Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1906-09-24
IN CHEHALIS COUNTY WANTS T0STANDPAT
VlDETTE MAKES NOVEL ARGU.
MENT FOR COUNTY SEAT.
Reasons That as "Stand Pat" and
"Let Well Enough Alone" Have
Become the Slogans of the ReDub.
IiCan Party, it Should be ADOPTED
as to the County Seat.

The Montesano Nidette in its last issue
makes an argument in favor of the re-
tention OF the county seat at that place
that lamentably betrays the weakness of
its position. If there are any good reasons
for the court house remaining at Monte
sano the voters should know them, and
1T is the duty of the Vidette to make
them known, but such articles as the one
referred to banks too heavily upon the
ignorance and prejudices Of its readers.
Here is sample extract:
III the national party slogan is to he
stand pat why should not the same
! principle be applied to local institutions?
The nation Is admittedly prosperous, and
1t is very properly deemed wise to inter-
ject nothing calculated to disturb exist
ing satisfactory conditions; in other
words, to 'et well enough alone This
county is free from debt and gratifyinglv
prosperous; why not let we'll enough
alone?"
Such doctrine followed to its logical
conclusion would place an effectual brake
upon the wheels of progress in Chehalis
county for all time, and could be used TO
defeat the building OF a required road or
brid4e, or any other needed improvement
in the county, and instead OF being an
argument is but an exhibition OF an alb
sence of real reasons.
| Again the Nidette SAYS:
! every argument which can be ad.
vanced in favor of the county seat remov-
al at this time must necessarily spring
from a selfish source or be actuated by
selfish motives. The interests of all the
people will not be considered by the adj
vocates of the change. 1t is generally
known that speculative interests prompt
ed the inception Of the scheme and that
the hope of individual and corporate
gain will furnish the motive and spur
those interested to continued efforts to-
wards the consummation of the unholy
and indefensible purpose"
Let us examine this. "All efforts to
remove the county seat must necessarily
spring from selfish molIve." This is
true to some extent as affecting very
few persons, and the same may be said
of the effort to retain it at Montesano.
! That the interests OF ALL the people are
not considered by the advocates of re-
moval may also be true, but the fact
remains that the removal will be to the
interest OF vast majority Of the people
in the county, else the question would
not have arisen.
me troupie WIN All the argument 80
lar hearu against removal IS tnat IL as
suhies 'le county MAINTAINS t'le court
houSe 'or ,ne oehe,iC OF parClcular
locai'.S' anu INA, itS ioca'loil at Mohte'
sa'.o ~ yea'9 aeo mas gwen thac ciIy
sort VI Vesteu rlgnt' tile convenience or
Inconvenience VI oo per CENT Oh the popu-
lation to the contrary Notwithstanding.
This line OF contention is fundamentally
wrong. County seats are placed and
maintained for the convenience OF the
people who pay for them. and the fact
that its location will benefit or injure
certain localities-aIthough Of import
ance to few people--is unimportant to
the general pubic. LII the court house
at Montesano is convenient for the peo-
pie OF the county it should remain there.
II 1t Is costing the people Of Grays Har-
Dor more each year, in lost time alone,
! than the salaries OF the county officers
amount to, to transact their court house
business, 1t should be removed to more
convenient location.
In Its frantlc argument the Aldette
produces that old bugaboo, county debt,
and dwells upon the ENORMOUS DEBT the
removal will entail upon the county.
This is point worth considering. In
discussing this question it must be borne
IN mind that II the removal is defeated
this year 1t cannot be voted upon again
Tor iour years, and that at the present
rate the county is growing, to the pres
ent court house-already crowded for
room-large additions must be made,
and large sums expended for repairs that