Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1904-03-25
WHAT SHALL WE DOT
The Relative Merits Of Parties Lightly Touched
Upon.


Upon.
YELM, March 16.
ED. STANDARD:
The political pot is beginning to
boil frantically and it is about time
people were investigating the merits
of all parties. Perhaps all have some
good points. 1 find some good in
most everything but whatever the
American people want to know at
present is, what party it is that en-
dorses principles that are best adapted
to the general welfare of the masses
and not Of privileged class. The
Republican party has always been the
friend of corporations, trusts and COM
bines, as is we'll known by present con-
ditions. There never was a time in
history when corporation rulers ware
so rampant, so intOlerant, so oppres.
sive, so domineering and so arrogant
as they are to-day. In many cases
they have defed the law, and the
administration itself is not guiltless of
infractions on the fundamental princi-
Piles of our government. Notably the
absorption of the Philippine Islands,
against the protest of the people OF
those islands. If call governments
derive their just powers from the con-
sent Of the governed" as set forth in
the Declaration of independence, how
can the party in power reconcile their
actions in that case? There has been
more corruption and fraud, more ty-
ranny and oppression, more wrangling
over labor conditions, more strikes and
lockouts, and more tramps, in the past
three or four decades, than ever were
known before. Imperialism is staring
the republic in the face and militar.
ism is receiving the greatest homage.
There has been more money spent for
engines of war under the Republican
of about 40 years, than
was spent for all the wars in the Unit
ed States, including the cost of the
Revolutionary war, the war OF 1872
and the Mexican war, up to the time
of the civil war. Is this sign OF good
The cost of government
has more than doubled per capita, and
what was good enough as q home and
Office. quarters for Washington,
Adams, Jefferson and Jackson would
hardly suffice for a stable for the
present incumbent. The party has
always maintained the idiotic policy
Of a protective tariff and have
actually succeeded in hoodwinking q
sufficient number to the extent of
making them believe that it were pos
sible to tax 'em rich, thereby enab-
ling those really benefited by the de-
ception to grow fabulously rich at the
expense of the producers who grow
poorer or remain in about
the same old ruts. From this show.
ing it strikes me that it is not good
policy to vote the d. o. p. ticket.
Well, what about the Socialists?
The Socialist party is the off-shoot of
Republican cussedness; simply this
and nothing more. If the Republican
party had administered the laws for
the benefit of all the people and not
in the interest Of privileged classes,
there never would have been q So
cialist party in the U. S. The Social
lists believe that if trusts are a good
thing for the trusts (and they certainly
have beenl that all should have the
benefit and they therefore propose to
organize government trust. forgetting
the fact that il a small trust is bad
thing a stupendOus trust like the gov
eminent trust would be q very bad
thing. 1 fear it would capsize with
ponderosity. While 1 agree with the
Socialists as to conditions l have ser.
ious doubts as to the remedy. All
would want porter-house steak and all
couldn't have it.
Now for the Democratic party. How
does she "stack up"f believe one
Thos. Jefferson is conceded to be the
founder, although the principles Of
Democracy are self-existent shat is;
that call men are created equal" etc.
This is the fundamental principle Of
Democracy and has been handed down
from one Democratic President to an
other until it struck Grover Cleveland
and he had become so imbued with
modern Republicanism that it glanced
off and up to the present hasn't time
been resurrected although very near
it in the campaigns OF 1896 and 1900.
The reincarnation OF this principle in
the person of Billy Bryan, or some
other good Democrat is all that is
necessary for the future welfare OF the
people of the U. s. Therefore / say,
vote the Democratic ticket.
]. c.. Coo.