Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-02-22
Undue Influence.

Undue influence.
Probably no measure that has ever
been considered by the Legislature
has met with more determined OppO-
Sit;on than tie ill for an act to di-
vide ChrhaliS county. which despite
this feeling passed the House Mon
day. by an almost unanimous vote.
Like everything else considered by
the present Legislature. it seems to
have had a caucus support of the In
Surgcnts which results practically in
an almost unanimous vote Of either
branch. the opposition being cowed
into apparent acquiescence of meas
ure> they do not approve.
The history of the division measure
affords enough evidence of undue in
tluence. though it may not be CLASH
fled with criminal bribery, to stig-
matte it as an unjust measure. inso-
far. at least, as opportunity for fair
expression of the people was con-
cerned. Almost simultaneously with
announcement OF the project for divi-
sion, came preparations for a junket
of extraordinary proportions. The
Legislature and its friends were in
vited, train supplied, free enter
tainment provided, the lawmakers
enjoined in the invitation to leave
their wallets at home; a banquet
was given, from which opposers of
the proposition were excluded. and it
is said every effort was made to keep
all forms of protest from reaching
the visitors ears.
An Aberdeen dispatch, of Tuesday,
states that large percentage of the
taxpayers of that city were amazed
at the action of the House, and the
Uashingtonidn of that date presented
two pages of names of business men
and others protesting against such
action.
AS showing to what lengths legis-
lators have gone to enforce the eau
Gus majority rule, Beach of Mason
declared, on the floor, that he repre-
sented the owners of 10000 acres of
land affected by the action. They
did not want division and he wanted
to voice their opposition, but he had
been threatened with defeat of his
oyster bill if he dared to fight the
division. He said that no such club
would impei him to do what he be-
lieved to be wrong. By such meth
DDS, however, the vote stood in the
House "a to IL.
Why should the offer of a pass to
any officer charged with a public
duty be recognized as a legitimate
object of adverse legislation by the
State Constitution, why should brib-
cry be declared by statute a penal
offense, why should the work of the
lobby be the subject of such universal
denunciation by the public as to have
been made the object of legal restraint
in one of the first bills introduced in
the present assembly, if such methods
for placing the lawmakers under OBJ
legations that are no less binding
or reprehensible from having been
rendered as master of hospitality
and respect, are honorable or fair?
Would the free transportation and
good dinners have been served,
had there not been an ak to grind?
Can the respect due to honesty
and integrity be felt, after the leg
islator has cast his vote in accord
with the sentiment that has used
them for veritable cat s-paws"?
Nay, verify! The whole proceeding
has cheap" look about it, and we
apprehend that many people will be
confused when their acts are SUBJ
jected to the rigid analysis that will
be demanded by public opinion.
Then it will be demonstrated what a
veritable rope of sand the Insurgent
agreement is, formulated by few
fakirs playing for high stakes and
ready to sell everything to secure their
selfish objects, which now under Wig
orous applications of the party lash
seems like wall of adamant, but
like those of Jericho when the peo-
pie shout with a great shout" will
fall as fat and they be crushed as
completely as were the children of
Israel at the command of Joshua.
The Senate yesterday passed the
division bill under the high-pressure
dictation of caucus of the Insur-
gents, held the night before. The
vote stood 80 to 5, with two absent
and two lodging.
THE Tariff and the Trusts" is
an exceedingly clear and compre-
hensive presentation of the facts and
figures regarding the mother of
MOnopolies," just received from the
Macmillan Company of New York,
compiled and presented by Franklin
Pierce. 1t is good time, preceding
a great national campaign, to study
this great factor of organization that