Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1902-06-06

Applies A Free Lance Also Drawn for
Cushman.
ED. STANDARD:
1t is so seldom that a Republican
official has the moral courage to ex-
press his honest convictions, that
take pleasure in congratulating Cover.
nor Mcbride on his open letter to the
d. o. p. Facts are facts, whether they
emanate from the mouth of a Repub-
lican or Democrat. am not partisan
enough to reject the truth, even from
a Republican Governor. Every SEN
tence of that open letter fairly bristles
with facts, as every member OF the Leg
islature Of 81 and all preceding and
succeeding legislatures could testify if
the would.
l am forcibly reminded by his letter,
OF the struggle of '97 to secure railroad
legislation in behalf of the people,
especially east of the mountains. The
members from that side we're specially
instructed to secure cheaper freight
and passenger rates by legislative en-
actments. What were the results?
The Senate was largely Republican
hold-overs, whose sole object seemed to
be to make the Legislature as odious
as possible. They opposed every ef-
fort on the part Of the House to ame-
liorate the condition OF the people who
were laboring under great debt, con-
tracted by Republican duplicity and
groaning under the yoke of corporate
extortion. Where did the railroad
lobbyists get in their work? In the
House? Not on your life. They
knew too we'll where to 60. They
knew their men, and the Senate knew
them and extended helping hand IN
blighting the hopes of the people. By
a glance at the journal, you will see
that a bill was passed by the House,
by a large majority, for three dollars
q ton rates across the State and wac
raised by the friends of corporate greed
to $4.25. A bill was passed by the
House also for three.cent passenger
rate and was knocked out entirely by
the friends Of corporate greed in the
upper House, and the whole Legisla-
ture got the blame and this was the
cause of our defeat in '9S, notwith.
standing the fact that within two
years Of fusion administration our
State and county and school warrants
that had been repos;ng in the pockets
of the holders for years as worthless
paper we're restored to par value, and
in some instances above par, and the
State was relieved of nearly half mill
lion Indebtedness. These are facts
that cannot be disputed.
You may search the history Of the
State in vain for an instance OF baser
ingratitude on the part of the people
than the turning down of the fusion
forces. A man who would deliberately
shoot the man who had rescued him
from drowning would be no more
guilty Of base ingratitude.
But l must not forget Cushman.
He is another example of moral cour-
age and deserves the appreciation Of
every citizen OF the State for his manly
attack on the rules OF the House.
Who are to blame for those rules?
Could such rules have been adopted
BY . Democratic House? l guess not.
Why? Because it is cardinal prin-
ciple of the Democratic party that the
majority shall rule. Is there any one
who reads this, willing to stultify his
reputation as q man OF sense by claim.
ing that the majority rules in what
was formerly known as the popular
branch OF Congressi If there is such
q one, I'd like to examine his cocoanut
and tap it and listen for an echo. Ma
jority be id! The majority has no
more tu do with legislation, under the
Republican regime, than the polya-
nous Sultan OF Sulu has with the
MOrmons of Utah, and every school
boy ought to know it. MONEY is the
lever that secures legislative enact.
ments and has done it for more than
three decades and the Republican
party is tho fulcrum on which it acts
and the medium through which all
the cusseduess that the mind Of covet-
Gus men could desire have been perpe-
trated.
If q Democratic Governor had ut
tured the sentiments OF Gov. Mcbride,
in his open letter. such howl would
have gone up from the d. o. p. press as
would have raised the har" on your
head. The roaring Of Mt. Pelee
wouldn't have been in it. But his
sentiments are simply rehearsal Of
the sentiments OF the Populist party
for the past ten years and more. Fun.
ny, isn't it? ]. Cos.
DELEGATE Smith, of Arizona, thus
systematically characterizes Mr..
GrosvenOr, Of Ohio, one OF the Repub-
lican party leaders: "He preserves
con aialancu Ls. hoisar al...s..