Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1898-10-27
REASONS WHY CHEHALIS
COUNTY WILL SUPPORT FUSION.
ume of Political History for the information O
Recent Arrivals.'ITe Old-Timer does not
Require to be T'OId.---E3e Knows.

80
constitutional amendment. while the re-
publican party, if its platform means
anything, advocates the TAXATION OF ALL
CLASSES OF PROPERTY, we'll knowing that
the class now in control OF that party
will receive ample exemptions, as it al
ways has. Fhe welfare of the bone and
sinew Of the state demands that fusion
legislature, unhandicapped 10y republican
hodovers, be elected next month to COM
session, and to work in harmony With
the state administration in its noble task
of Kidding tie state from the last vestige
OF republican debt; to succeed in placing
such laws on our statute books as will
place the humble home builder on an
equal basis as regards taxation with his
more favored neighbor. And if the con-
stitution Sands in the way OF such meas
ures it shall be amended or new one
made. Such set OF laws as will attract
the hardy settlers from the east TO our
fertile valleys, where, in the fullest sense,
they shall have equality under the
law" and a knowledge that they may
reap where they SOW. Where capital, en-
gagged in legitimate enterprise, will be
protected from legislative brigandase and
receive exact Justice under the law. No
more, no less.
County Affairs.
When Washington was admitted to the
union in 1889, Chehalis county, in com
mon with the rest Of the state, was begin
ming to boom. Already in the ands of
Republican ring, who had long mar
aged its affairs pretty much as they
wished. the reorganization OF the county
under the new state laws framed by as
mild mannelcd II set OF buccaneers as
ever acnt,led Il ship or wrecked State
was seized by the court house gang as
the exploiting opportunity of their lives.
The state laws provided munihcent
salaries, and We're singu'arly devoid OF
any checks upon amy Of the public Of
iicills regarding expenditures. In honest
hands the laws might have been toler
ated, but, in control Of the political
colcric, which at that time controlled
the conventions OF the republican party
in Chehalls county, Wen a nomination
ar Al ti,.lya al I,t,
to election; when no man could hope to
get II place on that ticket without " see
ing the gang, it is not strange that the
opportunity was worked with surprisin
vigor The unsuspecting taxpayer knew
| nothing OF what was going on, his taxes
were growing higher, but as times were
good he did not kick, and extravaganza
ran riot in the court house until its very
boldness attracted attention. In the fall
OF 1898 stranger in Montesano at noon
hour would be inclined to mistake the
court house for cotton mill, by the
, multitude OF employees, of both sexes,
pouring out of its doors. Then came the
panic of 1893, engineered by the banks,
''to give the flee silyerites an object les
son." and to force the repeal OF the Sher-
man law. The taxpayer found it more
difficult to meet The demands of the gang,
| and he began to look into county matters.
| 1t required but glance to show him that
| his onerous burden Of taxation was
caused by thoroughly systematized, and
organized gang of lOoters at the county
seat, and lie demanded an investigation.
In the spring OF 1894 IL call was issued,
signed by the largest taxpayers OF Che
halls county, calling upon their fellow
sufferers to meet in convention at Mon
tesano to devise some means OF saving
their holdings from being contiscated by
the avaricious greed OF, what had by this
time grown to be. the formidable county
ring.
AS we shall give the history of this
"taxpayers' association" at some length,
it is well to say right here, that it con.
tanned no political significance, gepub-
licans, democrats and populists joined
heartily in the movement, in fact its
prime movers were shining lights in the
republican party. Ia giving the record
Of an association headed by such uncom
promising republicans u Geo. II. Emer
son, manager Northwestern Lumber Go,
c. f. White, manager Crays lIarbol
/ Commercial Co.. +; Frank G.. Deckebach