Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1915-02-19
Partyism Runs Mad.

The fourteenth legislature gives
promise of going down in history a:
one CT the most useless if not positive
ly vicious sessions yet held. The state
needs much Wholesome legislation. yeI
two-thirds of the sixty days have beer
trifled away with but little OF the
expectations realized: in fact. nothing
has been accomplished beyond the pas
sage Of a few appropriation bills. This
too. in spite of the fact that the mem
bership of the fourteenth session Is
generally credited with being above
the average in point Of ability as com
pared with previous sessions.
The explanation Is not far to seek
and the advocates Of non-partisan gov
eminent Of the state are being furnish
cd with striking illustration Of the
need for the adoption Of their theory.
1t seems to be a case Of party hydro
phObia even more acute than was the
attack in 1912 that reached its crisis
at the Aberdeen convention. A small
coterie Of political tricksters appear to
be in the saddle and determined to
ride down all necessary legislation that
fails to involve political jobs and party
supremacy somewhere.
The attempt practically to nullify
the constitutional provision providing
the right OF referendum, by attaching
an emergency clause to House Bill
No. "a. simply to provide jobs for polit
ical pets in the selection of lands re-
Gently allowed to the state, reveals a
total lack of knowledge Of the senti-
ment throughout the state That the
republican party is progressive by a
large majority is ignored. despite the
severe lesson of 1912. and the real
interests of the state. which call for
craftsmanship, are subordinated to a
penny ante game Of politics.
That this may not be dismissed as
the vaporings Of Democratic news
paper. We reprint below q leading edi.
torial from the Spokane Spokesman
Review. republican paper, on party
madness in this legislatures:
Absorbed in . multiplicity Of other
thoughts. cares and duties the people
Of Washington are slow to fathom the
fun significance Of the Whitney bills
before the legislature. These two
measures. framed BY w. H. Whitney
Of Seattle. have the approval Of the
republican state central committee.
They are Organization" bills, and If
enacted into law the republican party
viii bear the brunt Of subsequent pub
lilo condemnation.
That condemnation will be felt when
the voters come face to face with
their practical workings. The indie
pendently inclined voter-and his name
II legion-will voice his protest if.
upon going to the city hall to register,
he Is informed by the registering clerk
that he must declare his party affilia-
ton and have it made a matter of
record.
But if / refuse?' he viii ask. in
that CASE the clerk would reply. Il
must stamp your resignation decline
to state" And then what~ you
viii not be permitted to take part in
the primaries. You win not be allowed
to sit as delegate in county or state
convention. You will be disharred
from the privilege Of running for Of
fee. You viii be privileged only to
vote in the November general elec.
tons. and you will be DISTINGUISHED SC
far as taking any part in nominating
candidates is concerned" =
Even now protest is sharp against
these radically partizan measures. bu,
it will be as a June zephyr to No
vemher blast il the bills become Law
and the people are made to go vi
against them.
The Whitney bills are more than re
dictionary. They are revolutionary
They propose an unprecedented depart
ure from the fundamental principles O
American government. They would
make the public officials in Washing
ton. both county and stated excepting
only the iudges) oath-bound vassal.
OF political party machines, sworn tt
20 down the line for the partys pro
gram.
Il further declare ESQ runs the
proposed filing affidavit) that I
hereby accept and indorse the plat
form as heretofore adopted by the
said party at it's last state conyen-
ton. If elected hereby agree to
support the same. and endeavor to
have enacted into law the prin-
ciples therein enunciated."
The party platforms wculd be framed
by hidebound partizans ~ political
machines dominated by parry bosses
Citizens OF Independence could ncs hoi,
p2hlie Office Legislators. for exam
pie. would be sworn to support in it,
entirety the program that had beer
framed up in the state convention b,
II bosses Of the party machine. ever
though their constituents might b
overwhelmingly against some part o
1 program.