Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1901-01-11

the Peopls-Must Not AntaSOnze Wealth.
Why Alssr Retired.
Both houses OF the Michigan Legis
lature assembled in joint session a
Lansing, Mich, on the Sd ult., to heal
the final message of former Gov
ernor Pingree and the inaugural mes
sage Of Governor Bliss.
Mr.. Pingree prefaced his messag
with some extemporaneous remarks il
which he attacked the courts, lcgisla
ture and press. He also urged tn,
Legislature to appropriate sufficient
money to pay the expenses of tht
Governor, saying it had cost him $40,
600 during his four years. term. The
reading of his message, which con
sisted OF % printed pages, took about
four hours.
After mentioning the failure of the
Senate to pass the railroad bill, he
said:
eff the people want this great
problem to be satisfactorily settled
they must center their efforts on the
election Of Senate which shall be less
subject to the seductive arguments OF
the railroads and other wealthy and
powerful interests, and more respon-
sive to the wishes of the people"
The Ex-Governor urged the Legis-
lature to adopt resolution requiring
Congress to call convention for the
purpose Of proposing an amendment
to the constitution to provide for the
election of United States Senators by
popular vote. The message says:
"The names of Hanna Of Ohio,
Clark of Montana, and our own dis
couraging and disgraceful experiences
furnish the monst powerful and con-
vincing argument in behalf of popu-
lar elections. 1t is q matter of COM
mon knowledge that the Office is
sought by wealthy men, not so much
for the alleged honor as for the op-
portunity which it offers for financial
profit and commercial advantage, not
only through stock speculation, but in
other and less legitimate ways. In
stead OF being the bulwark of our gov
ernment, as the trainers of the con-
stitution intended it, the Senate is
now looked upon with fear and dis
trust by the people of the country"
Discussing the pardons and paroles
which have been granted to prisoners
during his former term in Office, the
former Governor said:
"The people of the State would be
astonished if they could know how
loose and careless and almost crimi-
nal have been the methods of courts
and prosecutors in prosecuting crimi-
nal cases. 1t is saying in onr State
among those familiar with the circum-
stances, that our public prosecutors
should be named public prosecutors.
They seem to have lost sight Of the
fact that they take the oath of Office
to protect the innocent from punish
ment as we'll as to bring the criminal
to justice and to protect the people OF
the State"
Former Governor Pingree said in
conclusion:
"My experience during my politi-
cal life, extending over a period of II
years, has convinced me that in order
to secure the commendation of those
who consider themselves better
classes the Governor and other high
officials must do nothing TO antagonize
great corporations and the wealthy
people. l am satisfied that would
be entitled to the praise and support
of our 'besi citizens and our best so.
ciety' and of the press of the State
generally. if had upheld those who
have for years attempted to control in
their own interests, to the end that
they might be relieved from sharing
equally with the poor and lowly the
burden of taxation. I would have
been pronounced a good fellow and a
great statesman.
"The memory of the treatment OF
Gen. Alger by the press Of the country
and his removal from the cabinet is
fresh in the minds OF all. was in
formed by Gen. Alger that one of the
main reasons for the opposition to
him was because he had ignored the
claims of the great steamboat corpora.
tIons with representatives. in New
York city. The bids which the Gen
eral received from Spain for trans
porting 10000 Spaniards were less
than half those offered by the New
York syndicate and the contracts were
therefore awarded to the Spanish YES
sells. The press directed its venomous
attacks at me because l defended Gen
Alger."
ACCORDING to the Philadelphia
Morning Gazette, the destruction ol
the forests In central and north Penn
sylvania has produced dire conse'
quences. Water in those regions il
becoming scarce, wells and running
streams drying up more and more. In
consequence, harvests are often fail
- - 4 Ia...a Ia .,of crxou, lNh L.