Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1903-04-06
AN ARRANGEMENT
OF THE LATE LEGISLATURE BY
ROBERT MONTGOMERY.
The Brainy Editor of the Sumner Herald
Writes a Caustic Letter to the Seattle
Times, in Which He Roasts the Late Tn.
Iamented to a Brown Finish.

iamented to a Brown Finish.
Betrayal OF trust, breaking Of promises,
perfdy, dishonor, open corruption and
bride taking are the characteristics, the
ear-ma,ks of Identification of the putrid
legislature that has just closed its infa
nous career-a career so VIGOROUSLY vile
and scandalous that its recollection will
be for years to come stencil in the nos.
trils OF all decent and respectable people.
The open defiance OF common decency
manifested by this corrupt body, the
venality by which it was ruled, the slav-
ish subserviency to wealth by it displayed,
have put the people OF the state OF Wash
ington to shame. The conduct OF the
legislature is stigma upon the integrity
and intelligence Of the citizens of our
Young COMMONWEALTH stain that will
take years to cleanse away and wipe
out.
What have the eople Of Washington
done to deserve this humiliation? In
what respects have they been derelict
that they should be subjected to this
notifying disgrace? The sin Of the peo-
pie of the state-for which they have been
thus branded and disgraced by the omis-
sions and commissions OF this mongrel
egislature-consists in having permitted
gang Of INSCRIPTIONS political grafters
and adventures, under the pretended
guise of loyalty to the principles OF the
republican party, to gain control OF the
- ;r7oo ...:1 and political machinery of the
state-a gang Of mercenares who allowed
themselves to be bought like animals
sold at auction to the highest bidder.
The highest and best bidders at this
auction OF worthless were the successful
aspirant for senatorial honors and the
= railroads. The legislature OF 1903 was a
reeking cesspool of iniquity and, with
few exceptions, its work sixty days
slturnalia of corruption. This was dis
tinctly republican legislature. The
republican majority was so overwhelm-
ing that the party must stand sponsor for
its record. 1t is responsible for its
election. The leaders of the republican
party of the state, in their convent on
and during their campaign, enwrapped
themselves in the aegis of republicansm
and shouted eve will maintain the in
tegrity and uphold the honor OF the re-
publican party and will advance and pro-
tect the interests OF the people,"
In their platform they eulogized the
republican party, and in the same plat
torm they embodied specifically formu-
lated promises and pledges to the people
OF the state. The platform shows that
they clearly understood the legislative
needs OF the people. Indeed, the great
issues OF railroad commission and
equitable taxation OF corporate property
had for months before the convention
b,en SO thoroughly canvassed and dis
eussed that they could not have been
otherwise than fully informed and en-
tirely familiar with the consensus of
public opinion and the unanimous wishes
OF the people regarding those great
questions.
And so conscious Of their duty-with
the shield of republicanism on their
breasts and fair and specous promises on
their lips-they went before the people
and in the name Of their party and in
consideration OF the solemn pledges in
their platform they asked for the support
Of the people. Their pretensions to party
loyalty were believed, their promises
were relied upon, and they were elected.
Political trickery and demagogy pre-.
vailed The political adventurers-who
always, sooner or later, identify them
selves with the dominant partv-were in
the saddle.
Once elected, so impatient were they
for the promised spoils, so indecent their
haste to assure their masters, Ankeny,
Grosscup and Stevenson, of their mer-
cenary subserviency. tn At they could not
even wait for the opening OF the session
to begin their work Of perfdy and dis
honor, but assembled at regular and fire.
ouent intervals at the Tacoma Hotel to
make sure in advance that they might
be thoroughly and properly fixed. As an
ostensible excuse for those timely gather
ings there, they held their preliminary
political banquets at somebody's ex-
pense.
No political party ever made more def
mite promises or ever entered into more
specific compact with the people Of the
state, and when it is considered that a
member of the legislature, elected by a
given political party, is the mouthpiece
and representative OF that party-its
recognized official agent-it must be con-
coded that no political party eyer more
utterly and pitably failed to perform its
promises and keep its pledges to the