The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1910-06-15

though the people are practIcany
unanimous for both.
Looking Toward Alaska.
The whole nation is in favor Of
protecting the coal and other natura!
resources in Alaska. yet the with
drawal bill, under the circumstances
the one conservation bill most need
ed for the purpose, is still in danger.
And as for the general conservation
movement, congress not only refused
to help it on, but tried to forbid any
progress without its help. Fortu-
has utterly failed.
The loss Of confidence in congress
is a matter for deep concern to every
thinking American. 1t has not come
quickly or without good reason. Every
man who knows congress we'll, knows
the names of senators and members
who betray the people they were
elected to represent. and knows also
the names of the masters whom they
obey. A representative of the peo-
pie who wears the collar of special
interests has touched bottom. He can
sink no further.
People Also at Fault.
Who is to blame because represent
tatives of the people are so common
ly led to betray their trust? We all
are--wc who have not taken the
trouble to resent and put an end to
the knavery we knew was going on.
The band of politics served out to us
by the professional politicians has
long been composed largely of hot
meals for the interests and hot air
for the people, and we have all known
it,
Political platforms are not sincere
statements of what the leaders of a
party really believe, but rather forms
of words which those leaders think
they can get others to believe they
believe. The realities of the regular
political game lie ut present far be-
meath the surface; many of the issues
advanced are mere empty sound:
While the issues really at stake must
be sought deeper down in the poll
tics Of businoss--in politics for revc-
me only. All this the people realize
as they never did before, and what
is more, they are ready to act on
their Knowledge
Some of the mcn who are respon-
sihle for the union of business and
politics may be profoundly dishonest,
but more of them are not. They are
trained in a wrong school, and they
cannot forget their training. Clay
hlrdens by mmobility-npn's minds
by standing pat. Both lose the power
to take new impressions. Many OF
the old-etylc leaders regard the po-
ltical truths which alone insure the
progress of the nation, and will here
after completely dominate it, as thu
mere meaningless babble of political
infants. They have grown old In the
belief that money has the right 10
rule, and they can never understand
the point of view of the men who rec
ognize in the currdpt political ac
tivity of Il railroad or a trust most
ment by the people.
When party leaders go wrong it
requires high sense of public duty
true courage and strong belief in the
people for man in politics to take
his future in his hands and stand
against them.
Party Whip Black Shadow.
The black shadow Of party regular
ity as the supreme test in public ar
fairs has passed away from the public
mind. 1t is great desiverapce. The
man in the street no longer asks
about measure or IL policy merely
whether it is good republican or good
democratic doctrine. Now he asks
whether it is honest and means what
it says, whether it will promote the
public interest, weaken special priv
ilege, and help to give every man a
fair chance. If it WILL it is good no
matter who proposed it, If it will not
it is bad, no matter who defends it.
1t is Il greater thing to be a good
citizen than to be a good republican
or a good democrat.
The protest against politics for rev.
enue only is as strong in one party
as in the other, for the servants of
the interests are plentiful in both.
In that respect there is little to choose
between them.
Differences of purpose and belief
between political parties today are
vastly less than the differences with
in the parties. The great gulf of d.
vision which strikes across our whole
people pays little heed to fading par
ty lines. or to any distinction in name
only. The vital separation is between
the 'partisans of government by money
''''' s''N 70 ~ s"N u IL
Leaders Lose Confidence.
81 l'"i ives ''Iie ~ pe
w" "'''" ''i'i' A''''r'9 i'S'
''l'N' '''O'i VIZ