Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1897-07-02
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
Let Us Not Close Our Eyes ts u Pain
full Truth.

full Truth.
ED. STANDARD:
Many good people sneer and boot at
the idea that Dcbs will carry out his
threatened invasion Of this State. 1t
occurs to me that there are features in
regard to this matter they DO not take
into account. The times and circum-
stances surrounding this movement
together with brief review of this
mans character and career, leads me
to think otherwise. Dcbs has nothing
to lose, but everything to gain, besides
he has unlimited gall and cheek; he is
an enthusiast, and in the eyes of his
following and kind, he is martyr.
He has marvellous powers of organiza-
ton, he is glib of tongue and unscrup-
ulous in his methods. Add to these
facts the encouragement he is receiv-
ing from the people of the Eastern
States, who are anxious to be rid of
this undesirable element of unrest that
he represents, and there is in my judg-
ment danger ahead. The people of
the East who are in favor of property
rights, good government and decent
civilization, are ready and willing to
raise money to pay the transportation
OF Debs and his kind, to the end that
they may be rid of this aggregation of
malcontents, these visionary worthless
creatures. What is more, the Chief
Executive of this State, as well as its
socialistic element, are encouraging
this wild scheme, hence l am afraid
there is cause for alarm. In view of
these facts is it not the duty of all
good citizens to do all in their power
to correct the false impression given
out by the Governor and others, that
Debs and his colonization scheme are
approved by the people of this State.
| believe little prevention is far bet
ter than much cure. / also believe
that the best interests of the people of
the State will be promoted by doing
all in our power to discourage this
wild and impracticable movement.
The people should not hesitate to in
form Gov. Rogers, and Mr.. Debs, as
well as the outside world, that we have
no room for them or their so-called
civilization. A course of this kind
will not only have tendency to dis
courage this movement, but it will put
us right before the world; it will show
20 ktn u,nrlA that FOOLS
lunatics. All thinking men know
that the entire scheme is chimerical
and in the end will go to the wall as
all such schemes have gone in the
past, Debs or no Debs. Debs smashes
almost as quick as he creates. This
was made manifest in the failure of
his Railway Union. If he had dropped
out of its management after he had
organized - and it had gone into the
hands o. nan of the executive abil-
ity of Poo Ierly, it might have become
powerful engine for mischief. As it
was, Debs remained and smashed his
organization almost as quickly as he
created it, but not until blood was
shed and millions of dollars worth of
property destroyed. If this commun-
list apostle succeeds in fastening this
blight upon the people of this State,
history will simply repeat itself, disas.
ter will overtake it as it always has in
the past in similar cases, but not until
it has disgraced and dishonored this
State, giving us a setback from which
it will take years to recover, besides
bringing untold misery and wretched-
ness upon its dupes and victims. Many
good people will be induced to join
this visionary movement-more is the
pity-but the large majority will be
composed Of malcontents, cranks and
men without that courage and indi-
viduality required in pioneers, and a
number will be of the socialistic and
communistic kind. Let us pray that
for the sake of these deluded people
for the welfare of the State, in short
for the good of all, that this cup may
pass from us. In the mean time, |
hold we will use every honorable effort
to prevent the people of the East from
unloading this vicious, helpless class
upon us, and not permit them to make
Botany Bay of our fair young State.
CITIZEN.
OLYMPIA, June &c, 1897.