Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1898-08-26
'ourt bench who was no. a partisan ad.

Court bench who was no. partisan adj
he-ent Of the Republican Party. 4 writ
er OF some note has summed up the ST
uation correctly IN these terms:
The Republican Party controlled tho
constitutional convention. blocked out.
framed. manipulated and passed the con-
sti.utlon of the State OF Washington. It
created twenty-one Superior Judseshps
when fourteen. at most. could and should
have done the work.
The most elaborate and expensive sys-
tenn Of county and municipal government
mad been devised in order that as many
OF the party as possible could find a place.
TO feed at the public crib. and none hut
true and tried partisans. who would DO
the bidding of The MASTERY were ever
given or allowed place"
More than this. politics In its worst form
pcrVad"d the entire educational system Of
the state from the management of the
common schools 70 :te State University
And 1t must he said that there are just
as many instances of neglect. AMI inca
pacity TO he met with in the record made
by the Republicans as there are of down
rlght dishonesty. Both prevail to an
alarming extent
The regents of the State University have
expended large sum in erecting build
ingS for that institution on a site on The
OUTSKIRTS Of Seattle, to which. owing TO
a series Of hlunders. they have no title
The fault lies with the regents. the late
Republican Legislature and with the old
Republican state officers. II will require
legislation 10 relieve this situation of M
barraSsment.
lmbibing the spirit OF Republican ex-
travaGancc many of the counties erect
ed expensive public building: far ahead Of
the time and necessities existing. plung-
ing the counties into debt which Fusion
CDllnTV 20
pay or. As in all such cases. Republic
an contractors came In for a thick slice
OF the taxpayers money. Lands which
should have been held for the benefit ~
future generations were sold to favoritr5
at nominal prices. or mortgaged heavily
by the issue of warrants.
The public records reveal TO those who
examine them numerous instances where
contracts for the sale of school lands have
been issued to parties upon the paw
ment of one-tenth of the purchase price,
contrary to law. This practice prevailed
extensively in 1890 and 1891. Nor dollar
was collected on these lands since until
the Peoples Party came into Office and
It's energetic Land Commissioner cancelled
the contracts and declared the lands for
feted TO the state. In this way Commits
s'oher bridges has recovered upwards Of
lWo.oOo acres Of valuable school lands that
were in fair way to be permanently lost.
General Decentralization.
II IS very difficult TO sum up the extent
az rascality that prevailed under the old
regime in moderate terms. Language
fai!s 10 do the situation justice. Forged
warrants were Issued. and general dcmor-
allzation prevailed in state and county
alike. In The Seattle Times Of May y
of the present year we find this account
of the condition of things:
I'm many of the common school districts
the plunderng had been so complete and
successful that the public schools were
closed. In many others they run only half
time And in all districts the teachers
were forced to take warrants for pay and