Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1894-09-07
Out OF Sorts.

Out OF sorts.
What is the matter al ollr Republic
can AMI ropuii>t friends? They seem
To- TIE at swords points AMONG them
selves the state over, and vigorous
battle is sometimes wag-d III the pm
marieS and sometimes in the county
conventions, hat II j. sufficient to in
LIcatc icrp-seatcd and imp!acailc
discomfort, which certainly presagcs
nothing hut disaster. The riutou.
proceedings oi the County Convention
at Tacoma, On the 1ith and 18th ult-. -,
WAS followed 10y the route OF the old
time party managers at the primary
polls in this city on the 2Sth, and this
has been supplemented by regular
knock -down and drag-0ut battle at thu
primaries in Seattle. on the lst inst.
Amid the Populi,t-, the feeling l.
no better. An Ellcnshufgh dispatch
OF the lst says that the primaries there
ended in big row, and that knives
have been whetted for Il general
alaughter in November. The nomi.
nation OF Ready for the Supreme
bench Is said to have been the cause
OF much OF this discord, and that fac
ton endeavOred to freeze ont all oppo-
sltion at the primaries, 10y keeping the
polls open only half an hour, and
when preacher by the name OF Stone
objected, Windy Green, chairma" ~I
.h.. D~.-..':-s "o"ntv committee chnt1d
him. 1t is feared by the Populists
that this injustice, and the assault
which followed, will disrupt the party.
The cause Of this spirit of unrest
which finds expression in acts of dis
order and violence, is found in the
existing order of things. The popular
mind is subjected now, and has been
for several years past, to a great strain
and people are becoming morbidly af'
fected by the many unpleasant expert
ences which have confronted them in
busy life. Their cumulative effect has
left feeling of disquietude, which
awaits only occasion to be famed into
flame OF fiery resentment. People
who, under ordinary conditions, would
be gentle and forbearing, have de-
veloped just the opposite traits, and
are irritable, spiteful and passionate.
Public gatherings, which have hitherto
been marked for their dignity and
decorum, are now hot-beds of dissen-
ton, and as events of the past few
days have shown, sometimes of vio-
lence.
The factors which has led up to the
conditions which have made such
actions possible, have existed ever
since the policy OF the government has
operated to erect class distinctions be-
tween the people; a system which has
enabled some men to amass fabulous
wealth and has placed others on a
plane which enables them by inces.
SAINT toll to barely obtain the necessa-
ries of life; q system which has made
the rich man richer and the poor man
poorer.
1t is unnecessary to recapitulate the
means by which these conditions have
been forced upon the county, further
than to state that it is the inevitable
result OF q protection that enables the
manufacturers to form trusts and
maintain monopolies whose support is
drawn directly from the masses of the
people in the prices paid for almost
every article they eat, drink or wear.
1t is by the aggregation of fortunes
which have enabled those who control
them to dictate terms to labor and to
perpetuate the means for their own
aggrandizement. 1t was this state of
affairs which led to the popular upris-
ing in 1892, and the installation OF the
Democratic party the succeeding year
at the National Capitol. 1t was only
after the wide gulf between capital
and labor had opened that relief was
sought in the ballot, and its power
swept the party of corporations and
trusts from its stronghold. While
the cause of depression and hard times
among the masses was thus removed
its work remained, and 80 thoroughly
was it done, that much time must
necessarily elapse before new rules o.
action could be adopted. 1t may b.
that more time was consumed by Con
gress than was necessary to inaugu
rate this clearly endorsed means o
relief, and it may be that the worl
has not been as thoroughly done a
was desirable, but it is quite paten
that step has been taken in the RICH
direction, and time alone is required
to demonstrate its utility and wisdom
The philosopher has declared, Will,
contemplating his species. that man
kind is fearfully and wonderful!
made; that he is endowed with attri
butes he does not himself understand
Among these is a sensibility that a
times seems to be abnormal, and be
yond the power of reason to control
The acts of the "bulls" and "bears,
In the exchange, or of men who tenn
porarily lose their reason under othe
great excitements, are notable in
stances of the overthrow of that men
tai equilibrium which accompanie
perfect health and natural conditions
and it is by no means less capable Q
demonstration that long series @
worries or misfortunes, constan
brooding over adversely or anticipate
evils, disturbs the mind, but in les
degree OF marked activity. 1t is t.
this cause that close observers will q,
tribute the present unrest in the pc
litical stratum of society. Politician
have became, in the scramble for oil
flee or in their zeal for what they be
lieve to be the proper line of policy
unknown to themselves, lop-sided, il