The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1917-03-30
IF YOU WOULD CHANGE YOUR
LEGISLATURE, START NOW!

SpOheSIneD TWO dDle anu fearless
champions in the persons of James f.
Bradford and w. D. Lane of Seattle
Both of these men carry punch, and
they landed on that bill with all the
eloquence and force at their command,
and both of the gentlemen carry a
generous supply. Bradford told the
legislators that this bill contained the
identical principle contained in the
certificate of necessity and conven-
ience bill, which was referred to the
people and defeated by an overwhelm-
ing vote.
John R. Wilson of King County,
since deceased, arose and flung the
following pertinent question at Jim
Bradford's head:
"Will the gentleman explain why it
was that the people turned down the
seven referred measures which he has
mentioned, but sent back to the
Legislature the men who enacted
them into law?"
Mr.. Wilson touched a sore spot. In
the name of common sense, why did
the people do this thing? They knew,
if they gave it a thought, that they
had nothing to hope for in the way
of progressive legislation from most
of the men who sat in the infamous
session of 1915. Yet 1917 saw a
goodly proportion of that crowd back
again, still defiant, still at cross pur-
poses with the popular will in legis-
lation.
We are very repentent now. We
hang our heads and plead for a
chance to make good next time. But
well, what will we do about it?
Will we fool along until the prim-
aries of 1918 are almost upon US, then
go out and split up into several poll
tical camps, let reactionaries walk off
with the primary nominations in the
dominant political party, and take our
usual trimming at the polls? That
has been our past political course.
The North Dakota farmers did that
for years until they woke up to the
folly of it all. Then they decided
to play the game. They formed a
statewide organization that ripped
the political machine of the corpor-
ate interests into bits. They elected
practically every state officer, ma
jority Of the state supreme court, a
controlling majority in one branch of
the Legislature, and were only kept
from complete control through a loss
of the other branch. Next election
they will clean that up, and then
watch those farmers.
If progressive forces in this state
ever hope to clean up on their Legis-
lature in this state they will have to
start earlier than one month before
the primaries. They ought to start
NOW. They ought to make a survey
of every legislative district in the
state and separate the sheep from the
goats. Forward looking people are
in the vast majority in this state.
They lose out because they can't get
together and elect men who will stand
for progressive principles in legisla-
ton. | never saw a candidate for
the Legislature yet who didn't pre-
tend before election that he was a
''friend of labor" When a mans rec
ord proclaims him otherwise, why
send him back? But we do that sill
ly thing. An ounce of prevention is
worth a dozen lobbyists. Why not
send our men to sit behind the desks
and VOTE. They are of more use
to US there than down on their
knees in the capitol lobby.
Size up the situation in your dis
trict, you and your progressive
friends, and and start NOW to
change the complexion of the next
Legislature.