The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-02-09

fecscd most OF tho men who have
been sent 10 the legislature nom
that district.
Two years ago candidates for tho
legislature and for various state OF.
fees came before the people. and
thoy recognized there a-as one prime
issue. That was taxation-tnS nigh
cost Of government.
We saw tho cost OF running this
government Increase from ss,eoo,o 900
IN, 1910 10 some $4,000, 900 In 1870
an increase OF $40 per cent with an
Increase In population OF less than
Is per cent.
And 80 men came before rs
and pledged themselves TO TO
duce the cost Of government.
That meant that they wero 90
Ing 10 spend less money than
they had spent before. And what
did they dos
They went 10 Olympia and In
absolute violation Of that pledge
they appropriated morn money
than any legislature had ever
appropriated In tho history oil
the state.
And ] went up and down IN my
reactionary district telling the people
that every man who had violated
his pledge to his constituents should
be driven from public office ne the
first opportunity: and the thing that
1 regret very much. indeed. Was
that the state officers who were In
large measure responsible were not
M for reelection SO that We could
have a chance 10 put tho blame
where n really belongs
SANE GROUP
Is NOW IN CONTROL
Now. ] went down 70 Olympia
with firm hope that there would
DO new spirit In that legislature.
that the forces Of reaction would
not dominate y. and that we would
be able 10 do something TO relieve
the tax burden that rests upon
every city and community In the
state. I tell you the present outlook
Is not good.
The same forces are there: the
same Influences that mean extrava-I
gance. that mean tho building OF a
political machine at the expense OF
the welfare Of the people. That same
group Is In control. They arc not
in control with tho acqulescence OF
few Of Us. but they are nevcrthe-
less In control: and I can see no
evidence up 10 date Of any serious
and sincere intention OF reducing the
expenditures OF the government OF
this state. Tho people at large may
not like the Hart machine. they
may not Ike the present admins.
tration: but tell you down there
they are ACC high
/ think we have good laws In this
etate: / think we have a good form
Of government in this state: / don't
think we are working II right.
There was a Hebrew woman went
out 10 take golf lessons. She came
back TO her husband and refused
to take any more lessons. might
tell you who do not play golf that
there are two things about golf: one
Is the form-the manner IN which
you swing the club: the other is the
stance-the way you stand and hold
the club. She told her husband that
the golf instructor had insulted her
and she wouldn't take any more les
sons.
He said. What did he say to
your"
She replied, HE said Your form
Is good but your stencil Is AWFUL"
That IL the way il Il with tho
G1afe government
When went down there you can
imagine that. being a young man.
new man. received much advice.
] have been taken aside many times
ans told thai l should get in with
the bunch and drill. that / was
foolish to try 10 fight these fellows,
that my place was to take the ad.
vice Of the old men who had been
there before. And I talked to some
Of those old.timers.
talked to senator who had
been there since 1897: and he said,
What do you expect TO dot"
said, Il expect to vote my con.
victions."
He said, You can't do II. You
will forget that. You viii forget
that down here"
said. Don't you vote your con.
victions?" In my innocence said
that.
Wen" he said. IL don't like 20
put It that way. But you know" no
says, You have 10 give something.
You can't always vote the way you
think" Now, am conceited enough
to think that you can vote the way
you think; and think that right
there Is tho thing that strikes al
representative government. There
arc certain influences brought 10
bear upon legislator. A man
knows certain things that are good
for O majority Of the people: and
take II we are there to do the great.
est good for the greatest number.
What are the forces that are repre-.
scented there? The people who sup.
ply the money and the influence
and the argument to those men are
not there In the interests OF the
greatest good Of the greatest mum.
Der. but they are there for some
selfish purpose; and legislator or
any officer cannot serve two mas.
ters. ! am sorry TO say that In
many cascs that know Of the mas.
ters Of those legislators are not the
people Of this state. SEQ 1t every
day.
want you TO picture poor leg.
islator coming in from Wahkinkum
county or Agotln county. He wants
10 do right, but he has got some
little selfish purpose. Ho wants
little strip Of road two miles long
for his folks there. How Ia he going
20 get ~? That IL the question.
He doesn't come there with the Idea
that he win do what he car for tho
best interests OF the pecpIs as a
whole. lilo has. TO be rure. tho idea
IN the back Of his head; but his pri.
T.