The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-08-11
Telephone No. ss.
CONCERNING MIR. K1NcA1p.

The Dalles Chronicle In a late issue
says: 'Mr. Kincaid was nominated and
elected upon representations that he
would correct many of the abuses which
have crept into the administration of the
Office for which he was a candidate.
He claimed, and was represented by his
friends to be an economist, man of in
tegrity and of good judgment We will
not accuse him of obtaining money under
falss pretenses, but We are free to crit
ieise his administration. His first work
after entering his office was to examine
the fee law and ascertain where a possi-
ble addition to his income could be made;
among other improvements in this line,
as we are informed, he claimed the right
to charge 81 for attaching the seal of
the state to state deed, although the
law provides that upon payment of s1.25
for this dand and the fulfllment of GER
tain provisions of the law the purchaser
shall be entitled to a deed; heretofore
the deed has been delivered upon full
filling the conditions but now the pur-
chaser must pay Mr.. Kincaid 50 or go
without deed. Mr.. Kincaid has pro-
nounced himself greater constitutional
lawyer than the attorney-general has ig-
nored the latter's advice, employed other
counsel, and carried to the supreme court
the question as to the right Of the rail-
road commissioners 10 thatr nav ana
the supreme court on Monday rebuked
his pretended wisdom and commanded
him to draw warrants for the salaries as
provided by the Legislature. The consti-
tuition of the state provides that the sec
retary of state shall receive no emolu-
ments other than his salary but every
dollar of fees earned by his office, we
understand, is claimed by this economist
as his own. From his own standpoint he
is doing well; ne is there for what there
Is in 1t, and there Is whole lot in It;
but this is his last harvest from the
states domain, and we suppose he be-
lieves that short crop with big price
is better than long crop at the constltu-
tlonaa rate"
Astoria has been the beneficiary of a
taste of this desire so apparent in Mr..
Kncald to get hold of everything in
sight, and probably the action to which
we have reference was more picayunish
and contemplate than any charge men
toned by the Chronicle state commits
sion to represent oregon at the Mexican
exposition was appointed by the governor
Lord some months ago. These gentlemen
selected by the governor to represent our
state, and to devise ways and means
to contribute to her honor and further
fame abroad, were chosen by the chief
executive with special reference to their
fitness for the position, and all felt fiat
tered by the selection. A few weeks after
the appointments were made each of The
commissioners received his credentials
signed by the governor sand containing
the seal OF the state, accompanied by a
letter from Mr.. Klncald in which that
Individual made demand for $500 for
affixing the seal. This was not only
an insult-a tax upon a. mans willingness
to serve his fellow citizens, but a delib-
crate attempt to obtain money to which
we are firmly convinced the secretary OF
safe had no legitimate or honorable
claim.
We are indeed sorry that man who
stoops to such methods should hold
high position among us. More sorry still
that such man calls himself a Repub-
lican, which he is not. 1t Is time that
his whole official record should be inves-
tigated ,and that the public should know
whether MIR. Kincaid, dressed in little
brief authority. is to be allowed any long
err to dishonor the whole state Of Oregon.