The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1911-12-01

By FRANK M. DAILAM.

A visitor hanging around the state
capital meets with representative citi-
zens from all parts of the state. and
under ordinary conditions can pretty
well got the drift of public opinion
But conditions politically just at the
present time are rather extraordinary.
and the man who in former DAYS could
fairly size up the situation and form
some idea OF the drift Of public opin-
ion is now wholly at sea, and will not
risk a prediction There is no longer
party organization. Party leadership
and party sentiment. is an unknown
quantity. There is no rallying slogan
to awaken old time political LOYALTY,
or arouse cid tire enthusiasm. The
primary has initiated against any
strong adhesive political combination
and there is so much unrest, 50 many
isms, so many demagogic nostrums
and cure-alls advanced by schcming
and designing place hunters that polit
ical lines are almost eliminated, and
parties are all shot to pieces. Where
a majority of the people stand is
something no man can find out, and
what may be the outcome of the cleo
ton in this state next year is a mys-
terry beyond solution at this time
There are men WHO believe iE consti-
tutional and representative govern
ment; that all men in public office are
which the nation has grown great and
prospcroIs beyond that of all other
nations on earth should be perpetu-
ated, that the governmental, indus
trial, commercial and economic prob
lens that have arisen under condi-
tions growing out of the rapid strides
of inv ontion, science and general
terests of the whole people after
calm and conservative consideration,
and through means of construc-
tive and liberal legislation insuring
the create st good to the greatest NUM-
Der. But these are evidently in the
minority The spirit of revolution
seems to be in the asCendancV Poo
ple talk violent measures to accom-
plsh .eforms they advocate, ard no
measure is so illogical, or radica. but
what follow ers can be found. 1t re-
minds one OF the irrational extremes
that developed in days Of the populist
furore and propaganda. The prevail
ing condition is in the nature OF a
political spasm Some good may come
out of 1t. People may be momentarily
taken off their feet by fads and fancies
but the majority ol the American peo-
pie are safe and sane, and the eXtrem-
lists and Missionaries viii! have to give
place to the comm on sense OF the pat
riotic citiZen, who, when all is SAID,
is now and ever will be in the over
whelming majority.
However, this is a slip unintentional
into a dissertation upon subject po-
litical. that is nystifying men of wis
dom; hence, out of reach of the writer
The depression was accidental Now
that the subject has been mentioned
let it go as it looks. The intention at
the start was to remark that during
our brief sojourn at Olympia we have
spent much time in the capitol build
ing, meeting many old friends ana
making a number of new ones, The
intricate machinery of state govern
ment is being carried on upon strict
business principles, so far as can be
ascertained. and the present admins
tration is making a very creditaDle
record. The massive stone edifice IN
which the official family is housed GER
tainly looks large enough from the
outside TO comfortably accommodate
the state officers, yet the building Is
already crowded, and as the state
grows and the business of government
increases with that growth, still
larger building will be absolutely nee
essary. A new capitol building mas
been under consideration for twenty