Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1904-10-28
From our regular correspondent.)

w ASHlNGTON, -. u, Oct. ~.
Senator German spent few hours
in Washington to-day and the repre-
sentatives of the Democratic press
flocked to him for predictions which
they hoped would gladden. the hearts
of their editors, but the Senator was
extremely conservative in his state
ments. II cannot tell you any more
about it than you know yourself" he
said. "There is apparently an apathy
throughout the country and men are
attending strictly to their business and
saying nothing. Yet the registration
in those cities where it has been held
is larger than ever. What does it all
mean3 have never yet been able to
find a man who could accurately feel
the public pulse under these condi.
tions. l do not know how it is going
to turn out, but I am confident there
are going to be some big surprises.
Whether it will be the other side that
will be surprised or whether it will be
our side l cannot tell. And / don't
think anyone else can tell you either.
Four years ago about one. third OF the
Democratic party went over to the
other side and some 100000 votes
were polled. Where are these Demo-
Gratis now? Have they gone back and
what does the big registration mean?
There are exceptions to all rules and
this may be an exception. but no one
can tell what the result will be-"
Surprise is expressed that the Presi-
dent should have had to order Secre.
tary Taft, OF the War Department, to
the Isthmus of Panama to pacify the
Panamans. This order is regarded as
certain evidence that Minister John
Barrett has not been telling the whole
truth to the newspaper men when he
has declared that there existed no
friction between the Republic of Pam
anna and the United States. The truth
is that the tariff Of this country is 60.
ing to make trouble with the Pana-
mans and it is doubtful if even "the
great pacificator," Secretary Taft, can
persuade the people OF Panama that it
is to their interest to have the Dingley
tariff law enforced at each end of and
all around the canal zone. However,
the promised visit of the Secretary will
probably postpone any outward show
OF dissatisfaction on the part OF the
isthmians until after the election and
that is the motto of the administra.
ton with regard to all things now,
i" keep it dark until after election"
BY his latest public speech Judge
Parker has made it plain that from
now on the great issue OF the campaign
will be anti-imperialism. Many of the
candidates friends and advisors believe
that there are issues which could be
more profitably exploited but Mr.. Par
ker is sincere man and is unwilling
to advocate policies in which he has
not the utmost faith. He has rem
dered impossible any active tariff re-
form campaign by his announcement
that the Republicans will inevitably
control the Senate throughout the
next Presidential term 80 that no
changes in the tariff unacceptable to
the Republicans could be effected, even
if he we're elected. He has, by his
speech of acceptance, shown a disin-
clination to any radical antitrust
movement, although he would doubt
less do all in his power to control the
great aggregations OF capital, and now
he has shown greater enthusiasm in
his denunciation of the un-Americap
policy pursued by the present admin
istration in the Philippines than on
any other issue, so the Philippines it
will doubtless have to be.
The most encouraging reports reach
Washington regarding Mr.. Bryan's
work in Indiana. 1t is asserted that
he has saved the party at least 10000
votes among voters who would have
voted for Watson, or Debs, or remained
away from the polls had not the elo.
quent Nebraskan come among them