Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1901-03-22
Just How II Came About.

MISSION >'tlII> To te 10 hcIlttIe ''lNm
pia and eYalt the man Rogers, VIII
through the patronage afforded by hi
Office and confederation 1T circum
stances incident thereto, hold. a secon,
term. despite hi> uuGtno,s for tn,
position.
This Is the same astutc writer who
when the Legi stature had assembled
proposed that the first act should bt
passage OF a bill removing the capita
to Tacoma. 1t gave as reason, The
usual stock-in-tradc objections t(
Olympia that have not the slightes
foundation in truth, and then solcmnly
declared that Some years ago, Tacom:
pledged herself to erect a magnificent
Statehouse, should the capital be re
moved to that city. Tacoma did moi
offer to do this, even in her late bid
when she strained herself all out Of
shape to obtain the prize, and at nc
time has she made such ridiculous
offer. She never has been in condi.
ton to offer bonus that would cost
u cool million OF dollars for any pre-.
sumed benefit OF any sort.
But our present object is to show
the utterly detestablc methods of this
same paper, which never has had a
kind word to say OF our town or PEG.
pie. In the last issue, it attributes
what little merit there may be in
converting our courthouse into q
State capitol to the freak in the exec.
utive chair, and then proceeds to pic.
ture our people as groveling sycho.
plants "at his feet"
Nothing can be farther from the
truth. Nobody has changed his opin-
ion OF john r. Rodger, unless it be to
confirm the belief that he is cold and
calculating in all his movements and
utterly unprincipled when it comes to
party matters. The Reriew says:
This time the Olympians feel jubilant
and can now enjoy good nights rest,
thanks to Governor Rogers. They have
settled the capital question beyond any
question of doubt and the iand-poor
resident can now plat his acreage and
assure a prospective purchaser that the
capital will remain and, if need be, give
him a guaranty bond to that effect.
There is no man, however, in the city or
the State for that matter, who enjoys
the situation greater than his excellency
John R. Rogers. Abused, maligned
and insulted as he has been since COM
ing to the State capital, because he
would not consent to stand for another
capitol building robbery, he now comes
out OF the fray smiling and colors flying,
and all Olympia at his feet. Two years
ago he suggested way for the OLYMPIC
ans to forever settle the capital ques-
ton, but they scorned his offer and spat
a. him for interference, because he
would not agree to putting up costly
building on the old rotten foundations.
His bi-annual message when read be-
fore the session just closed again con-
tanned suggestion of buying the Thurs
ton county court house, but what diff
ference there was in the attitude of the
Olympians. They began to see that
their only hope was to work along lines
suggested by the Governor and they
went to work at once, and as result
they are now happy and contented.
Thanks to Gov. Rogers, indeed!
Thanks rather to our Republican
friends. Following out what the
Democratic legislative contingent east
OF the mountains seemed to have seen
written in the clouds by Rogers cleo
ton, that little minority met in Spo-
kane before they came to the session,
and resolved (like the Review) to inn
mediately remove the capital to Ia
coma! As they numbered in caucus
only Is, it will be seen what hercu.
lean task they voluntarily assumed,
no doubt thinking that the Man with
the Veto would be able to make ND in
executive force what they lacked in
numbers. The STANDARD, at the
time said:
1t may be that the party in power in
the halls of legislation will have some.
thing to say about this, as we'll as other
matters, the minority have assumed to
control. As they number but 80 all
.old, and the opposition s., it is proba-
BILE that they will not make a strictly
partisan matter OF that measure; but it
does seem strange that the defeat of
capitol construction should have been
accomplished by an executive who had
Topped from Populism to Democracy,
and now the first move for organized eff.
fort to remove the seat of government
comes from the party who swallowed
him, record and all.
The result obtained in the late as
sembly is due to autocratic power
placed in the hands of Rogers by the
constitution. Had he not held the
whip, in the shape of the veto, it is
safe to say that bill would have
passed to build the superstructure of a
State capitol on the splendid founda-
ton already built by the State, with.
out taking one cent from the peoples
pockets to defray the expense. In
fact, it was seriously discussed and ad.
vocated, in the last days OF the ses-
sion, to attempt the passage OF such a
measure over the executive veto.
Now, We want it distinctly under
stood that our people are not cringing
at the feet of the cold. blooded man in
the executive chair. There are liter.
ally none SO poor in this city as to do
him reverence. The only cause for
approval we have heard expressed of
the courthouse plan, has been that it
has removed burden of debt from
the peoples shoulders. Nobody be.
lieyes that it will serve a better pur-
pose than a temporary expedient, or
have they abandoned hope of a suita.
bic edifice being erected upon the
paor1osS sita olrooJ,, ,,..o.I p A.,