The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-10-14

We believe that since the time of All
Baba and the famous forty there IL no
such record a. that Of the state fair COM
mission. which We give to the public this
morning. When oficiai ringstcrs combine
to divide the plumber. 1t Is not common
for them to put the agreement in writing.
over :neir own signatures. Therefore the
scheme OF spoliation adopted by the state
fair commission. q photographic copy Of
which appears on the first page Of tho
Post-Intsliigencer today. IL almost unique
In the annals Of political crime.
Tho relation Of facts which accompa-
nlss this Is a plain. dispassionats. unex-
sgGerated relation Of tho occurrences Of
which this document is the center and
explanation. 1t 10 one more chapter In
the history OF petty greed. OF sordid cor
ruption. of sraceless malfeasance I'm once
Of the apparent absence even OF shame In
the presence Of opportunities for pecula-
ton that distinguish this state admins
tration. II is ono more count in the long
indictment against John r. Rogers. un-
der whom a sense OF personal manilness
and regard for the integrity OF tho
states funds or the honor Of the states
name have become forgotten names for
things now obsolete
This state fair commission was constl-
tated for the worthy purpose of promot-
Ing agricultural interests by annual dis
plays Similar bodies exist in most OF tho
states. and their work has been most
valuable. So this commission. under a
Republican administration. did worthy
service and justified the faith OF It's Gro
atora Then came the Rogers regime.
Here as everywhere Rogers used the Of
Gees subject 20 appointment as his pri-
vata perauislse. Awaiting an adjourn
msnt % the legislature. which enabled
him to make appointments for nearly two
years without tho necessity OF senatorial
combination. he constituted new state
fair commission. majority of whose
members we're creatures OF his own, vita
the ubiquitous II, j. snlvclY as special
manager
The performances of this extraordinary
body are set forth In detail elsewhere. Its
conception Of tho functions % state fair
commission was limited 10 the handling
Of the funds. Its conception Of handling
the funds was that there should be Just
as few handlers as posashls. And 80.
while many thousands OF dollars passed
under tho coatrol OF the commission. only
sas1 IS had been committed to the care o.
the treasurer after sixteen months Of
the commissions exlsseaes What became
Of the remainder viii probably never a
known. further than specially revised
seeaFsz" may chance to reveal
1t Ia prseaaie that tas thought o, ,hls
rss actually aiseurNed Ger legitimate ex-
peasss In legitimate way fcrtered in ths
maids 81 these men a. lest oppaFsunlty,
at aay rate they determined % nek The
ylasies clean heneeodrsA. whersfors they
entered lsto an arrangement for add
ton. division AM sileuce." which We re-
prodaes. tns oslSinaI document hefnG Ia
the posse@slen u the rnss-IEtsltEeaoer.
1'hss was sona It Is said. at the iastAnss
and sdyics % Mr.. saively and vita his
assurances that the aetiea was legal. al.
though he could not have been aaAwArs
es tho fast. That TACT Is tho positive pro
h.tluoa Of the law. set forth in the sec.
tion 81 ths code quoted. upon any com.
pensatioa 20 TIE members OF the oemnls.
slen. bat this time the unaeTllngs q
RoSers and snively deeldea to make 4
clean swsee They not only voted them,
selves salaries. but ''Aay money remain
Ing IN tia treasury after these w~s
pAid was 80 70 divided NmonE the CON.
missionsrs On the basis OF 81 per asen
How we'll that section has bOeR lived ~
"a AnnaAxp IN our advice from oSnau..