The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-03-02

OLYMPIA. March f.--Spceiai.--Frettea
beyond endurance hy the strong Pepultss
opposition to his wishes tn tho matter os
the rAllraad commission hill and chatting
under the failure OF the legislature 20
accomplish anything In the way of falfin-
ing tae promises made during the cam
paigu Gov. Rogers today save out an
Other interview containing statements -
slenificant a. those In hLa last message
The governor takes the party lash in hand
and lays IL numerically over the should
ers ~ the fusion members OF the leEl%A-
tnre. He does not hesitate 70 tnaorss
everything said in these dispatches as 70
the utter failure Of tho legislature 70 ac-
corplish anything.
Gov. Rogers wants the people cf tho
state 20 understand that he hsauses the leg
issatura. he would have the impression
go abroad that the executive has done
everything possible 10 bring something out
OF the fusion organization In the way OF
results and thar the impending failure
sheald be directly laid up against the
members az the legislature.
OF course the situaupa Is exfrsneiy
amusing. Again the governor insists that
there Is no truth I'm the story that ne has
selected the members of the railroad COM
mission. and again no calls on The ie@fSa-
ture 10 forthwith meet his wishes ia the
matter or the Turner bin.
The fact that the governor bad given out
statements derogatory 70 the members.
OF the Legislature. and even re-
was known near the close Of the session
this afternoon. A number % weli-known
Populsstx Ia the house who have opposed
the creation Of the commission. denounced
the governor for the language ne h said
20 have used They say tha, in his inter
ference in legislative matters. and pariic-
uiar1y Tn the extent 10 which he has gons
outside or executive pronriety. the COVER
nor has been very much TO blame for
the present condition az affairs. They say
he must thank himself and declare that
the peop.e OF the state should not condemn
the legislature without frst finding out
where the responsibility LEX
Cseariy the governor has lost nearly all
Of the influence he should possess with
the members of his party in the legiSla-
ture. He coanes before tho public with his
complaint. evidently knowing that his on
~ hore Of seeing railroad commission
created is in an attempt 20 manufacture
public opinion VA favor Of the project. and
bring II 10 bear on the Legislature.
In the interview given 10 the newspaper
correspondents Gov. Rogers says.
Everybody who has made a study OF
the matter knows that \ properly ham
died raiirosd commission affords the only
feasible plan for managing railroads The
only vital point IS ig securing an honest
and capable board Then this board must
have sufficient power 20 act promptly.
and IL must be made 80 feel that its ten
mre OF Office IS conditioned upon its faith
fUl performance ~ duty. Thus the whois
matter VIII be settled or ia process OF
settlement. The railroads all knew this
we'll enough. and that il the reason they
are so bitter against a commission. II IL
the only thing they fear. I am of the
opinion that any legislation looking 10
state control OF railroads. even though
the rates 70 be fixed by law were In er-
cess OF those new charged would he ss
Nehemenby protested against and as
strongly opposed by railway managers
and their attorneys as IS the proposed
bill. what the railroads are really ap-
posed 10 is state control. A maximum
rate law II ali right. but II ir quite PROB
bic that n win be found FUN OF holes
large enough for even a railroad 10 gel
through. With n strong commission.
given power to revise and promuigate
rates. II viii be different. OF course
there have heen commissions that did
no good. But this was 20 have heen sx-
pected. for IN every such case the COM
mission was not properly constituted. Is
either was not given sufficient power or
IL was not made responsible 20 the people
or any other authority Now in the way
/ have proposed. popular claTnor. acting
upon the governor. could bring about a
removal OF dcreltct commissioners unless
the state should have The misfortune To
possess governor subservfsnt 20 rail-
date put into practice. The people would
then be in power
at il strange that many people Iisten
20 a lot - graffers rather than 20 their
aroused. they are disposed 10 doubt every
body.
Il can't understand why our people 1id
not so into caucus on the first day Of their
arrival IN Olympia. There were fiffv.eix
pormlists and twenty eight Silver Heuslb-
leans and Democrats. believe. The
tsaI
twenfv-eiRaf- After the caucus had been
established about a dozen important
measures should have been agreed upon
and everything else barred. Most Of ths
session should have been given 70 these
dozen measures. / urged this course frssn
the flT@f. A. y -, nearly 80 biiis have
been introduced and printed az expense
~ thness nds ~ a0iiars n Is true thai
last session there were 40 Bills intro
dnce8. bHt tAis legislature should have
made greater reduction in this useless
expenditure The caucus should have fasf
down hard and faEt rule and adhered 70
s. That is F0pQiiam-fbe rule ~ tha
pe1nle-~and when men refuse 20 70 into
rAur3s fnf fear or tf.e r3te 9f tne major
ity they are not good Populists.
IF there is failure IN refgrn4atery leTip-
iafian II will - because members - tho
legislature have allowed some 81 tFe sons
% Eclial who have surrounded them 20
Nll fhefu un with Hes. This pstffui rot
about a Turner Rogers combine tx
sample ~ tHa means ~ which, some ars
uref4dsceH aKafnat rneriferfn1s measures.
The real question which members cannot
shirk = thiHs The people wE. the rail-
roads MerntrerW cen take their choice and
aaffIe pffh fAe}~ constituents At The roi3s
Il agn asked what 7 think shout tha
interview witn Espresenfstige warner tn
SUNDAY morning. papers All ! have IN
saw o. fnmf T arm luclsrad 20 think shs.
omtw waw Mr Warner cout8 fnfura re
uea1H - ~ becoming my friend A.
There seems 70 ~ no danger - that ff (
can help it 7 have dismissed hln from
my thoughts.