The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1903-01-22

wholly unfounded-is contradicted In o.,
by the experience of every state - ets
Union having a regulative commis..epe
The history of these commissions cona,pn.
sively proves the following propositioau
They serve to equalize and reduce ratas'
TO DO away with discrimination and -
correct other abuses; to bring ahor.
better understanding and feeling betweoa
the people and the railroads. Thew in ~
way interfere with the development ot
state, or the building of new railroads a
the extension of those already in oners
ton. On the contrary, they have verr
materially assisted in the development :,
the states in which they have been estabi
lished.
When confronted with this evideno.
some of the opponents of the measnro
are driven to the statement that tbroo
honest men, competent to administer such
law, cannot be found in the State ~
Washington. This is an insult tn tha
manhood of the state. Such a CHARGE
marks the civic debasement of those mar
ing it-calls attention to their strayino
from the paths of good citizenship &c
nothing else could. We need not be sur~
prised, therefore, to find that this tender
solicitude for the public weal-this haunt.
ing fear that the commissioners selected
may prove false to their trust, is directly
traceable to the railroad lobby. Another
charge sometimes made is that those in
favor of regulative commission for this
state are not honest in the advocacy OF
such a measure, but are endeavoring IN
build up political machine. do not be-.
lieve any one takes this charge seriously.
But If you suspect there is any truth in If.
the threatened danger Is easily guarded
against. Pass the bill with the emergency
clause and make the appointees under II
subject to confirmation by the Senate.
The names of the commissioners will then
be sent in before the Legislature adjourns
and the Senate can pass upon their fit
ness. Whatever distrust those raising the
cry of political machine" may have Of
the executive, certainly that distrust can
not extend to the Senate.
But the time for discussing the question
seems to me to be past. There is before
you, properly speaking, no issue of COM
mission or anti-commission. With the de-
posting Of the last ballot on the 4th OF
November the discussion was closed. The
question has become one of political hon.
esty. Do platform pledges mean any
thing? A political party that refuses to
live up to its pledges deserves defeat at
the hands of the people. An individual
who betrays his party is deserving Of
political oblivion. On the one hand we
have the solemn pledges of the two great
political parties; on the other, an I'M
scrupulous and corrupt lobby-a lobby
that has become a stencil in the nostrils
of the people of the state. Which will
have the greater weight? This lobby in
solently boasts that a majority of the
members of this Legislature are it's crea-
lures, ready to do it's bidding. I repel
this infamous charge. I do not believe 1t
to be true, nor will believe it, unless
forced to do SO by the record of the vote
taken upon the final passage of the meas
ureS to which both the political parties Of
this state are committed.
Stripped of all of it's DISCUSSES, the
question simply resolves itself into a
choice between political honesty and poll
tical perfidy. The choice rests with you.
Conclusion.
In conclusion, permit me to express the
hope that your sessions may be charac-
teriZed by a feeling of mutual good will,
and that your labors may rebound to the
honor of the state. You will find me ready
to cooperate with you in any measure
that is deemed for the public good.
HENRY MBRIDE.