The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-07-14

ito say that the failure of the last legis-
llature to carry out the pledges made
Ito the people was a republican failure.
This crime of 1908, whereby the rail-
lroads coolly vetoed the will of the peo-
pie of this state, emphasized the seri-
lousness of the situation and stirred to
faction the republicans who believed
that party pledges should not be thus
Tightly ignored.
These rallied to the standard of
lGovernor Mcbride, who announced his
determination to unmask the traitors
that betrayed the party in these words:
4 propose carrying the fight against
| the railroad lobby to the homes and
make the political issue in this state so
} plain that he who runs may read
have always believed that if the ques-
| ton of whether or not a band of pro-
fessional corruptionalist are to dom
| mate the state were put squarely to the
| people themselves. their verdict against
the lobby would be overwhelming. and
| [ propose now testing my belief.
The great majority Of the people
Of this state are honest and decent
| They view with adherence the politi-
cal methods which has prevailed in
| this state for years, and all that is
needed is a capitalization of public
sentiment. If l can contribute to that
mask those who, while processing to
serve the people are really tools of the
| lobby, | want to do it,
At first the railroad organs were dis
posed to meet this clean cut declara-
ton squarely. and the Union in it's is
sue of March 10, 1903, stated:
The defeat of the railroad commits
sion bill was a natural development of
the victory which the opponents of
Governor Mcbride won in the organi-
cation of the senate. The wisest lead
ers of the republicans in the state re-
jOiced at DR.. Smiths election as presi-
dent, because it fOreshadowed the de-
feat of the railroad commission bill.
Placed in the platform of the republi-
can party by treachery and the trading
of patronage, the commission bill was
lrepudiated by the men who have given
the party in years past the staunchest
allegiance and support. These men
saw that to entrust Mcbride with the
power conveyed in the bill would be
ruinous to the party and injurious to
the states best interests
Again on January % of this year the
Union in an editorial entitled is Not
Needed" said:
1T will be % and perhaps so years
before the point will be reached when
the state of Washington will have Sc
cured all the railroads necessary for
tits development and growth. If there
| is any good to be derived from rail-
Iroad commission it will be ample time
| then to enact laws creating such a
| commission. Why anticipate the needs
| of the country a quarter or half
century by enacting law which posi-
| bic might do some good then, but for
which there is not now any need and
which might result in an injury to the
state? The only possible reason or
eXuse is that it will enable a political
machine to be built up that will allow
one man to control the politics of the
state. 1t is the purest nonsense to
contend that il will accomplish any
good for the state of the taxpayers at
large. We contend that the success of
no man or set of men in this state is
of sufficient Importance to warrant the
state in taking any such action A
railroad commission will not help the
farmers of Eastern Washington or the
business men or citizens of any other
part of the state. 1t is being urged
for political effect and advantage sole
ly and alone. When it has accom-
plished the purposes for which it is
urged, if the state should ever commit
such foolish parody, it will disappear
from the front of the stage and the
! men who are now clamOring the loud
est for it will not be in evidence to en-
iplain why it does not do the business
| But the railroad interests were not
| long in discovering that the temper
Of the people was such as to make
fight in the open too dubious an ex-
pertinent, and the organs for time
lapsed into silence upon this question
and exhausted every expedient that in
Igenuity could suggest to divert atten-
ton from the real issue.
Later on, alarmed at the rapidity
With which the governor, through his
personal canvass, was growing in pub
tllc favor. thew then rayarcad no.