Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1903-01-16

might say: "Do not assess my prop
erty. II you do, what pay in taxes
will be added to the selling price, and
it will not he I, but the purchaser,
who will have to pay the taxes" BY
this line of reasoning, carried to its
logical end, the State would be sEorn
of its revenues and rendered powerless
to afford protection to person and
property-the purpose for which gov
eminent is called into being, and the
only ground upon which it can justify
its existence. If property now escap-
ing taxation should be placed upon
the assessment roll, and all property
should be fairly assessed, the revenues
of the State would be ample, without
any increase in the rate of taxation.
Indeed, should this be done, We might,
with the exercise of a wise economy,
reasonably look in a short time for a
material reduction in the rate of taxa
ton. This, besides affording relief to
the individual taxpayer. would be an
element in attracting hither the home
seeker and the capitalist in search OF
investments.
In relation to the matter Of Rail.
road Commission, the Governor says:
The most important matter to come
before you at this session is the ques-
ton of establishing a Railway Com.
mission. The Republican State plat
form contains the following plank:
eve are in favor OF the passage Of q
bill by the next Legislature establish
ing q Railroad Commission to consist
of three members to be appointed by
the Governor, no more than two to he
taken from the dominant political
party, said commission to be clothed
with power to regulate freight and pas
senger rates, to determine the value OF
railroad property for purposes of as
sessment and taxation, to prevent I'M
just Determinations, and to inquire
into and remedy such abuses as may
be found to exist"
This plank was inserted in the plat
form after full, fair and free discus.
sion of its merits. After a majority
OF the convention had declared them.
selves in favor of it, it was unanimous.
ly adopted, upon motion made by the
leader of the railway forces. and sec
onded by prominent opponent of the
commission idea. The policy of the
Democratic party upon this question,
as outlined in its State platform, is,
substantially, in accord with the dec.
clarstion OF the Republican party. II
it seems strange that the two political
parties are in accord upon this ques.
ton, an explanation can readily be
found in the overwhelming public sen.
timent in favor OF a Railway Commits.
sion. Neither Of the political parties,
in its platform utterances. was actual
ed by any spirit of hostility against
railway corporations, nor are any OF
the advocates of q commission in any
part of the State actuated by any such
feeling. The right of the State to
regulate railroad corporations is I'm.
questioned. That the only effective
way to do this is through the medium
of q commission clothed with the ne.
cessary power, is undisputed. The
claim that such a commission would
be menace to the State is wholly un.
f0unded-is contradicted, in fact, by
the experience of every State in the
Union having aregulative commission.
The history of these commissions con.
clusively proves the following PROPOSE.
lions: They serve to equalize and re.
duce rates; to do away with discrimi.
nation and to correct other abuses; to
bring about better understanding
and feeling between the people and
the railroads. They in no way inter.
fere with the development of q State,
or the building of new railroads, OF
for the extension OF those already in
operation. On the contrary, they have
very materially assisted in the develop.
ment Of the States in which they have
been established.
When confronted with this evi.
dence some OF the opponents of the
measure are driven to the statement
that three honest men, competent 10
administer such q law, cannot be
found in the State of Washington.
This is an insult to the manhood OF
the State. Such q charge marks the
civic debasement of those making it
calls attention to their straying from
the paths Of good citizenship as moth.
ing else could. We need not be sur.
prised, therefore, to find that this ten
der solicitude for the public veal, this
haunting fear that the Com missioners
selected may prove false TO their trust,
10 directly traceable to the railroad
lobby. Another charge sometimes
made is that those in favor of q regu.
lative commission for this State are
not honest in their advocacy for such
measure, but are endeavoring to
build up . political machine. I do
not believe any one takes this charge
seriously. But il you suspect there il
any truth in it, the threatened danger
is easily guarded against. Pass the
bill with the emergency clause, and
make the appoiutees under it subject
to confirmation by the Senate. The
names of the Com missioners will then
be sent in before the Legislature I'D.
journs, and the Senate can pass upon
their fitness. Whatever distrust those
raising the cry of political machine
may have of the executive, certainly
that distrust cannot 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 commission or anti.com.
mission. With the depositing of the
last ballot on the 4th of November the
discussion was closed. The question
has become one OF political honesty.
Do platform pledges mean anythingi
A political party that refuses to live
up to its pledges deserves defeat al
the hands OF the people. An individ.
ual 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
interruptions and corrupt lobby-a
lobby that has become . stencil in the
nostrils of the people of the State.
Which will have the greater weights
This lobby insolently boasts that q
majority of the members of this Legis.
lature are its creatures, ready to do its