Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1894-10-18
OWE ANDERSON, MontesanO
REPUBLICAN EXTRAVAGANZA

From the amount OF space devoted TO
THE HERALD by the Republican organs, it
has evidently given them something to
think about. The editor Of the Recorder,
who lives at Montesano, devotes two col
umns to answering some OF the state
ments regarding county expenses, and in
making excuses for Republican officials.
The inference that the county superinten-
dent had travelled some six thousand
miles seems to worry them the most.
Mr.. Hutchinson says, and we presume it
TO be the truth, that he was paid for 200
visits and for 2,2lS miles OF travel. The
Republican papers claim that he might
have have made 255 visits and travelled
1924 miles, under the law, and that be-
cause he has not done so he has been an
economical servant, and saved the tax
payers several hundred dollars. This we
deny, and defy them to show how he
could travel 5 1854 miles and comply with
The law. The law reads:
SEC. II. Each county superintendent
shall have the power, and it shall be his
duty Second To visit each
school in his county not less than one
nor more than three times in each year:
Provided, that he shall receive mileage
in going to and returning from said school
for not more than two trips annually:
And provided further: That in incorpor-
ated cities and towns, where city superin.
tendents are employed, he shall receive
pay for one visit only in each year. E.
SEC. II. The county superintendent
shall, in addition to the salary fixed by
law, be allowed three dollars for each
school visited, and mileage at the rate Of
ten cents per mile for each mile actually
and necessarily travelled in making such
visits Provided, That no
constructive mileage shall be charged.
The law compels him to make but one
visit to each school year, giving him
three dollars for each school SO visited,
Within his discretion he may make not
to exceed three visits, but is positively
PROHIBITED FROM MILEAGE FOR But TWO
and in incorporated cities having a sup
erintendent Of schools he shall MAKE But
ONE VISIT. The language Of the statute
quoted is that he shall have three dollars
for each school visited, and good lawyers
say that does not mean for each visit made
but for the school, no matter how many
visits. But allowing that it may mean
for each visit, and allowing that the at
torney general has ruled that he can draw
pay for each department in q graded
school; although We do no see how the
statute can mean "school" when applied
to cities, and "vsit" when applied to
rural districts; still We can see how Re-
publican official could make ruling
which would allow the superintendent to
count not only each grade in the schools
but every scholar, too, if he thought the
people would stand it; but allowing that
Mr.. Hutcheson has construed the law
Alright. we defy him or anyone else to
show that, in the past year OF financial
ruin, when considerable OF the expense of
his office was discretionary, he has not
pulled every dollar out of the treasury
that, by any kind Of twisting Of the law,
he could lay possible claim TO. He has
not been an economical servant, and he
knows it. Even by his construction Of
the law three visits to each Of the So rural
districts would give but $50 visits, and
we doubt if the other Al for which he
drew pay can be made up by one visit to
every department Of each Of the six
schools in incorporated towns.
We have no personal attack to make on
Mr.. Hutchinson, but are simply showing
the people what Republican officials will
do under Republican laws and simply
use him as an illustration. The Repub-
licans are asking the voters OF this county
to return him to Office, as we'll as Re-
publican to every other office. Voters
will you do it, and foot the bill?