The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1910-01-14

In their places were men who had
secured their nomination and election
because of the belief in their integrity
and ability to fill the position with
with the wishes of their constituents.
That some failed in both is no doubt
true. OF others the most charitable
thing to be said is that they were often
times wrong because they believed
that partyism and capitalism were their
constituents instead of those who had
elected them.
Two chief issues predominated
throughout the session.
First, local option commanded the at
tention of all members from the first
stages of organization to the day of
its final disposition. The intense feel
ing engendered during its consideration
tended to alien the opposing forces un-
til many other measures met with sue
cess or defeat accordingly as their ad-
tion.
Your representative took no part in
the discussion of this issue and refused
repeatedly to be drawn into it although
many propositions of assistance for our
cause were made conditional upon our
participation in the fight.
As ,nI. L. Tot nf
crafts directly interested in the manu-
facture and sale of liquors, and in one
instance as section of a central body
trades unionists participated in the bat
tie as they saw fit. The question is far
from solution and future sessions may
witness more bitter struggles than the
past but the policy OF the federation
under its system of organization must
of necessity be neutral.
The second issue which prompted and
influenced some grossly unjust legisla-
tion was that of partyism. The ma
iority OF the dominant party of our
state, although so overwhelmingly vic
the fate which it realizes must come
soon or later to all organizations fost
cred by corporate greed. The desire
to delay this fate, together with dis
position to reward the party financiers
Is accountable for two OF the most
brazen acts committed by the legisla
ture Of our state in many years.
supreme IUuIt.
The campaign preceding the 1908
election had witnessed the exposure of
corruption in our supreme court and
had resulted prior TO the convening OF
the legislature in the resignation of
Judge Root. Judge Goss was selected
to fill the vacancy. Corporate inter
ests. with Goss and Chadwick on the
bench at once foresaw the possibility
of maiority of the court becoming
friendly to the interests of the people
and concluded that a larger court was
necessary. The possibility of friend
of some legislator who was doubtful
but needed, being appointed to SUI
preme iudgship induced to vote for
measure which added two more judges
to an already too large court. The lot
of appointing fell to Acting Governor
Hay, and Morris of King county, and
Parker of Pierce county, were selected
thus insuring in the belief OF all who
had followed the previous careers of
these gentlemen, the stability of the
court in the interests OF corporate
greed.
Fully realizing that the action was
so brazen as to draw the fire OF the
common people and again forseeing the
possibility of these appointees and
other favorites whose terms would eX-
pire in January, 1911, meeting with
defeat under the direct primary system,
the legislature then proceeded to an
nul the direct primary law by declaring
that the people should not have a voice
in the nominations of supreme court
Judges and that they should be nomi-
mated by party conventions. You all
know who manipulated party conven-
tions in the past and there is no pos
sibility of doubt as to who will con-
troll the nominations of our five "a
majority supreme court judges in
1910. Right here permit me to express
the belief that there are but few mem
who, realizing that particular interests
will control the selection of their sue
cessors in office, would not cater to the
welfare of those interests, and that
none of those few occupy supreme court
iudgships in our state
You may have been impressed with
the fact that, with the resignation o
Judge Root, our supreme court was
after necessary fumigation again clean
but you have but to follow the act
of the special session of the legislator,
through the house committee appointeI
to investigate corruption, to form al
entirely different opinion.
Did it ever occur to you that thi
tthe Halsey) committee was discharge
without being permitted TO report it
findings Why Is it possible that the
unearthed that which would verify pub
, lie rumor and further discredit an al
ready unpopular court Had nothin
wrong been unearthed the committe
+ would surely have reported and don