Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1910-01-28
HON AGITATION WORKS.

Walla voted overwhelmingly wet,
in the late local option contest, and
his is what the BWi,tin. the local
uew>plr. had to say OF conditions
Immediately preceding the election:
rs Mtyor Rose we'll said in speech
Il! me klylor Grand lately, the fail
urr al. refusal OF the advocates OF pro
hibitiOn 80 treat it as an economic
,uur>tion, accounts in Il large measure
for the intensely biased and frequent
! " bitter personal feeling that is al
WAYS created whenever the question
c1.nn up for reconsideration. This con
/ dition : not an exception IN W AHA
/ Walla. Wherever the prohibition
! question is an issue, the same condl-
/ ton inevitably follows The people
/ i'm those communities are forced INTO
partisan positions, whether they VIII
( or they won't. To consider prOhlbI-
ton as simply an economic instead
of purely moral ISSUE seems to be
| characteristic with its advocates.
! Many of them in the heat of the Tight
forgot themselves, rs people frequent
, " do in other matters, and in the IN
ten>ity of their personal feelings com
! nit outrageS on dccency and common
sens" that in their sober, rational mo-
mcnts they would scorn to bc guilty
of.
1t would seem that some people
need to be reminded that after this
fight is over we who are residents OF
Walla Walla are still neighborS and
must again take up the responsible
ties of citizenship in Il community OF
which all are part. The agi tatorS
and paid retainerS will move on to
other places to continue their wrang-
lngs. but the citizens of Walla Walla
will remain behind to face each other
day in and day out, to rub elbows
and step side by side for greater and
better things yet to be accomplished.
ANY division of opinion they may
have now will lin1er on to cast Il
shadow over the pathway of future
activities, if they give themselves
over to the feelings and passions of
the moment.
Perhaps this local option had to
come and the sooner it is over and
forgotten the better for all concerned.
1t will be far better to let it settle the
question once and for all than to have
it ever hanging like IA pail OF impend-
ing calamity in the bright sunshine
of hope and aspiration for bigger aud
better things for Walla Walla.
The men who have had the courage
of their convictions 10 stand for what
they believe to be the best interests
of the city. regardless Of adverse crit
iciSm or Misrepresentation, are act
ing like true and valiant warriors.
do not deserve to be the objects of
invective vituperation and ribald bill
lngSgate. This is IA most modest
compliment to their sterling charac-
ter and worth.
This is no time for any citizen to
to attempt to Sidcstcp the issue and
allow the responsibility for deciding
the question to he left to others. No
man can say he has no opinion upon
this question and that others can
settle it and yet live up to the re-
quirements of good citizenship.
The destinics of Walla Walla may
be hanging in the balance. We
believe that the immediate future
CT this city will be seriously affected
by the result of the election next
Monday. The moral issue. contrary
to the contention of the advocates OF
prohibition. to our mind, is not the
vital question, for it will be here
after the election, no matter which
way it goes, and will always be the
occasion for the earnest consideration
of all good citizens. 1t can be con
sidered and acted upon without pro
hbtiOn as we'll as with it, but if pro
hibition prevails and the eilect is as
disastrous as it has been i'll other 10
calitieS, with possibly few remark
able exceptions, it will be too lat'
to remedy the evil for it will TAKE
some time to get back to where ",
are now.