Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1897-01-15


Gentlemen Of the Senat, and House o.
Representatives. Of the State Of Wdsh.
ingt0n:
An eminent doctor of the law La,
told Us with great force and clcarncS,
that all valid law is based ON that in.
stinctivc apprehension of justice which
finds universal lodgmcnt in the heart
of man. On this true foundation are
based all right rules of human con-
duet. Relying upon this and upon
my own clearly felt consciousness OF
right intent, assume the weighty and
most responsible duties imposed as the
result OF the recent election. | pledge
you only this: A strict adherence to
law and Il firm determination to exc
cute it without fear or favor.
THE STATE OF WASHINGTON.
We live in favored region. Here
stretch out before our eyes, in else
where uncqualed profusion, the boun-
ties of nature Nowhere among the
sisterhood of States comprising the
American Union are the natural re-
sources and opportunities here afforded
excelled or scarcely equallcd. With
an area largely in excess of that occu-
pied by the six New England States,
the State of Washington presents a
wide diversity of opportunity no where
rivaled in the splendid character of
the invitation offered to both capital
and labor. 1t has the best and most
productive grain fields in the world,
and the largest body of valuable tim
Der yet remaining in the limits of the
United States. Its mountains of coal
and iron are in close proximity to the
deep waters of Puget Sound, the grand
est harbor of the Union, with a shore
line of eighteen hundred miles in ex-
tent, the future seat of empire on the
Pacific Coast, through whose ports
have already come during the year
just passed goods second i'll value only
to those imported by the imperial city
of New York. Add to all this mild
climate, where rivers are never frozen
and ports never blockaded, n brave
and self-reliant people, Industrious
and energetic, and it would appear
that everything necessary to mans
prosperity has been provided with Al
generous hand. And this is indeed
the truth. Nature has here lavished
her bounties, and nothing is lacking
to complete Il perfect picture of Gods
favor to man.
PRESENT DIFFICULTIES.
And yet that all is not well with us
we are agreed. No honest man can
say that labor receives the full meas
ure of just return for its performance.
Times are hard, we say, and property
has deprecated below the value it
should Justly hold. Men vainly seek
employment, which, if found, is not
adequately remunerative. Anxious
wives and mothers look with fear to
the daily diminishing family stores.
Mortgages cover much of the real
estate, and the hearts of strong, brave
men sink within them as they view
with moistened eyes the needs of help
less children for whom they are called
to provide. No one doubts, no one
denies, the existence of want and in
voluntary poverty among us, poverty,
too, not the result of wastefulness or
lack of industry, but forced by the
constantly appreciating value of money
consequent upon the demonetization
of silver and the establishment of the
gold standard. Yet we are told that
money thus cunningly enhanced and
enlarged in purchasing power by legis-
lative act is the only honest money!
Having by law thus, to all intents and
purposes, increased the size of the dol
lar, our monetary masters demand
from the people the number of dollars
denominated in the bond. Having in
like manner doubled the ounces in
the pound with which all the products
of human eXertion are measured, they
call him dishonest who speaks of re-
turn to ounces and pounds, having
relation of sixteen to one. And like
the drunken fsh-wife who reviled the
eel that would not lie still while she
skinned it, these hypocritical purvey-
ors of SO called honest money cover
with billingsgate those who point out
the transparent trickery of their pro-
ceedings.
And yet, blinded by personal and
pecuniary interests, men who think
themselves honest and who mean to
be honest do not see the enormous
injustice of the demand thus made
upon industry for a steadily increas-
ing share of the products of toll.
These are the conditions we are re-
quired to face. Because of them,
debts are increasing, interest is ac-
cumlating, taxes are unpaid, our
homes are taken from us, our business
is destroyed, and labor is deprived of
its just remuneration.
APPEAL TO PATRIOTISM.
You are here to make and mend the
laws. The people look to you for re-
lief. They have elected you with the
hope and the belief that you will be
able to remove some of the difficulties
under which they are laboring. This
is well understood by all, and your
presence here is an implied acceptance
OF a most important trust thus COM
mitted to your charge.
Section & of Article 3 of our State
Constitution provides that the Cover
nor Shall communicate at every ses-
sion by message to the Legislature the
condition of the affairs of the State
and recommend such measures as he
shall deem expedient for their action"
In pursuance of the duty thus i'm