Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1904-10-14
COUNTY TICKET.
A Cause for Action.

OUR present county campaign Is
based as much or more upon business
considerations as on political prefer.
ences. and the people have now deter.
mined to support men who they be.
lieve will try to reduce the public debt,
rather than subsequently obey the
commands Of either party. The ma.
terial check to progress, from having
to provide for heavy interest payments
"A literal pouring of water into rat.
hole. so far as appreciable benefits are
concerned-must be removed by
reduction of the salary roll and other
fixed expenses to the lowest possible
figures. All attempts, so far, to re.
cover from the extravagant service
established in boom times, has been
followed by increased expenditure in
some other form, leaving the Cost
about the same as in flush times. re.
curing an inflated assessment of val.
uations and high levy to meet ne
cessary" expenses, as the public mind
has been taught to believe.
It was claimed as some recompense
for acceptance of our dinky" capitol,
that the deal would enable our people
to lift from their shoulders a couple OF
hundred thousand dollars OF bonded
Indebtedness, which assurance was. of
course. accepted as a predicate of low
taxes. But was that the result?
Have taxes been lighter or the burden
less CALLING to the shoulders since that
grand manifestation OF craftsmanship?
Who is to blame? The Assessor
who builds firm-very firm-ground.
wall for the tax-levy? Not entirely.
Is it the Commissioners, who place the
superstructure upon it2 Not wholly.
Is it the Clerk, Sheriff, Auditor or
Treasurer? Possibly all may contrib.
ute to increase or lessen the burden, as
inclination prompts. Is it the County
Attorney? Largely so, for he can
refuse to put the public to expense in
prosecutions he cannot win, and oh.
viate the necessity for special counsel
by declination of the Office.
These are not all, however, who
should be held up on the voters pen.
cil-point for inspection, while in the
election booth. There is that sly old
rat" the Judge. nibbling cheese on the
upper shelf, who should not be forgot
ten. He don't make much noise, and
should be the more carefully watched
for that-who draws, and draws, (till
he fairly losing his breath) q fat-ex.
ceedingly fat-salary, for q service not
limited to second term, for possession
OF qualities presumably that cannot
be contaminated by the more plebeiau
environments and more mental duties
of the subordinate officers. But he
has splendid opportunity for promot.
ing economy or allowing extravaganza
in the public service. He can guard
the State from grafters if he exercises
Solomonic wisdom, the county from
adopting expansive ideas which lead to
imperialistic service, and protect the
still lesser municipality from outIsg-
eOusly absurd suits for damages, by
exercising the same immutable dispo-
sition to promote justice as to sustain
vague technicalities. The Judge is the
more responsible from the fact that he
sallies forth like the inhabitants OF
Philosophers Isle" in an atmosphere
of his own, with his head above the
clouds. with rod OF correction always
poised to preserve theoretically, at
least, honesty, economy, fairness and
justice in all other departments of the
government. 1t is not improbable. or
unnatural, that in the course OF time,
that seeing so many sssiduously "feath.
ering their nests" he may become
impervious to the admonitions OF a
conscience which might, at the be.
ginning, have sounded the tocsin OF
alarm, when amenable to Justice, as
seen from new eyes to the service.
Time was when people held sort OF
pur,orstitions awe of tho iudiciayv. q