The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-09-27

legislation. The convention OF tnat
wear was held at Tacoma, Aug. IS, and
the platform contained this plank on
the subject:
Platforms Of 1900.
We favor the building of railroads
within our state as an essential means
Of development and growth and we al
so favor the adoption and enforcement
of just and equitab laws regulating
and controlling them"
The democratic state convention OF
that year also declared for a reduction
of freignts and fares in this language:
I'VE demand such legislation as will
insure to the farmers and producers OF
the state of Washington reduction on
freight rates and fares to a just ba-
sis
No question has ever been raised
that these demands were we'll within
the limits of justice. The very fact that
the railroads themselves have reduced
fares to three cents a mile basis by
their own voluntary action, and have
voluntarily reduced freight rates in
number of cases shows that they were
republican legislature elected that
year again utterly ignored the promise
of the republican state convention and
refused to pass the promised legisla-
ton.
But there rose in the ranks of the
republican party a faction OF strong
and honest men under the leadership
Of Henry Mcbride who asserted that
promises made to a people should De
kept inviolate. This faction came into
power in the convention of 1902 and in
the convention of that year passed over
the violent protest Of the railroad at
t0rneys and lobbyists the following
ringing declaration favOring a rail-
ady abuses and prevent discrimination
ana eXtOrtiOn:
We are in favor of the passage of
4 bill by the next Legislature estab-
fishing a railroad commission of three
members to be appointed by the gov
arnor no more than two to be taken
from the dominant political party, said
commission to be clothed with power to
regulate freight and passenger rates,
TO determine the value of railroad
property for purposes of assessment
md taxation, to prevent unjust dis
elimination and to inquire into and
remedy such abuses as may be found
70 exist
The republican party having taken
this advanced stand on the subject
there arose several leaders in the dem
ocratic party who believed that it
would be good politics for their party
10 take an opposite position. But the
great majority of the party under the
leadership of Judge Turner insisted
upon an equally strong commission
plank in the democratic platform.
In 1902 the republicans were success
full electing a large majority of the
members of both houses of the legsla-
ture. But in conformity with the ira
litions of the party on the subject of
railroad legislation they proceeded to
violate this most solemn and emphatic
road commission bill. Gov. Mcbride and
his followers Immediately took the at
titUde that the action of the Legislature
was not the action of the party and
that the traitors deserved to be rere-
gated to obscurity for violating their
pledges to the people.
But the railroad forces in the party
were too strong for them and Mcbride
ma his following went down to defeat
in the convention this year, the party
| reverting completely to the control of
he railroad lobby. In the state con-
NelllOn at ldcCIld the IdllIOtu ColIl-
mission plank Of last year was offered
but it was defeated by an inglOrious
majority, many delegations voting as
units against it at the command of j.
D. Farrell and his managers and en-
ployees.
Defenders of the republican candi-
dates nominated by and in the inte-
rests of the railroads are promising the
people of the state that if a republic
can Legislature passes a railroad COM
mission bill next winter and A. NJ
Mead is governor, Mr.. Mead will sign
the bill. The promise is easily made and
is positively worthless. For if republi
can legislatures refuse to pass railroad
legislation when it is promised by their
state convention now can they be OK
pected to pass it when it is not so
promised.
Mr.. Mead himself has attempted to
explain the silence of his state plat