Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-10-08
4 Change imppra.ivcly Needed

address to tho people of this county
from Mr.. Lambert Kraft. our noni-
nee for Sheriff, in which he gives
some very coTent reasons why there
should be radical change in the
management OF that Office. We
have not space in this issue TO allule
to the grave charges made against
Mr.. Billings, in detail, bat We pro-
pose, before the canvass closes, to
review them fairly and place before
the people such information as will
enable them to arrive at IL just de-
cision whcu they cast their ballots.
With private character we shall
not tampcr except where it may he
inseparably connected with official
duty, nor then if it can be avoided;
bat the public acts of any officer ale
a legitimate subject for the closest
scrutiny, especially when the person
is candidate for reelection TO the
Office in which he has failed TO sub
serve the interests of the people.
1t is, in fact, Mr ,mpcrMir" duty Of
every. citizen to investigate tho ser-
Gus accusations made by the Grand
Jury against the Sheriff, While acting
in the cr ol'icio capacity of Assessor.
They say III their report to the
Court:
1.-THE officers of tins comfy have neg
| lectod and failed in many particulars To
comply with the plaincst requirements Of
the statutes, in relation to Assessment
rolls, and we do find the fac, to he that
! the Assessor of this county has been care
less and ueglocttul. i'll macy particulars,
III the discharge of his duty as Assessor.
This is the sworn statement Of
sixteen men who had been specially
charged to investigate this matter,
signed by Mr. Van Eaton, the fort
man, who is the nominee for Repre-
sentative on the Republican ticket
with MI Billings, and consequently
as free from partisan bias as it is
possible for any man to be. That
the assessment of 1879 is Illegal,
from an inculable defect for which
the Assessor is alone responsible, has
long been claimed by competent
lawyers, and this loss of all delin-
quent taxes, including the large
amount assessed against the rail-
roads, is owing to this unfortunate
blunder. The people who paid their
taxes, WcgalYy assessed, have no
recourse, and will be compelled at
some future time, to go still deeper
in their pockets to make up the loss
sustained by such gross neglect of
duty.
Can anybody give q reason why
Mr.. Billings should be retained in II
lifelong lease of this Office when his
conduct has occasioned q positive
and heavy loss to every taxpayer in
the country? What guaranty have
We that still greater wrongs may got
be perpetfated under his admin
stration of public affairs ? BY what
right does he, or his party friends,
assume to again foist him upon the
people We venture to affirm that
30 ohjegt Of the canvas ~4prenls.wi'h
greater emphasis for reform than
this; it is, indeed, paramount to all
other considerations. if we would
not be involved in financial ruin.
GHE Lewis County Fair opened
last Wednesday, with every pros
pect of IL large attendance and u
creditable exhibit. The rain the
next day may have modified snch ex-
pectatons somewhat, but still 1t
had opened under such favorable
auspices that we predict it was IL
success 1nanclaily ana OtlefWlse.
GEN. Hancock positively refuses to
write the letter asked of him by some
northern Democrats, taking strong
ground against the payment of Southern
claims. lie knows better then panic
stricken advisers where Democratic
strength lies-Aryus.
Not SO fast, sonny. The letter is
acrit, and we think it is couched III
language plain enough for even Re-
publicans to understand.
The steamer Oregon could not go
to Portland, last trip. in consequences
of the low stage of water in the
Willamette. The low-water mark
has not vet been reached, and conse
quently ocean steamers will be coln-
| pallo1 IN 1iuhtar fraiuht until fha