The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1898-08-25
A CLEAN
RECORD!
Review of the PEOPLES
Party Administration
OF the State Gov
ernment.
Written by Lieut.. Thurston Daniels.

The Populist administration is entitled
to and will receive the credit for the snlen-
ola financial condition in which the state
mas been placed during the last year and
a half. Prior to the last election the fn-
ancial affairs of the state were conducted
III such reckless manner that state war.
rants were at a heavy discount and the
necessity for closing up certain public in
stltutions of the state was a matter of
serious discussion
Inc Republican newspapers howled II I'D
and down the state that Populist success
meant certain disaster. and that in fact.
the possibility of defeat of the Republican
farty was a serious menace to the best
interests of the people. Prior to the last
election we had hard times, and the RE-
publican press freely admitted it-nurelv
Tor campaign purposes-yet conditions ara
III Feahty no better now than they were
two years ago. Since the last election the
farmers have harvested an immense grain
crop, which, on account of the foreign
snort crops. has brought them a fair price
Win this one exception there has not
peen cause for congratulation on the part
or the wealth producers of the country
The rise in price of wheat was merely a
matter OF rare good luck, and now that
foreign nations have good prospects for a
normal yield of grain this year the price
has again In this state slumped below the
half-dollar mark
out uurlng the two years preceding the
last election-the time admitted bv ,he
Republican press to be unusually severe
the Republican Party put this state in
debt at the rate Of s1025 per day, and this
according to their own sworn statementsl
During the first fourteen months of Popu-
list control of this state this leakage of
sl025 per day was stopped and SI202 per
day was saved and applied to paying off
the enormous state debt piled UP under
the former administration.
Under judicious legislation and the prac-
tice of economy and strict honesty in the
conduct OF affairs. state warrants became
a good Investment once more and are
now and have been for several months
worth cents premium-better than gold
bug gold dollars. over 100000 of the Re
publican debt has been wiped out. and
$4,000 OF the state bonds have been paid
off. and the holders of the balance of
these bonds have made a proposal to re-
fund them when due at still lower rate
of interest.
And this is an Illustration of the dds
aster'' which the Republican press predict
ed would result upon the success of the
Reform forces In this state. But the Re-
publicans declare that they would have
made equally as good a record IL Mr.. sulli-
van and his party had carried the state.
In view of the fact that during the two
years of admitted "hard times" the Nc
Graw administration continually increased
the state debt until 1t averaged si025 per
day, Is 1t reasonable to suppose that Mr.
Sullivan and his party would have cur
tailed expenses and practiced economy
during the period Of good times" which
they claim has followed the election of Mr..
Mckinley?
No sensible citizen believes they would.
On the contrary, It is reasonable to sup-
pose the state 6eft would have been in
creased instead of Diminished. Hence we
say the Populist admit istraton has ful-
filled the promises made for II, has re-
stored the credit of the state. and Is en-
titled to the commentator of al. good cit
liens.