The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-10-12
HOW PoPULIsM Is HARMFUL.
The Light in which the East Re
CARDS Washington.


Two years have. perhaps. brought
greater changes III Washington than to
any other state in the Union. Local
causes have greatly added 20 her share
OF the prosperity which has come 10 the
nation. Her crops have been good. and
many new industries have been estab-
lished. The discovery of the klondike
made her ports busy as the cormissariat
Of an army in furnishing the pilgrims
to the north with supplies. The new
government mint at Seattle is handling
the gold which the miners bring home
From the annexation OF Hawaii and our
new relations in the Far East she rea
sonably expects returns commensurate
with her energy, ambition and advan-
tage OF location.
II there is any one thing the Populist
party can't stand ii is the prosperity OF
Popuiism or the prosperity Of the people
The one means that the Popuiists hang
themselves by their own ropes: the other
that the people are too busy to listen 20
calamity howlers. The worst OF the
blows that Populism has dealt 10 the
state of Washington is the injury TO its
credit caused by the faint of unreliable
ity which attaches to everything Popu-
list, ana by the specific acts OF the Popu-
list legislature in favor Of the man who
wants to avoid paying his debts. Wash
iDgt0n needs. above all. capital to de-
veiop its immense natural resources. But
capital will not be forthcoming. even AT
enormous rates Of interest-and then little
OF it-untu the people OF the state show
their determination to cast on all the
leaders of the calamityites. including the
renowned James Hamilton Lewis. whose
title to fame is his pious friendship for
the working classes at home and the
time he spends on his suntlower toilet IN
Washington.
In face of this growing danger of pros
perity. the Populists. the Free Silver Re-
publicanS and the Free Silver Democrats
and ali others of their ilk in Washington
have come together under an agreement
which has slated" in full detail just
how much OF the spoils each faction
shall have in the event of victory. It
was hard for the Populsts to accept
Democrat as their candidate for the SUI
preme court, though. They could not
bring themselves to it, the telegraph re-
lates, until they had been up all nigat
in a communion of thought. Then they
concluded that il was better to give UP a
nomination to the supreme court than
not TO elect any Populist at ell.
Against this hybrid combination. whose
fusion is a confession of weakness. is the
straight Republican party of the state
of Washington. standing on the st. Louis
platform. The contest will be bitter.
And the Republicans are determined.
we'll organized and not dismayed by the
majorities they have to overcome, espe-
cially in the state legislature.
The result is of vital interest 10 the
whole country. because upon it depends
one vote for honest or dishonest money
IN the national senate, Wilson, whose
term expires next year. being gold
man. AS for the Hon. James Hamilton
Lewis, the country does not mind him SO
much. His gamboling in the halls Of
congress is generally as harmless as 1t
is spectacular. But his relegation TO OBJ
SECURITY would certainly rid the state of
Washington of a great deal OF cheap no.
toriety and of one of the greatest i'm
pediments to her advancement.