The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1914-07-03
(By E. p. Marsh.)


The first of what may be a series OF
debates upon the merits of the Seven
Sisters" initiative petitions occurred
in the West Union Grange hall, four
miles east of RAYMOND Friday evening"
June IS. The debate was arranged by
officers of the Menlo Grange and. the
local secretary of the Stop-Look-Ldsten
League Fred Chamberlain and my
self argued for the measures, l.. D.
McArdle. member Of the legislature
from jefferson county, and eX-State
Senator MCGOWAN, canneryman, took
the negative Each speaker was given
thirty minutes, the affirmative having
ten minutes each for rebuttal OF
course each speaker is perfectly sure
he had the best OF the argument Mr..
McArdle, who followed me, was more
than decent in the manner in which
he avoided personalities His talk
was clean and was confined wholly to
combating the bills on the ground of
their probable stagnating effect upon
the industries of the state Mr.. Nc
Ardle has always been allied with the
reactionary forces in the legislature
but for all that it is a pleasure to pay
him the respect of saying that he was
courteous in his presentation Of his ar
gument. whatever may be his private
opinion of the organization l repre-
sent.
The same cannot be said of Mr. Nc
Gowan. From beginning to end of his
half hour TRADE he directed a stream
of attempted ridicule and abuse at
Mr.. Chamberlain and the farmers in
general for having the temerity to
question the methods of the fishing in
dustry. You would think to hear him
talk that the fish combine in this state
was beyond question, criticism or in
vestigation and no doubt would, if he
had his way, clap every man who
dared lift up his voice in criticism Of
his industry in Jail for the rest Of their
natural lives. But Mr.. MCGOWAN
caught a tartar in the person of Fred
Chamberlain. Fred is some bear cat
If ever a gentleman was mussed up
Mr.. MCGOWAN was when Chamberlain
made his rebuttal. Dozens of people
crowded around him after the debate
was over to congratulate him and one
business man of Raymond assured him
that the fish bill appeared altogether
different than it had before the debate
Mr.. A. c. Little, owner and editor-in-
chief of the Raymond Review, mayor
of the city. and (saith Dame Rumor)
political boss Of Pacific county, was a
prominent lay figure in the proceed
ing. Mr.. Little for some reason OBJ
1ected strenuously to the regular rules
of debate being followed, insisting
that we waive our right of rebuttal
each side combining itself to straight
half-hour presentation of its argument
The unfairness of such a proceeding
is apparent to anyone who has ever
listened to debate. 1t would have been
fine dope to allow the gentlemen to
answer our argument with no oppor-
tunity to answer theirs. Indeed, Mr.
Little loudly acclaimed that unless we
waived this right there would be no de
bate. Needless to say We stood pat
and Mr.. Little had to subside.
Within a few days our petitions will
be in the hands of the secretary Of
state for checking and shortly after we
should know whether or not they are
to appear upon the ballot, The press
of the state, having clarvoyant pow
ers. has solemnly assured the people