The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1908-08-19
THE REAL ISSUE.

THE REAL ISSUE.
In truth the fight is not personal
between Jones and Ankeny, except
insofar as the partisan supporters Of
either temporarily make it so. The
battle royal is akin to the great inter-
nal disturbance that precedes any
great metamorphosis. A grand strug-
gle to resist a complete change in an
eXstant condition. The result of the
primary law upon the method Of
eleeting a United States senator III
its practical effect is the passing of
the long hoped for constitutional
amendment enabling the people to
elect their United States senators by
direct vote. 1t means the uprootng
and eliminating from our political
system the enthraling and despotic
power of the political boss and all
the resultant evils of inside ring poll
tics. 1t is the passing of the sceptre
from the ward heller to the citizen
1
of sordid wealth the power to con-
troll one of the most honorable and
highest offices of the land and plac-
ing it in the reach of the common
people. 1t means even more in its
ultimate effect. 1t means the placing
in the highest legislative branch of
our government men of the peoples
choice who will effect legislation
wanted by the people, men who will
not be dominated by corporate in
fluences and predatory wealth. 1t is
the curtain fall upon a decadent past
filled with intrigue, bribery and cor
ruption, and the holding up of many
meritorious legislative bills in state
government, in the election of a
United States senator. 1t means
stripping the political boss of his
tyrannic power and RELOCATING him
and his obedient sycophants to
rogues gallery or hall of illfame in
the corridors of departed time. 1t
means that the people have the OPP
portunity to come into their own. To
make their voice in stentorian tone
be heard in legislative halls where
United States senators are born.
Will they do it, Will a duck swim?
+ Certainly the people desire this con-
summation Yet strongly antagon-
istic to the masses is the system"
the boss and his retinue of petty Of
fee holders. No one need be so fool
ish as to believe they will not make
a death struggle to maintain their
sway. Senator Ankeny as candi-
date represents the interests of the
"system" Jones as a candidate IS
the opponent of the System" An
kenv represents the faction that
would continue the ancient and OBJ
iectionable features in our form of
government Jones represents the
progressive masses who would wipe
out those features and substitute
therefore the ideas of our advancing
civilization.
Will the voters determine to main
tain for another six years political
conditions in this state heretofore Of
fensive to them? VIII they elect to
have ii again said of >the state OF
Washington as is said of many states
that no man can come to the United
4 States senate from the state OF
Washington unless he is either mil
lionaire or has the support of pow
erful corporate interests? Or on the
other hand will they assert their in
dependence and send to the senate
man essentially Of, from and repre-
sentative of the people, The eighth
day of November will tell.
Personal comparisons are odious.
Both gentlemen have their respec-
tive virtues. Both have their friends.
The only comparison necessary for
the people to make Is that Jones is a
statesman and Ankeny is not. An