Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-11-13

he voted III favor of it or not.
81 realize, he said, the profound
responsibility that confronts me.
know that keen criticism from with
out and overrcaching zeal within our
party lines will have to be met.
shall enter upon the task with the de-
termination 10 make the party hon
orcd and trusted because of the con-
servatiSm and sincerity of its policy.
We don't calculate to reform the
world i'll the next four years, but we
hope to pass some good laws, and,
above all things, to get down to bed
rock as to expenses"
You know, of course, Mr.. Rogers,
that the business interests of the State
regard your election as Il menace.
They will be interested to know your
policy"
"They need have no fear. No per-
son or corporation need fear any dis
elimination. There shall not, with
my sanction, be any harsher applica-
ton OF the law to one than to
another. am not entering upon Il
crusade. l am firmly convinced that
this State will be benefited by the
measures my party proposes. They
will be, however, administered cau-
tiously, so that no hardship shall be
inflicted. / know that unless / am
backed up by public opinion my ad-
ministration cannot be a success. i
want it to be a success, first for the
sake of the State, second for my own
reputation, third that my party may
command the confidence of the peo-
pie"
"But some of your own propositions
have been very radical"
" In my book was propagandist.
l said i'll my preface that l purposely
used very plain aud emphatic Ian
guage. / did it to arouse the people.
| believe succeeded. But as Cover
nor of the State l have other
duties to perform, and I know that
the danger to be apprehended from
those who have labored earnestly in a
cause is not their lack Of honesty, but
their lack of judgment. We shall be
sincere, but we shall, l hope, be pru-
dent.
" l have made no man promise as
to office. See this heap of letters
nearly all applications. know many
of the applicants, worthy citizens and
good friends. But | shall firmly ad-
here to my declared determination to
insist that appointments shall be
made, first, with a view to efficiency,
and only secondarily as a reward for
party service. shall not lose sight,
however, OF the work of keeping the
party together as an organization"
"Have you in mind any special
legislation?"
&c have never advocated measure
while in the legislature or out of it
that is not based upon good principles.
The barefoot schoolboy law, for in
stance, for which l have been assailed,
is founded on justice and on the
constitution. 1t does not conform
with the idea of making exceptions in
favor of cities of the first class, nor
should it. A city has no more right
to apply its own schools than a rich
taxpayer would have the right to have
his taxes applied only to the education
of his own children. Then my home
stead exemption law and mine ventila-
ton law were neither visionary nor
oppressive.
81 believe that our troubles lie be-
hind the statutes-they are in the
constitution. do not think it would
be wise to have constitutional con-
vention, but l think the legislature
should carefully prepare several
amendments to be submitted to the
people; but don't care to say more
at this time as to that. If the
legislators take my advice, they will
pass very few laws, and take great care
with those they do pass"
$50 as to give plenty of time for the
Senatorial contest2"
"I am not a prophet, but l will
hazard the guess that there will be
only one ballot for Senator. l don't
pretend to say who he will be but |
think you will find that the SUBJ
ject will be disposed of in eau
Gus. No, l would prefer to go
before the State with two or three
or so good measures. If they turned
out all right, the prejudice against
Populism would be dispelled. Did it
ever occur to you that Republican
Legislatures sometimes pass bills that
don't meet the approval even of their
own party, and that sometimes a Re
publican chief executive, however well
meaning, does not always use what
everybody agrees is good judgment?
We have to encounter the same differ
ences of opinion; but we want to be
successful, and the only way to accom-
plish that is to so legislate that the in
terests Of the State at large are pro-
noted"
"You had the majority of the peo-
pie with you in the election, Mr.. Rog-
ers, but it does not consist entirely of