The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-10-17


WAI.I.A WALI.A. Oct. f6~Walia Wa.a
county Is moving peacefully forward to
Republican victory next month, the con-
servayiye estimates being paced ut a ma-
forty for tho Republican ticket of from
$50 to 3la. Conditions have not changed
from two months ago. except that the feel-
.nE of Republican security IS stronger and
,he opposition becomes more helplessly
weak.
There Is no real fusion in Waiia Waila
county The Democrats took firm stand
and refused 10 concede everything To their
Popui.st brethren. and the latter are now
on their knees begging a chance TO get in
on the fight for spoils AS to the people
who are not trucking FOR place they see
the demoraliz.nE. immoral effects Of fu-
sion. and disgusted. In reality fusion
N Walia WaIa county Is n farce. and tho
leaders are doing very little. having nrac-
ticaliy given up the fight.
No one can deny the evidences of per-
sonal prosperity everywhere apparent. and
the fusionists are now endeavorng TO make
the people believe tho real healthy conal-
ton Of affairs IS due to the papuikst control
Of the state and county. II IS not q new
idea with the Walla Waila Ponuilsts for.
driven to the wall in their efforts to revive
what the people by their non-attentlon In
sist IS dead issue the silver question. they
are desperately reaching about for SONS.
straws, which they hope to grasp in an
effort to keep their heads above water.
Hence they are preaching economy OF tho
fusion county administration.
Ordinarily 1t would not he worth while 70
M fg4..,
for the case Is so desperate and the Pom
ulSts are so far from STORE that there is
no possibility Of sucoor reaching them. put
As The cry here Is similar To that In sa,y-
eFaI counties in the state. and a. figures
nave been juSEied in order 10 M srepresant
the true situation and thus blind The IN
sel'igent voter, the case is worthy OF atta,-
ton merely as an expose Of n vicious cam.
paisen method
The populizt cHcoholders IN wan,
\" ala county recently pat forth a rspor,
arg comparison Of the finances Of Warn
wanna county, so arranged as TO cause
tho voter 10 believe that Il is a favnrah,a
showing OF their management. In the re-
port the cost of doing the county. b,,e,.
ness for the fiscal year beginning I,t,v
!. 1887 and ending June 20 iSss tho rui,
with the fiscal year beginning July / lsas
and ending June %. 1896 tho last fnu ye,-
during which the Eepuh,icana occupied
the ofiicss n auditor. clerk treasurer ana
attorney. This comparison ~ prepared Nv
the Populists indicates that the cos, ~
running the county was redlIcsd SRA "a
IN making their connarlson tho ponu.
lists do not call attention 10 the fart tia,
GG ft.-f~r
during each % the years mentioned and
hence that the on.y claim they can leel.
tIrnateiy make. is :hat they have reduced
their own expenditures and not Those az
their Republican predecessors.
It Is essential .hat some os the rea,
facts IN thc case te given TO the rubYc
50 that the people may Judge rs 10 tho
merits cf these economy" statements ~
tbs Populsts.
The claim that the fusion county officers
have eo3nomzed IN their offices ~ 1ue 20
the fact that the Republican legislature
y is55 passed a hil reducing the salaries
~ the county officers elected In 1896 as
follows:
The auditor 500 a year. the c,erk $50
year. the sheriff $)o "a year. the trsasar-
- }2a a year the attorney gz1e YEAR.
the commissioners 81 q day each. besides
prohibiting The latter from ho.d'ug a ae,,-
sion every day In iae year. an4 drawing
pay for each day. These reductions aggre-
gate over 5000 q year.
Turning 10 the salary fund report FOR
each year Il is seen that the Offices est.
sn 1855 81 -4fas thar thls sum Vas made
up IS adding s.2fa:If from the county
FUND the money paid sn by thn taxpayers.
20 the sum ~ S 2s7 =. the amount received
from fees n the different Offices. That IL
to say. the fees paid tao-fifths Of the eos,
% the Offices.
The coet of the same offices for the
years 1893 was rade ~ By adding tss
sum Of 81 2eH r. the county fuu8 to tbs
sum og g. - e. the amount % fees coi-
lectet That Is - say t'ie taxpayer paid
nearly three-f f3urths of ths cost and those
who eld business 81 fae Offices only a
trl1a over oue~feurth.
Rsght her b whore the county officers
~ Wauz Wal,a begin their attempt %
dace.ve the feople. If the county oflcaa
had d1ue as much business as .he3r pre-
deceseors and taken IL the same amount
for fees the salary account would have
stood Fees 8. 2s1S. from county taxca
slIzase. .s.aI SO z77.ss. Taiz wogf4 or'y
show re5scttoa e; $l.22 q from the *
peaaes Of fheIr predecessors. a. the safus
tina i. the pay os tbs county officers had