Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1916-02-04
NOT in THE DAYS NEWS
Being Some sprghy and Forcefu Comments Men, Measures
and Events.
BY ROBERT S. DOUBLEDAY.
and Events.

| BY ROBERT S.
The esteemed Mason County Jour
nal essays a reply to an article of
mine, of some weeks ago, in which
article was set forth few incidental,
historic, political facts concerning
the Republican party and the periods
of "hard times" which have occurred
during it's dominance. and in which
article was pointed out, also, the alb
surdity and the inconsistency of the
weeping walls Of the Republicans
about alleged Democratic hard
times" The talented editor of the
Journal comedies, in effect, that
owing to the length of the original
article, and for other reasons-the
reply is not just what it might be.
No one will dispute that contention.
However, it is as effective as could
be made, considering the facts orig
inally presented. The reply is fine
example that partisan loyalty
which should be abundantly reward
ed in this world, for it never will be
in the next.
In the absence Of better grounds
for reply, the Journal states that my
original article was ian admission of
such charges" as that there has been
an cutter failure of the Democratic
party to arise to the situation during
the present administration" It
would require a partisan strabismus
of sad type to find any such admis-
sion in the article championing the
cause of Democracy, or to see any
such failure in Democratic perform
ance. Pray who are these our Re-
publican friends that we should offer
them Excuses" even if any were re-
quired? Genuine Democrats through
out the land are proud of the achieve
ments of the present administration.
The only divergence of opinion as to
policy between any of the Democrats
at all has been upon the question as
to whether or not we are ready to
60 still further along the lines of
social Righteousness and radical,
democratic ideals or whether we must
still cling to the conventional course
about ornaments and the methods
of handling international affairs.
Few administrations since the begin
ming of our government have con-
fronted such trying situations, some
of them having been brought about
by the unfortunate tendencies of the
Republicanism which has hitherto
prevailed. and some by unusual con-
ditions abroad. No administration
in the history of the country has &C.
quilted itself more creditably in the
face of such situations. Only the
poise, the patience, and the states
manship of really great men could
have achieved all that is to be cred
tied to the present administration.
The purblind partisanship of Repub-
lican criticisms is obvious enough
when we contemplate the confusion
and the conflict among the critics.
Some have it that we should make
an armed invasion OF Mexico, and
others that we should have recog-
nized Huerta and given no heed at
all to conditions in the land of our
next-door neighbors to the south.
Some have it that we should have a
great deal more preparedness"
than the administration proposes, and
some that we should have a great
deal less. Some that we are in the
midst Of a direful period of hard
times" and others that we are en-
joying booming prosperity on ao-
count of a war in Europe. Some that
we are on the verge Of financial erup-
tons, and others that we are going
along sublimely substantial, because
of banking laws enacted by Repub-
licans-oblivious of the fact that the
Democrats have radically revised the
banking regulations since they came
into power. Some that we are in a
period of depression because the
Democratic tariff law has opened the
gates for importations a trife, and
others that we are prospecting be-
couse there are no importations, the
European war being alleged to have
stopped them. And so on, ad libitum.
It Is like that good old Republican
hymn that the tariff is not a tax and
the foreigner pays 1t 'in pure gold"
There is no sort Of harmony in the