Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1904-10-03

not carrying Ou' the CONSTITUTIONAL pro-
vision for the passage of laws regulating
freights and fares" What is more they
remember that after promising a rail-
road commission in .ts platform two
years ago the republican legislature Of
! 1908 passed a tax commission bill which
was so weak and spineless that Governor
Mcbride in vetoing it said:
"Ths bill would authorize the state
board to expend $1,000 as smelling
committee without the power to do
anything, without even the power or
privilege Of recommending to the county
assessor or county boards OF equalization
the figures at which such property should
be assessed.
ain other words, the sum of $l5 900 is
appropriated to enable the state board to
satisfy it's curiosity if it has any. The
result of this investigation must be prop
erly concealed from the public that pays
the bills. This superabundance of eau
ton on the part OF the forces outside Of
the legislature that consented to the
passage Of the bill was wholly unneces.
sary. Without this provision the bill
would have been toothless and could not
have forced them to bear their fair share
OF the public burden.
"The purpose of the passage OF this
bill was not to cure existing evils but to
postpone the inevitable day when a
legislature would not be subservient to
private interests-that will see to it that
every one, corporation and individual
alike who enjoys the protection of our
laws shall bear fair share of our public
burden in the matter Of taxation"
The forces outside OF the convention"
that consented to the adoption by the
republican state convention at Tacoma
of plank promising tax commission
bill are the same as those referred to by
Governor Mcbride as ''the forces outside
the legislature" that consented to the
passage OF the tax commission bill passed
by the republican legislature OF 1908.
The purpose OF the plank in the republic
can platform is the same as that Of the
above bill, as described by Governor
Mcbride, mot to cure existing evils but
to postpone the inevitable day when a
legislature will be elected which will
prove true to the people and to the party
pledges. that will not be subservient to
/ private interests"
The South Bend Journal OF South Bend
Pacific county, a staunch republican
journal and supporter OF Mr.. Mead
hits the mai on the head when it says:
"The danger will lie in the possibility
OF the railroad lobby again succe eding in
converting enough of the legislators tc
block its passage"
When this occurs again as it occurred
in the last legislature the people Of the
state want a governor who will moi
mince words, but who like the present
governor has done will stand up like 8
man and tell the whole true and dis
graceful story and place the response
bility where it belongs.
BY the way, has Mr.. Mead in any o
his speeches said anything about thu
evils of corrupt railroad lobby?
The newspaper organs of the republi
can party are having very hard time
to defend Mr.. Mead, the railroad candi
, date for governor, from his railroad
record. MIR. Mead has been trying t.
convince the farmers OF Eastern Wash
ington. that he is not opposed to regula
tive railroad legislation. jude Turne
pointed out in recent address at Con
conully that Mr.. Mead voted in boil
republican state conventions Of 1902 ant
that of 1904 against the proposed com
mission planks. The Yakima Republic
, in defending Mr.. Mead, confessed tn
accusation and seeks to defend MI
Mead by falsehood. 1t says:
Gas a member OF the Whatcom delega
ton Mr.. Mead both times voted unde
instructions from the people of Whatcon
county who did not favor the McBrid
proposition to have railroad commits
: sion whose members should be appoint
ed by Mcbride"
1t is true that the Whatcom count
Il delegation to the convention of 1902 in
structed against the commission planl
But 1T is not true that such instruction
y were issued in 1904. The delegation
: the convention this year was selected b
II Mr.. Mead himself on the authority
the county convention, and Mr.. Mead il
II therefore, responsible for every vote Cal
i by every delegate from that county
~ Besides when the vote of the delegatio
!" was cast against the commission plan
a Mcbride had been eliminated and NJ
(. Mead's nomination was assured. tt
u delegation at that time was votir
x against, not a Mcbride commission, b.
10 commission to be appointed by M
70 Mead himself.