The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-01-25

Friday, Jan. Is, 1878.
FOOD FOR VOTERS.

As the wires are being laid for the
next election, though II il more than
eight months of, yet there are some
things which are fit subjects for con-
sideration just at this time. The great
question in tho selection Of candidates
is that Of competency and honesty.
The adjoining County Of Pierce affords
us . good example Of the value Of coE-
potency. Its County Treasurer is =;
tually deposed from Office by one Of lis
bondsmcn, who il compelled, for his
own protection. to assume charge of
the office and finish the collection of
taxes. No one has charged the Treasu-
rer with being dishonest, but he is
slovenly and negligent to such degree
that bis cash il over two thousand dol
lars short Of the face Of the Auditors
warrants. This man was elected
through sympathy On account Of being
" On old settler" and Q " life long DEM
ocrat )" but plenty of those who voted
for him knew that he was wholly in
competent. OF all follies. that of
voting for an incompetent man through
sympathy. is the very worst. II . man
is poor and deserving. give him what
you can afford il you have nothing to
give, say %. but don't elect an ignorant
man 70 position that requires one Of
ability. for you infici = wrong upon
the community whenever you do so.
One thing we wish specially to men,
tion in this connection, is the selection
Of competent persons as Assessors.
Generally the Office goes to some man
who has two or three offices Of other
sorts. 81 1t does not keep man the
year round. In this way the county
has to take is pick between the venal
and corrupt on the one hand, and the
ignorant on the other. The last return
of assessments in this county abund-
antly attcsted this fact The returns
showed sNtotal for 1877 of Sl,995. 1927
against $2.l33,02S, for 1876. making
. decrease of 1872 for the year.
People could not see how this could be,
with only one fire in town during the
year, 80 the officers began looking over
the lists, aud found the utmost disre-
gard Of arithmetic in all the work.
After proper examination and rectifca-
ton. it was proven that, notwithstand-
ing . most disastrous business season
had been experienced from Sitka to
Fort Yuma. in spite Of ali, King county
had gone ahead and actually gained
over $4,000 worth of property. So
much fer employing men who believe
that three aud four make eight. Thou
sands Of dollars could be saved by the
employment Of competent men in this
capacity.
And when you nominate. SEQ that
you select men who can do tho work
themselves. Don't reason to yourself,
"I'll vote for Smith, because he is poor
and has big family. He's not smart;
but he'll hire Jones To do the work in
the office, and thatll be all right
That's no way to fill public trusts.
Select men who are competent them
selves, and who do not have 60 call in
the aid Of deputy unless they are
crowded with work. Even honesty is q
secondary consider alton to competency,
for If q man proves dishonest, tho CON-
nunity still has recourse against the
sureties upon his official bond; while il
he is only ignorant and negligent, the
people must sweat under the burden
till tho next election day So the
importance of choosing competent aud
self-rsliant men is plaiuly to be seen.
Let the votsrt digest these considera.
lions. for there. is . good deal more
truth than poetry in what We have sug-
gested.