Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1915-03-12
COUNTY OFFICIAL PAPER.
CITY OFFICIAL PAPER.
WILL THEY COME BACK?

AT the close of the congressional and state cam
paigns last fall, when the Republican party ran
stronger than it had two years before and the
Progressive party slipped into the cellar here in
Washington behind the Socialists, all kinds of
Progressive leaders in this state with alacrity and
wide publicity, toppled over one another to an
nounce their return "to the party of their faith
ers' and their deep and honest and sincere con-
viction that the detection of the progressives in
1912 had regenerated the Republican party, had
taught it the errors of its ways, had shown it the
sentiment of the people, and that therefore the
Republican party was better and the proper
vehicle to carry out the principles of the Progress
sive party principles which they averred would
become more paramount. And at the opening of
the legislature that closed this week, all of the
PrOgressives of the senate and several Of the
house formally announced their allegiance to the
Republican party organization, lined up with that
organization, became parties to it's trades and
agreements, and voted with it.
The record Of that legislature is now before
them, "the most reactionary record of any in the
history of the state" as the Pasco Progress puts
it, noting that progressive legislation that had
been written on the statute books after hard
fight by the people" had been repealed, amended
or emasculated. As the Progress sees it, that
record, up to the last week Of the session, is:
Virtual emasculation of direct primary law
and passage of such legislation will restore the
power to rule in the hands of party bosses.
Restriction of present initiative, referendum
and recallalaws to an extent that will make their
future employment by the people almost impos-
sible.
Repeal of eight-hour day law proposed repeal
of mothers pension law; and amendment of full
crew law to the extent that in the future will be
virtually imperative.
The legislature has not issued call for a
stitntional convention, has not reapportioned the
state it is its duty to do has not adopted
budget system, has not abolished the shameful
pork barrel' system of handling the road funds,
nor has it practiced the economy that its individ
ual members all made part of their prediction
pledges
These are not all of the reactionary acts Of this
session, but these are enough to prompt the query
whether the Republican party has been regener-
ated as the Progressive leaders so valiantly pro-
claimed after the third of last November, when
their last chances to get jobs had gone a-glimmer
ing, or whether it had seen the Of its ways
or learned the sentiment of the people. The Pasco
Progress calls it a shameful record, record that
Greatest deep disgust in every citizen who really
loves this commonwealth and desires to it
progress. 1t is record that almost forces an
honest and patriotic citizen to ask himself whether
not popular government is failure; for the
control of the present legislature is vested in the
hands of small machine and operating at the
behest Of and in the employ of exploitive and
rupt special interests. And these sinister interests
are making hay while the sun shines and reap
ing harvest that will cost the people of this state
dearly in the long years to come"
Last fall we heard lot about the Progressives
returning to the Republican party, because the
leaders had spoken and it thought those who
cast the votes would follow them like sheep Will
they come back after such record as this? Will
they take their leaders word for the reformation
of the Republican party when every official act
of this Legislature has been direct slap at anyone
and everyone who thought progressive
thought ever espoused progressive principle or
ever worked for the success of progressive idea
Will they come back?
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