The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-10-15
Alleged Electloneering Junkst at
the County's Cost.
Mr.. EvENsoN's CONSCIENCE,
W0uld sot Follow Republican Pre-
eede0t of Posting Election No.
tfces without Expense To Tzxpay-
ers-seven 'Trosty'' Aequaint-
aneea Empioy~d-Bfiis for $50 Al
ready Allowed His Explanation.

County Auditor T. II. Everson. :hs erg:-
Will. farmer. although a devous believer q
the Omaha Platform - nevertheless ~ fis
own eyes conservative man IN d.seEarg-
!ns the dutsss deceived 1pou hin ~ law n
making pFeparatiG1s - sac coming s.a.a
ard county election fee auditor has been
caresuI iaat hts a3leRe4 rspg atlon n ,nis
respect ras not beer faygtkaed, sven /: tire
first cost 20 the taxpayzrs st1si5 D. q little
heavier than strictly neceSary.
The last Republican county atn1in'st-a-
ton, for fnstance thought shaf two years
ago Auditor Bersas wsS f1aily as coaserva-
tive ana careful as K.eed be waen be pasted
notices CT eiecticn and arranged fer the So
curing OF polling places in the a;fTeren, city
ard County precincts oy placing ;ne matter
IN the ian4s ~ the different Republican
precinct committees with proper iuStroc-
tons II fa.~ gay the task was speedily
cornpseseG 81 IS said. without any expense.
other thar posfage 10 the county.
Auditor FsHen =sss1. however. has weighed n
the balance ard found wanting fsse methods
Of his predecessor In this resnsc;, and has
secured polling places and poste1 the noii IS
by hand" rs one % the court house poili-
clans has ex pressed H. The law requires
that the notices shall be posted ~ least
thirty ds - before TIE election. and Auditor
Bv~nsen has compiled WITH It. bur the cost
To the county has been considerable Already
and the blis nos yet all in. According
fo the auditors OWL statement. he had seven
'uen that he Colid trus'"-presumahi MY
Popnltsts~engag-f IN The work. ~ 10 Ia
the county commissioners have allowed hiiis
OF per dem and expenses amounting 20 IL
Htsis more than $40 turned In by the seven
triissy men. and more are yet 10 follow.
Ringsters' Little .Junket-
Auditor Evenson insists that even II he
j. an alleged member OF the King county
courthouse ring. he Is not politician: for
that matter he also denies tina, there ~ such
- a
in the ranks OF his own party. who say that
he i- the widest angler for votes on the
fusiop ticket snJ thar the seven tru=,y men
have In reality been making y quiet cam
paigninE tour a the pense OF the taxpay-
ers and In the interests OF the renouIinated
riigsteFs
The auditors supporters affect 10 scorr
tbs imputation, Mr.. Evenson. they say. is
tho most conscientious office holder that
ever stepped across the threshold az the
courthouse. and would never countenance
such a thing. And as for the auditor him
self. he explains Il all TO his own satissac-
ton. al least and without the least blame
To himself Rut there are people who cay
that the ring may have induced the audit
or'e conscience To take a vacation when the
alleged eIectioneering tour was planned
Auditor Evepsou was I'm his office when a
reporter called upon him Yesterday. In this
one respect the auditor II indeed being
separate and apart from the rest Of the
ring. He In almost the only office-ho'der In
the lot ~ho even makes pretense OF hav-
ang office hours. or keeping them. II Is only
justice to say that Auditor EycnSon IL, "a q
rule In when visitors call.
Between pufYs of his meerpciiaum pire.
the auditor explained tn the reporter the
reasons for his action In sending out the no
tces and securing the polling places
through personal messengers. In substance
no said:
Auditor Evens0n Explains.
"whv didn't send the notices out by
mail? Well. now just tell me whom ] should
have sent them 10. How was 10 know
who were and who were not IL persons 20
undertake to post the notices and DO the
other things necessary IN each precinct 10
comply with the law. This matter was a
vary important one and was bound 20 see
that II was properly attended 10.
80. In different parts of the county ar
ranged with men whom | could trust 10 u
tend 10 the matter for me. gave Ia each
OF them a number OF precincts near his own.
as many as he could lock after proDerlv
and gave him fun Instructions 4 few u
them where they did not have much work
charged nothing for their services other,
charged only their s.. per diem aud turnct.
IN no expense accounts. And others. Who
were compelled 20 travel considerable dis
tarces have hills Tor travelling expenses: in
some ~ the remote districts the messengers
very rough country.
Il was very careful Il, make tho expense
rs light as possible, For instance. IN nv
own precinct 7 posted the notices myself
and gave one 20 a neighhor 4 Rcpuhllra n
by the way. 80 post ~ his precinct as a
favor 20 ne. My son ala a littls work in
posting the notices. he Nas nor DOING any
thing else Just then and volunteered his
services
II, IS nv opinion that the coruml asioners,
should hav* appointed inspectors IN the va
,ious precincts immediately after the con-
veaticns So that I could have a'nt the no
t'ces and Instruction. - them They Neing
officials 90 ira county would have heen re
sHonsshle. Hut mater =, flS. the
snstFs2 - tell
ever now.
What tho c0st - my action will - ]
don't know INST VT Thu Sc SO FAR 10 only
sha expense % tN@ country : s'rie's In tae
CITY there VAS mora trouble n rut ~.
places Far the voting hcoths 7 was s0rSit-
erahiv pre- se.' fer slime 80 getting ne M
tees otlf The conventions ware helt late
for one thfrs"
Distrmst- some popaitst.
Auditor Ivtsr@oF' statement ieassf, u an
oren question whether "a cousiaers a pa0tt-
ist precinct committeeman a tFafStworif ~