Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1893-10-09
HoFsR BROTHERS. Editors.
AN IMPORTANT MATER.


litical standpoint and SO far as the act
ual details of state government are con-
cerDed is that Of Secretary Of State in
Oregon. II combines duties that in
some states are distributed among those
district state departments-the Seerr-
tary. of State, Auditor of State and
Comptroller of Insurance, banking and
assessments. The duties are very on
rous, the emoluments are lucrative, the
atronage controlled larger than that
If any other state Office, and owing to
its coming so closely in contact with all
the wants of the people its political inn
portance is very great.
In all these respects the present Sec
retary of State has made most admir-
able officer, but owiHg to constitution
al Limitation cannot again be candi
date. A new man must be chosen.
Some time since the JOURNAL referred
to Harrison r. Kincaid, the veteran
editor of the Eugene State Journal, as
we'll fitted to receive the nomination Oh
the Republican ticket. 1t was NOT
with any view to bringing him before
the people as a candidate, but rather to
bring on a discussion of the qualifica-
tions needed to properly fill tine duties
Of the Office of Secretary of State. 1t is
only with that view we discuss the
matter now. We do not understand
that he is a candidate or seeks the
place, or that anyone is seeking il for
MIN, or that he has authorized anyone
to use his name as a candidate. AS it
seems TO many, the office is too import
ant to be given to a place seeker. If a
suitable man can be got nominated,
who possesses the character, the integ.
rity and ability to fill the office and
promote the reforms in our state gov.
ernment that the people are most deep
ly interested in seeing brought about,
that man should be put up and elec ed.
1t is almost too much to expect in pres
ent conditions of affairs that we should
be able t. secure such mla to serve
The people. But if we knew that any
one were conspiring and making com
binations to get the place we eertaihly
should not publish his name as can
didate.
What we warted to do was to call at
tention ts the training and qualifica-
tions for this position which are pos
sessed in degree by an old newspaper
man that few other walks of life are
capable of bestowing. Perfect fami.
iarity with the political history of our
state, with the people and the public
men, with the legislation and depart
mental affairs, with the subjects of tax
alton, assessment, transportation, and
more than all, with the details and
needs Of our state institutions-thes
are attributes offs journalistic career
covering nearly forty years tnat no one
can deny. That these attributes ar,
possessed in high degree by Mr.. Kin
caid no one will dispute.
II is assumed that an entirely new
man will be chosen to fill this Office
next spring for term of four years.
Hence the necessity of considering somt
tests OF fitness for this important posi-.
ton. Without disparaging the other
walks of life and professions, we mere
Iy point out what the people would
gain in this particular Office by filling
i with man whose work for life |
lime might be said to have pecullarl,
adapted him for the performance ofits
iuties. There may be other gentlemen
fitted to entitle them to the |
nomination, and we have only written
his 10 explain why we recently men
ioned Mr.. KIncaid.