every plank
in that platform, including the ditch
plank. But I must not stop quite
yet, for my Tacoma friends will accuse
me Of neglecting the ditch. want to
say assume my full share of RESPONSE
bility for that plank. l want them to
know that am as much responsible as
any man in the state for the ditch plank
being in the platform. When that plank
was framed, had no idea 1 should be
called upon to stand upon it; but l
SHOULD HAVE REFUSED A NOM
NATION ON ANY PLATFORM
THAT DID NOT CONTAIN IT."
This was the only manly stand left for
him to talk upon that plank, and he took
it. While we can admire his pluck, his
words must be his own death knell. He
did not Justify, nor attempt to justify,
this effort Of Seattle to take from the gen.
eral government money that. otherwise
through the regular appropriation for
river and harbor improvements would
come to Grays Harbor, and put it into
scheme that can have no claim upon the
state, at the expense of Grays Harbor
and other deserving points. He content
ed himself with a statement of the
dimensions of the lake, and that in 1868
General Mcclellan had recommended to
the government that the waters of the
lake and Sound be connected Not one
word to show why the rest of the state
should sacrifice its interests to advance a
Seattle real estate scheme. But no doubt
was left upon the minds Of his hearers as
to what would be his actions in case he
were elected. Every energy would be
bent toward securing that appropriation.
And yet the people of Grays Harbor are
asked to stultify themselves by putting
him in position where he can injure us
for the good of Seattle. Are we going to
do it? The HERALD would like for every
man, woman and child who heard Nc
Graw to go on the 31st Of October and hear
Snively; and we sincerely believe their
verdict will be that our next governor
should not be McGraw.
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