The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1920-10-29
THE TIMES LIED
ON BOB BRIDGES
To the Voters of the State;

L
The misrepresentation of my posi-
ton on the japanese issue in this
state by certain newspapers and pub
lie speakers has been alike purpose
ful and malignant.
My position is very plain, very
simple.
These people are here. / did not
bring them here. They were brought
here by the interests that contloned,
and still control the Seattle Times;
by men like the late James J. Hill
and big corporate interests OF the
state.
They were brought here to com
pete with the American workers, and
with the hope of using them to
regulate" wages downward. They
are here under agreements between
the United States Government and
the Government of Japan.
| am opposed to arousing racial
feeling, by denunciation and discrim-
ination against them, which may re-
suit, as in the past in lawless vio-
lence.
Farm lands in the White River
Valley-the richest lands in the
Northwest-were practically "aban-
doned farms" ten years ago, owing
to the fact that white farmers could
not make enough money to keep
their families in the common COM
forts of life.
The exceedingly low prices paid
by the commission men, who con-
trolled the markets, for farm prod
ucts brought this result, and rendered
it impossible for any American
farmer to meet the condition thus
cerated.
This was the lesson which made me
realize that justice to the producer
and consumer could only be brought
by direct contact and cooperation
through public markets.
The last decade of my life had
been given to public service, without
pay, in building the public ports of
Seattle.
The great world war began in
1914, and in 1916 our country called
on every farmer to produce in order
that this country might not only
meet in its own needs, but aid III
feeding the starving millions of Eu-
rope. Like every other loyal citi-
zen, l responded.
l had passed the stage in life
where it would have been possible
for me to have rendered very mater
ial service by returning to the land.
My sons, in common with all other
patriots, entered the service.
My services were given for lone
hours each day in making our public
port facilities more efficient to serve
the great war needs and at moons
and nights l served as a four-min-
ute man in raising liberty loans, etc.
Ny land, for the most part, lay
idle, and in order to have it pro-
duce, l entered into a short-time
lease with two Japanese. If re-
spending to the appeal of my country
and making it possible for my land
to produce, under the. only condi-
tions possible, constitutes a crime
in the eyes of my traducers, plead
guilty.
While l believe the peoples of the
earth should have freedom to come
to this country on their own re
sources and volition, under proper
legal regulations that will safeguard
the citizens of America against eco
nomic dangers, | am now and al
ways have been opposed to wholesale
importations of Japanese and peoples
from other countries by the railroad
/ timber and other large corporations
for the purpose of reducing wages
and the standard of living of Ameri-
can working men and women.
Should l be elected Governor. l
shall take the initiative in appointing
a committee composed of representa-
tives of labor, farmers, educational,
church and business organiza tions
to consider the whole racial question
and make recommendations to the
national and state governments for
legal enactments that will best as
sure the prosperity of this state
and the welfare of its people.
The paper and class that is now
attacking me and brutally misrepre-
senting my position on this grave
question, purely for the purpose of
misleading the voters and making
certain the political contlol oI tnu
state by the special interests, ere
the ones primarily responsible for
the Japanese menace on this coast
today.
ROBERT BRIDGES.