The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1899-06-08
THE SHOEMAKER STATESMAN.
Lste Treasurer OF the State Fair Commission
Talks for Publication.


A HERALD reporter called upon VIM.
Lee, sr.. at his shoe shop on Monday
| night. A Republic reporter WAS there
first, and THE HERALD man discreetly
withdrew. Later on he called again.
Mr.. Lee, tired with his diurnsl trip to
his Mob Hill farm or garden, was not
willing to say much about the reigning
sensation, his withdrawal from the state
fair commission.
IL don't want to talk for publication"
he said, "as am unwilling to appear as
an obstructionist to the su ccess OF the state
fair; nor do want to be considered rs
antagonistic to Governor Rogers admin
istrstion. | will not do anything OF say
anything to hurt my party or the proper
progress OF the fair"
Uncle Joe Baxter" the reporter said,
has few feeling remarks anent yonr
resignation which call for explanation
He says in the Republic, speaking of on,
That comes of having anything to do
with pop What is the public to IN
derstand from any such insinuation as
that?"
"You can say for me-" replied Mr.
Lee, THAT the president, and also the su-
perintendent, of the fair grounds should
not speak disrespectfully OF his maker.
Joe got his appointment from pop
governor, and as the creature is not
| afav 40 oh
overlook any bets-aud Joe knows well
enough what that means. | like him.
He is a thoroughbred and strikes from
the shoulder. told II. j. Snivey that
on the commission. The governor
wrote me that Snively probably had the
good of the fair at heart, and he would
be guided by him. He appointed Toe
and Gum. and had no other recourse
but to make my word good and resign.
Another thing, the board required me to
give bond to that body, in addition to
the bond of $500 gave to the state, of
| five thousand dollars Now, when you
consider that the secretary controlled the
greater part Of the receipts, this was ask
ing too much Of me. The last fair re-
| ceips were, outside of the appropriation,
in round numbers, total of six thousand
dollars. actually received but few
dollars over one thousand dollars. Who
WAS responsible for the other $4,000?
Certainly not I hence | thought my
life's earnings had better not be dissi-
pated in keeping track of funds | never
handled and never saw. See the point?
was this | was advised by the board
that each individual mem Der was entitled
to compensation. They said they had
legal assurance that this was proper, and
that we could reimbur ourselves out of
any surplus in the receipts of the fair. |
asked eminent lawyers OF this city about
this, and they said the law prohibited
the members from getting any compen-
sation other than mileage, and that all
surplus of the fair receipts should be re-
covered into the treasury OF the state. |
read the law it seemed to me to be plain
its intent WAS that no member should
profit out of the fair proceeds. In other
words no dividends should be declared "a s
arranged by our secret agreement. So
got out while my credit WAS good.
That is all, az my friends the siwash
say. | shall detail matters to the COVER
nor and board of audit and control,
which meets on June p. In the mean
time | have nothing to say, except that |
will meet my detractors before that au-
gust body, and shall abide by ts decis-
ion as to the construction of the law. II
the board decides that am wrong-that
the proceeds OF the farm, the gates and
the lair generally ba!ong to the fair com
missioners, all we'll and good and I'll
quit satisfied that got Que with my
honor