The Lieutenant Governor’s Moral Steamroller

Lieutenant Governor M. E. Hay is the biggest man in Olympia. Without any of the Roosevelt-style brass bands and spectacular stunts, he has started his own little steamroller and flattened out a few undesirable agents. Hay is going to have his own way so far as he sees his way, or he is going to know why. The manner in which he shredded J. Will Ljrijni was the first indication of the Hay temperament, and since that time there have been several little instances of an official or semi-official character which indicate that Mr. Hay will live up to the square-set, steel-trap expression of his jaws. Hay is worth a million dollars and is having his first touch of political high life. He is in a position where any political prospects have no allurements for him by reason of the emoluments they may hold forth. He doesn't need the money and he is rather particular about the company he keeps, political and otherwise. Any political honors that may come to him will doubtless be acceptable, but from a recreative standpoint and a laudable ambition to succeed. But these honors must come with clean hands. Hay is a successful merchant. He built his business and made his money along clean and honest lines. It is the only way he knows and he is 'set' in his ways. He is a truthful man, as the newspaper men have learned, and he expects absolute and exact veracity from all others. Hay is in favor of moral legislation. He had as one of his duties to appoint a committee on public morals. He named a committee that stands six to three for morality in every sense. He considered that as bankers are put on banking committees, lawyers on judiciary committees, 'moral' men should be placed on public morals committees. He never evaded the issue for a second but came straight out from the shoulder. The result is that Hay has made good from the start.