The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-10-25
records TO see what was done and put
his signature as the author 10 all Of


The letter published IN Fridays Post
Intelligence in which ]. Howard Wat
son exploited the record Of the last state
legislature affords sufficient 5ustifca-
ton for showing the fusion ticket un-
der, IL no other reason existed
The shamelessness of that session
scarcely needs Republican aid in de-
nunciation. ali one need do is 10 refer
to the comment the few honest
fusion members have made upon their
own party ard their own colleagues.
The entire record is one. OF violation Of
campaign pledges and OF reeking in
barefaced corruption. Witt. OF Lincoln
county. himself a fusionist. on the floor
OF the legislative chamber excoriated
the fusion members OF the senate. He
said:
1.-The coordinate branch Of this
Legislature - controlled body and
soai by the railroad companies.
They have Blended their knee like
syeophanss to the railroad oesopss.
I am not afraid 10 denounce the sen-
ate above ms corrupt md rotten TO
the core. md owned bag ana bag
gage by the railroads."
Cleveland Smith. Populist from
Whitman county. denounced his col
leagues in the following terms:
.Trhis spectacle should cause tears
nj IN m q
yet unborn.
~ am ashamcd Of the reform party
in this legislature. II IL shame
and n dtsRrnce upon the civilization
of the people tn the last days Of the
nineteenth century. that = party
scpt here should be so cOwnrdly and
base as to bctray the trust placed
In ~ by the people.
~ nm going hack tn my people and
tell them what has occurred here.
can say that for one have stood up
for their rishts."
Commenting upon the infamy which
characterized the pretended reformers
in their dealings with bills calculated
To restrain corporations. Representa-
tive wilkeson, Populist OF Skagit
county, turned upon his fellows in in
dignant wrath and exclaimed:
us this the bastard product Of two
years of PopuIist gestation: II 50,
we deserve to be c0nsixae to OBJ
nvion."
While they aided the railroads in
every respect. they also neglected labor
whenever the interests of labor came in
conflict with corporate interests. One
OF the most important measures on be-
half of labor ever presented to legis-
lature was the bill "to prevent coercion
and blacillisting Of employees" II was
laid on the table; and the same fate
overlook another bill introduced later
To effect the same object. A bill 10 limit
the risk assumed by employees and an
other 10 prevent the waving of per-
ferred TO what was humorously desig
mated the committee on labor" and
that was the last heard Of them.
bill fixing the liability OF corpora
tions for negligence or wrongs of EN-
ploycs was killed In the senate. and
that body also kept of the calendar a
bill 10 regulate the labor Of railroad
employees II indefinitely postponed
bill requiring two men on every rail-
way locomotive \ bill regarding the
LIABILITY Of railroad corporations for in
juries sustained by employees thereof
| had no better fortune than any other
bin calculated 10 benefit the working
! man.
Even II the corrupt members could
not withstand the temptation TO take
brides in the interests of corporations,
| the legislature. as body pretending to
| b. particularly In the interests Of the
people might at least have passed one
or two measures for the benefit OF work
inglnen This they utterly failed 20 do
/ and the Journal of that infamous iegs-
+ lature shows the most reckless disre-
gard for the rights Of the common peo-
/ pie and the most jealous watchfuiness
az the interests OF corporations evet
manifested in any state under the worst
I Influences short If Popuism.