Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1884-10-29
INTELLIGENCE IN OFFICE.

County will have deposited those express
sions of their choice which will select
certain mentor the various positions
within their gift. The RECORD hopes
and believes that when the result is
known it will be found that the best men
have majority of the ballots. For the
welfare of the county, great care should
be exercised in the choice Of men for the
different positions. While this paper was
not in favor of drawing party lines in the
nomination of county officers, yet it is
entirely satisfied with most of those
named by the Republican convention.
However, in the matter of the nomina-
ton for Commissioner of the Second
district the RECORD has decided objec-
tion, and for the following reasons In
the. first place. by the method of delegate
representation now existing there is no
possibility for a fair expression of public
opinion in the nomination of Commits
sioners. As stated recently in this paper,
where certain schooltownship--the basis
Of delegate representation-lies in differ
ent Commissioners districts, the COM
plexion of the delegation coming from
such school township depends entirely on
luck-or, possibly, on political "science."
The delegates, if from one end of the
school township, are entitled to vote for
certain candidate for Commissioner if
from the other end, the delegates would
be in ano ther district. At the late con-
vention two Of the three delegates from
Cherry Grove were in the Second district;
the other was from the First. It is easily
seen that, if by chance all the delegates
had been from the First, the balance of
the school township would have been un-
represented, and vice versa. Under such
conditions we claim that there was no
fair expression of opinion in the choice of
Commissioner for the Second district In
the First and Third districts the men
named were thorouhly competent and rep
resentative they had no opposition what
ever in the convention; they will be
elected, and will give aatisfactionato the
people of the whole county.
Even if regularly and fairly nominated
by the Republicans of the Second dis
trict ar impossible proposition - we
could not have supported Mr.. F. D.
Walker. The gentleman as private cit
izen has our warmest friendship; but,
when he places himself before the people
as candidate for one of the most i'm
portant county offices, we would fail in
our duty to the public if we did not dis
cuss his fitness for the place. In oilr
judgment he does not possess a single
qualification for the position, and we
| have not yet found a man with the hardi-
| hood to assert that he was or is the choice
of the Republicans of the Second district.
His so-called nomination was comedy !;
his election would be farce.
The RECORD, being opposed, for what
| it considers the best of reasons, to the
election of Mr.. Walker, will now state its
views regarding the gentleman who is
opposing him..
Mr.. William T. Yeater, from the time
he settled here, has been unremitting in
his efforts to improve and build up the
region in which he has made his home.
In the public. places which he has titled
he has been as energetic and painstaking
as in private life. Both as a Cvmmls.
sioner and on the, Williamsport School
Board there has not been one act of his
against which the slightest proof IN sup
port Of the accusations of malice can be
brought. Some Of the most silly and
contemplate charges have been made
but those malicious slanderers who have
formulated them have never for an in
stant considered it worth while to avoid
giving insult to the intelligence OF un
prejudiced people by furnishing the
slightest proof of their charges Time
and again we have heard members ot
the ancient and, Honorable(7) Brother
hood of Backcappers" asserting that
Yeater has done this or Yeater has
done that; time and. again We
have Informed these men that, il
proof were furnished, in the interest o1
the people and in punishment of an un
faithful public servant, unless the charges
could be satisfactorily refuted through
these columns, we would denounce tht
offender But the proof-not even cred
ible circumstantial evidence-has beer
forthcoming and until it does come tn.
RECORD will consider these windy mouth
ings as emanating from personal enemies
of Mr.. Yeater, or from those who believe
one of their number could sit comfort
ably and gracefully in the chair which
the Second District Commissioner ha,
occasionally warmed during the past yea
in the County Board.
In conclusion the RECORD desires t.
say that it intends to support intelligcn,
and competent men for office, SO long q
it believes them honest and faithful tina
it will require proof and not the outcrop