The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-04

The fusion party came into control OF
state Affairs after a campaign OF the great
est bitterness against the Republican adj
ministration 1t was a campaign In which
charges were made of dishonesty. mall
feasance, incompetency and everything
short Of arson or murder. The fusionists
in 1896 said ELECT us. and when We get
control of the records we will punish the
guilty parties" They were elected.
Have their promises been kept?
Republicans Above Reproach.
The average voter may not know. but it
is fact. that In tho management OF state
affairs no one. except the treasurer handles
a dollar OF cash. All business transactions
are made on paper: every dollar expended
must be on a voucher--an itemixed account
which the auditor first passes upon and
the treasurer, IL the account Is correct.
pays by a warrant. These vouchers and
papers are all kept on ile. Consequently.
when the nisionists promised to punish the
guilty, II was to be supposed they would
investigate the records in their possession.
and II their suspicious were correct, that
they would be able to prove to the people
Have they done it?
Has any one heard Of an expose Of dis
honesty by Republicans? Outside OF ths
alleged dishonest act Of one clerk In tbs
auditors Office. and that = matter OF = few
hundred dollars. not a bit Of proof has been
brought forward.
Every state institution has gone into the
control OF the fusionists. every state Office
l. YaJ b,- &,c NJ nIcs{f
has been opened and fus.onists have been
put in the place OF Republicans where pos
sible under the law.
What Ia the result?
The Republican record stands az clean
and spotless as the driven snow; II has
stood the inspection OF captious opposition
without charge being brought forward
TO throw ,;.scredit upon II.
Rogers Unable 10 Prove His Charges
Gov Rogers had preached against tho
Republican party SO long that he came
into his Office hoping TO have a score Of ex-
Republican officials behind prison bars
within few weeks. He was ready. cock
ed and primed, to so of at the least touch
of the trigger, as Il shown by his message
TO the legislature. In which he said:
"Rumors OF an exceedingly bad condi-
ton OF affairs at the state penitentiary
having been ahoat FOR some time q watch
has been kept, and some amateur detective
work done by citizens OF Walia Walia, aid
ed by suggestions received from discharged
convicts. / request that at the earliest op-
portunity a legislative committee. with
full power TO act, be sent to Wa1la Waiia:
that an investigation be had before charges
are made In the present management II
statements made by reliable persons ara
true. ali the criminals ara not on the In
side
Now They Know They Were WrOn9
That was what the governor said. What
dId he prove? The governor learned later
that his information was not correct. and
he prevented the appointment or an inyes-
tigating committee by the legislature, exc
cept the regular committee on state peril
tentiary, and when he had appointed a Sue
cessor 10 the Republican warden he en-
deayorea TO force the latter out OF the In
stitution before he could take receipts from
the new secretary OF the board OF audit and
control. Shortly before the Republican
warden retired Senator Van Pa,ten few
across the state with a story TO the effect
that thousands o. grain bags were being
stolen and later when he was proven in
error by the fusion secretary. the Spokes-
man-Reyiew. at Spokane, the state fusion
organ, was compelled TO admit that thero
was no dishonesty in the penitentiary man.
ageulent In May. ls97. that newspaper
said;
"a superficial glance at the facts seeraed
to point to the existence OF gigantic deal.
but now the other side ID given a hearing
in The Spoke sulan- Review. and the matter
takes an entirely different phase. WaIla
Walla IL essentially an agricultural cstv.
It's wealthy and leading citizen engage
extensively in farming. pretty much as
the leading citizens OF Spokane engage IN
III ring fhey farag tracts OF from 20
20 $3.50 acres each, and require many
thousands ~ grain sacks for the product
os their big farms. Naturally and prop
eriy they applied 10 the pan.tentlary man.
agement fer their supplies. and now re-
sent the ImpatasIon sent hr0adcasf ovsr
the state fha; they have been parties 90 4
dserepuiaoie deal
1T sssYsgz :hst every 'xuspicsous' case
brought out ~ Auditor Listers exsmlna-
ton Of the backs has proved 10 be a iegit.-
mate application for sacks. that these ap-
piicatioos have been flied In the order OF
Their fling as required by law. and that
dealings which might seen s1spicious upon
a cursory knowledge Of the facts were both
legal and proper.
''AIi % which should impress public of
nciais as well as private sndivIdua.s, that
hasty 3udgrnen. IL C, ~ svosfsd In ali mat
ters which zesm 10 reflect upon the tn,ee-
risy Of others''