Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1894-08-17
Commotion at the Court house.

TAkrY NECESSITY TAkIIiG kSFORCE>
A DEMAND OF TIE ILOIIE.
The County Commissioners last Sat
urlay fired boom shell into the
camp Of county employees in the court
house. They passed resolutions cut
ting down the clerical force in the
Offices Of the Auditor, the Sheriff, the
Treasurer and the Clerk to one dep.
uty each, at salary OF $50 per month.
They base this action upon the state
ment that the warrant Indebtedness
exceeds the II per centum limit pre-
scribed 10y law, and the total indebted
ness the five per centum which may
be the limit when three-tifths of the
voter. assent thereto. They also for
bid the Auditor from issuing warrants,
unless there be money III the fund on
which drawn to pay the me on pre-
sentation.
1t is a noteworthy fact that the
same issue OF the court-journal which
announced this freak OF economy on
the part OF the County Commissioners
contained in another column the paid
announcement over their own sigma
lures of the candidacy OF Commission
ers Israel and Osborne for reelection
to the same Office. 1t is likewise
worthy of note that ever since tine
award OF the county printing contract
TO the Oynpidn, some months ago, it
has continually sneezed whenever
these gentlemen took snuff.
A few days ago, while that paper
deplored the condition OF county fin.
ances, and condemned the system
which piled up costs. it asserted with
great complacency that the Commits
sions were not at fault; that they had
done all in their power by discharge
OF several employees and cutdown OF
five per cent. OF few salaries, some
months ago, an Insignificant act CON-
pared with that of Saturday. 1t had
not, however, read 80 clearly as had
the jewellers at the feast the handwrit.
ing On the wall. nor heard the mutter-
ings of the people when they realized
the fact that notwithstanding the bur-
densome taxes placed on the property
OF the county, its owners were grad
ually sinking still deeper into the mire
OF dependency and ruin. 1t had not
grasped the necessity which exists for
some decisive act which might miti.
gate, in some degree, party RESPONSE
bility for misrule of the past. 1t was
not aware that some of the long-head-
ed politicians, led by Col. Owings, were
about to call halt. in the interest OF
party safety, nor were the Commits.
sioners cognizant of this fact until the
train had been laid for a general ex-
plosion, and the exigency became one
in which haste was imperatively neces.
sary. BY lively work they managed to
fire their mitrailleuse just As Nick
was training his columbiad and the
result was a fizzle, for the heavier
piece.
Col. Owings' petition and request
for tabulated list of the salaries and |
receipts of each Office, was but the ba-
sis for demand that, in the interest of |
economy, barnacles should be scraped
from the ships bottom, and the Com
missioners realizing that by precipi.
tate action they might claim for them.
selves the political capital with which |
Mr.. OWings doubtless intended to re-
pair his own fences, at once took the |
"bull by the horns" fguratively
speaking, and despite his struggles ap-
piled the knife so vigorously and ef-
fectively that he is, in some degree at
least, incapacitated for the time from
making further trouble.
1t is noted, likewise, that some Of
the emasculated clerks have recovered
80 far from the cut that they can joke
amid their sufferings. One of these
posted on his door few days after
wards the placard, 1.-THE $6O-clerk has
gone to dinner. Parties having
money to pay can throw it over the
transom." The venom of this satur.
nine joke is its chief merit, but the
taxpayers are inclined to laugh at any
thing connected with a movement
like this, and while their merriment
may not be An indication OF sympathy
it is none the less sincere on that &C.
count.
The bob-tail service in the court
house seems, 90 far, to meet all public
requirements, and we doubt not things
will 60 on just as smoothly, soon as
the harness becomes adjusted to the
limbs that have been unaccustomed to
the retraints which q newly discovered
line OF duty imposes.