Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1904-10-21
COUNTY TICKET.
Principles, Not Men.

me OpJect OF party organization
under free people, is good govern.
ment. Good government is founded
upon correct principles. To make
these principles effective, they are EN-.
bodied into statutory enactments.
Laws are made by and administered
by men, and to obtain the best re.
suits. and fidelity to trust, choice of
men is made, as a means of subscribing
principle. All that is required in the
means employed for support of prin.
ciple, is Honesty and fair degree OF
Capability. The first of these qualii-
cations implies nearly all that is need
ed-honesty and independence in all
official acts. By independence is
meant freedom from dictation of ring,
or clique; freedom from restraint from
mercenary considerations or caste
domination.
1t seems to US that no other reason
might be given for support of our local
county ticket than advance of principle
rs laid down in the above paragraph.
Taken as whole the respective candi.
dates are, at least, equal to their com.
petitors for the respective Offices, in
ability, and when we consider the
main principle involved, there is abso-
lutely no ground for comparison. The
Democrats have a well-deined object
in view, to promote economy and eff.
cheney in the public service. according
to law. in place of a grab Of all that is
in sight to keep clique in power who
are engaged in the endeavor of con.
trolling the politics of the whole coun-
try. Our town and county is expect.
ed, through past aud present forms of
administration, to keep the leaders in
line for advancement to higher posi-.
tons of honor, trust and, of course,
with ample salary endowment. 1t is
species Of boss rule that has led to
such glazing scandals, as were once
exposed in New York and lately in St.
Louis, and that have existed, on a
smaller scale, all over the country.
The citizen of the town suffers as
severely as his brothers of the mighty
commonwealth, whenever a few of
these mercenary warts appear on the
body polite.
Glance over our county ticket and
compare each candidate with his COM
petitor on the Republican list. Can
We find one who is not equal socially
and morally with the candidate named
for the same position on the other
ticket? The former differ in this:
They are all free men, bound to no
master or gang.
Experience has shown that when
men remain in Office for q long time,
they become careless Of their duties to
the public and more and more embued
with the belief that the office they
hold is a sinecure and personal belong.
ing for political services that have
made the award OF such privileges pos.
sible. The perpetuation of power be-
comes study, and every cent OF pub.
lie patronage is bestowed with the
object and expectation of repayment
in the primaries and at the polls
The public expenditures increase be.
yond reason, under such a system, and
all manner of excess is winked at or
openly condoned. by all branches of
the local government from the highest
and best paid gentleman, who wears
the ermine, down to the man who
qualities for Wreckmaster, sans salary
and without fees, who is invited to
perform the stoten-bottle" act, 10
sitting on the stage at public meet
ings, as full compensation for his SER
vices.
"a new broom sweeps clean" That
was shown by the installment of the
fusion administrations in 1897, when
the State and county officers we're
nearly all changed. throughout the
commonwealth, and State warrants
Immediately jumped to par from a
heavy depreciation, through the judi.
cious changes made in the State Land