The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-03-26

in this city fought the proposed COM
mission all through the campaign of
that year and never ceased its oppo-
.ition until about three weeks ago. Up
to that time it could hardly find words
to express it's contempt for railway
commissions. 1t attempted to. prove by
testimony from States where farcical
commissions have been maintained
that they have proven miserable
allure and useless burden in every
state of the Union where they have
been given a trial. 1t declared that
Walla Walla county had no need of a
railway comission and that the ship
pers were satisfied to depend upon the
railroad magnates for voluntary reduc-
lions in freight rates whenever they
in their superior wisdom might see fit
to grant such concessions.
But, like Saul of Tarsus, Senator
Ankeny's organ has seen a great light
The scales have fallen from it's eyes
and it now sees the truth clearly
whereas before it saw through smok-
ed glass darkly. 1t is now shouting
for a commission and it declares that
everybody in this county wants it re-
CARELESS of who may be elected gov
ernor. 1t says that the railroad com
mission will be adopted by the re-
publicans here regardless of whether
Mcbride is or is not candidate fol-
the nomination for governor.
Wouldn't that paralyZe you, coming
as it does from a paper that has fought
the proposed commission i'll season and
out of season for the last two years ?
If this is not case of running up the
render, what else can it mean?
The truth is that the Union has
county regardless of party lines is
overwhelmingly in favor Of a railway
give in to save itself from being buried
under an avalanche.
But the voters should beware of the
Greeks bearing gifts" The commission
horse that the Union now offers re-
publican voters may be filled with
armed minions of George StevensOn's
railroad lobby. "Hypocrisy is the
homage that vice pays to virtue" and
likewise the railroad organs pretended
advocacy OF a railroad commission is
only the homage that it must pay to
public opinion.
What kind of railroad commission
does the Union favor? 1t has asserted
over and over again within the last
three months that an advisory COM
mission would prove the most salts
factory. No doubt that kind of a
commission would please the railroads
if they could name the advisers. They
are willing that the people of the state
should bear the expense Of a commits
sion if it's usefulness can be nullified
by the character of the men appointed
as it's members. That is the reason
they are opposing an appointive COM
mission. unless governor can be
elected who will allow the lobby to die
tate his appointments.
The Sta tesman is informed that local
emissaries Of the Stevenson railroad
machine recently visited Adams county
and assured the voters there that the
machine favors a railway commission
and that one would be created regard
less of whether or not the present gov
ernor is given another term.
Such talk may catch gullible voters
who have not discernment enough to
see through the deception that is being
played upon them. but it will not fool
men familiar with the record made by
the lobby and its tools in fighting an
effective railway commission. There
is little doubt that the republican state
convention will be compelled to adopt
a plank declaring in favor of some kind
o ia commission law, but unless the
people can get one free from the die
tation of the railroads they would be
better off without any.
If the republicans nominate a namby
pamby candidate for governor on an
equivocal commission platform. the
democrats of the state will have a
splendid opportunity to carry the state
this year by naming an outspoken
champion of an appontive commission
for governor, such as Tolman Of Spo-
kane or McCrOSkey of Whitman cOun-
". The people have their eyes open to
the methods of the lobby and it will not
be easy to fool them this year with anv
gold brick commission scheme
WILL IT BE ARMAGEDDON?
AS might be expected, the armed