The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-09-13
POLITICS DRAG ON BUSINESS
INTERESTS.

From the year one, since the men,
trary, Walla Walla has been polit-
zeal hot bed and breeding ground for
contending factions. Attempts have
been made, in some instances success
full. to drive the business men into
the camp of one or the other of the
belligerent forces. Business men have
been branded as belonging to one ele-
ment or the other ana they have been
patronized by the aggregation with
which they have been allied or an
tagonized by the organization with
which they refused to affiliate. To at
tempt to be neutral was to court sus-
picion from both sides. The struggle
has been carried on so persistently
that practically every citizen is cred
tied with belonging to one or the
other of the factions. Inquiry concern
ing a man ELECTS the information that
he is Il Boxer" or Holy Roller
and The esteem in which lac is held
may depend on the affiliations of the
particular individual who is discuss
ing the mans qualifications
1t is admitted that this fact has
much to do with the failure of Wal
Ia Walla TO make the progress 1t
should have made although the city
has advanced rapidly during recent
years. 1t is also admitted by every
citizen. who has the interests of Wal
Ia Walla at heart rather than the in
;erests of any political faction. that
the time has come when these politi-
cal differences should be relegated to
a back seat where they belong and
every energy devoted to the advance
ment of the welfare of the Garden
City. Competition is keen and moth
ing should be allowed 10 be an unnec-
essary weight which will retard the
onward movement.
The time has come when the desira-
bility of a citizen in Walla Walla
should no longer be measured by the
loyalty displayed to any political fac
tiol. No other city in the United
States could have carried the political
MtlSnl tlldl w dIld w dlld Has Dttii
carrying for years and have made the
same progress. Take that load from
the shoulders of the Garden City, let
the discussions of fractional differen-
ces be tabooed, lie. the substantial cit
liens. including the business men. re-
fuse to have part in the political
drama. let Walla Wallans work for
Walla Walla and this city will soar
as bird that has been confined in a
cage for years. At first it will be
slightly unaccustOmed to its wings
bu: just little practice and it will
fly farther and faster than its mates,
for the pure enjoyment of the exer-
else.
One of the causes which has had
more to do with the spreading of polit-
ical strife recently than any other
one thing has been the fact
tia: political organizations represent
ing the contending factions in the re-
publican party, have maintained news
papers for the only and express pur-
pose of advancing the interests of the
particular factions with which the pa
pers are identified. This is al. ac-
knowlcdged fact ard every citizen
knows it and the business men have
been made to realize it for they have
cit the influence of the factions de-
handing that they support the fac
tional papers.
Without saying anything that might
reflect on the individual owners or
managers of the papers. it is con-
coded that the Union is maintained for
the express purpose of taking care
OF the interests of Senator Ankeny. He
and his followers have a perfect right
to keep the paper for that purpose. bur
if Senator Ankeny were out of poli-
tics it is safe TO say he would not be
in the newspaper business
The Evening Bulletin was started