Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-10-29
Arc we Losing our Rights!

Axe We Losing oar Rights.
This question seems pertinent III
connection with Il transaction in the
County Auditors Office this week,
which seems aIur, 'nI ilagrant an
outrage upon 4" 81. i ) Of citizenship
for belize :,'" days ago, accom-
panied by IL gentleman who is IL
candidate for country Office, we
called on Mr. Phillips, the County
Auditor, and requested permission
to Inspect the annual report OF the
Pro scouting Attorney, as it had be-
come Il matter of common notorotv
that he had given Instructions to tho
Assessor of this county which should
have enabled that office to DISCHARGE
his duty faithfully in assessing rail
road property, had it been followed.
The report was placed before us,
from which we made the extract
appearing i'll another column. We
then asked permission to examine
the letter of April 18th, which Mr..
Bloomfield says contained instruc
tons which had not been complied
with. We met with u fiat refusal.
MIR, Phillips admitted that the letter
was written by IL public officer, to
other public officers on matters af.
fectins public interests; but still, in
his official capacity, absolutely re-
fused to allow the people privilege
of examining the record, right nev-
er before denied. by any of the civil
officers, to our knowledge.
The object to be subservedin keep
ing the people ignorant of the acts
of their servants can only have been to
save them from the consequences of
gross violation of their official
duties, the magnitude of which can
only conferred from what hns already
been brought to light. If what Mr..
Phillips withheld is as damaging as
that which is now before the public,
what right has he, or any of the little
ring associated with him. to ask the
support OF honest men in this canvas
How could the information sup
pressed make the Assessors case anv
more hopeless, without involving
him in criminal responsibility there
fore? Or, is there something in the
letter affecting Mr.. Phillips own
conduct which he desires to keep
from the scrutinizing eyes OF the
public? The voter and taxpayer
must form his own judgment on the
matter. The records which he pays
his money to have made, is q sealed
book to him. The officer lie paws
to keep the record for the use of
the public, closes his little drawer
and defies any authority to open it.
Does it not come with an exceed
ingly bad grace from party de-
claring against violation of citizens
rights in the South to practically
inaugurate the r-chambor rule
here, and that too when the public
interest demands clear understand
ing of these matters?
=" My opponents hold me, who am no
lawyer strictly to the letter of the law. =
M. BMinyS CUcuiar.
The Court, the District Attorney
and the people, have tried in vain tc
hold you to the letter and the spirit
of the law regarding assessments
If you had simply obeyed the in
structions of the legally constituted
authority the people would have
been much better off to-day.
The Sober !Second-MoogM is the
name of a a new campaign paper
published in Portland, addressed
especially to Republicans. w
think sober first thought would be
III order with some Of them, to pre-.
pare them for the sequence contcm.
plated.
Nh. Billings claims that his con.
Wet enterprise causes the disburse-
mept of several hundred dollars pei
month in this county. And lie
might have added, keeps score OF
,norn hnnest out OF ON lnyman