Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-11-09
The School Election.


phases IN the mel nod, of conducting
such matters. Tue law constitutes
the retiring board officers of cleo
ton, but it certainly could not have
been contemplated by It's trainers
that an .'old boald' would become
active aspirants for reelection, OF
they would have provided for The
appointment of judges having no
personal interest in the result. Such
a provision S specially needed when
a well-1efned issue is presented re-
suliiny from the official policy or acts
of the directors, upon which the peo-
pie are required 20 pass judgment.
The average vo;er is easily swayeG
when. as on last Saturday, lie virtu-
allo deposits an open ballot, by be-
Ing compelled 10 obtain it from a
desk in full view of the judse-c ndi-
dates. ii was observed in several
instances that the wavering hand
settled down upon the g. old ticket
as tue official eyes become focused
upon the individual.
One would suppose that those who
lay claim TO all the intelligence, pa
triotism and enterprise Of the COM
mnnity, would not stoop to acts
OF doubtful prOpriety, to call them
by no harsher term. It would lie
expected that, relying upon the JUS
tlce of their cause, they would d.
sire the utmost publicity for all their
acts. But what are theta cts in Tie
case. The cold boa rd," after their
organ, the Courier, lad been pub
lished, issued an address just before
election, in which they claimed that
those who disapproved of the special
tax were using their utmost endevors
to thrust the crown of martyrdom
upon them and appealing to their
friends to rally for the supper. OF
popular education" If their
claims were just, why did they not
make the newspaper the medium for
setting them forth, so that they
| might have been met in like public
manner ? Is it not altogether prob
able that the same sly policy which
prompted them to hold the election
in an out.of-the-way place, called by
notices which not one in ten of the
voters ever saw, likewise influenced
this dodge? For be it remembered
that the old board" strenuously
maintain that the district has no
school-house (the building used be-
longing to the town., SO it was plain.
ly within their power 10 have ordered
the election to take place at some
more centrally located and convent
ent place.
But these are not the most serious
objections to the proceedings of the
election board. It WAS their duty
to have guarded the ballot.box frou
illegal votes, bat it seems their con-
struction of law was remarkably lib.
eral for the friends of popular ed
ucation." Section 3,1S8 defines the
qualification of voters as follows:
| Every inhabitant, male or female, owe,
the age OF twenty.one years who shall
have resided in the school district for
three months Immediately preceding any
district meeting and who shall have paid
road tax, in said district shall be a Legal
voter at any school meeting and no Other
person shall be allowed 10 vote"
II is stated on reliable authority
that the three months residence re.
qulrement was not observed in sew
eral instances when parties were
voting for the cold board" and
their construction of the clause re.
lating to the payment Of school ia,
was SO sweeping as to lie. down
the bars to anybody vino might
wear a flash watch. chain, thereby
defeating the object of The law which
was to make only those who ia.
such tax eligible as voters. In fac,
it is claimed that several oroides no,
visible when The assessor was around
voted for the old board" while one
OF the judges twirled his watch-key
With eminent satisfaction. Some
loud-mouthed " middle" was so un.
charitable as to affirm that this wal
the key to an intimation that if the in
dividual was in any doubt as to his
property or financial qualifications,
the watch itself, by stretch of legal
interpretation, might record its pre-
terence for the "old board"
While the opponents Of the return
ing board have no disposition, SO far
as we know, of prolonging the con-
troversy they do propose to show
up the questionable methods by
which one or two schemers have in
fuenced the popular verdict, when.
ever their own motives are assailed.
The Courier, in its Incorporate zeal,
has arrayed against it a class of peo-
pie who, instead of being the embod-
lment OF Ignorance, penuriopsness
and old fogyism," are.some of our
heaviest taxpayers aud most respect
ell citizens. Be it known that it is
a want OF confidence in the judgment