The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1906-10-01
CANDIDATES ARE
MERLY PUPPETS

some republicans at the moment
of the republican convention, what
was thoroughly understood by any
attentive observer a few minutes
afterward and what is now incon-
trovertible fact and the property Of
all, is
I That the republican party of Spo-
kane county and it's candidates are
absolutely dominated and owned
for the purposes of iniquity by the
forces represented by the interests
of the Washington Water Power
company.
The fact should be clearly under
stood by the voters Of Spokane
county and by its taxpayers,
That a vote for the republican
county ticket now before the people
means continuance of existing
conditions at the courthouse-cor-
ruption by the corporations and
their allies in the work of short
changing the individual.
The conspiracy against the vel
fare and interests of the common
people of this county began early
earlier than the present cam,
paign. 1t had it's inception about
as soon as the present crowd OF
office holders in the big Broadway
building commenced their opera,
tons. The compact has been made.
The great public corrupter of the
community set the machinery going
months ago, and just as soon as the
plans for the republican county con,
vention began, it commenced to
build bigger the hopper into which
it intends to throw the interests of
the private individual for grinding
far finer than in the past.
The ramifications of the power
company are widespread. It's ten.
tacles lie in every home and on
every farm. It's possibilities for cor
ruption are immense, and it has not
hesitated to use them to its own
benefit. It's remorseless grip has
been illustrated by the manner in
which it issued peremptory orders
to the sheriff of this county to come
to its aid in country districts where
linemen were at work. Sheriff Doak
received a part of his reward for
this diversion of the public instru-
mentalities to private corporation
in his denomination by the capital
istic forces. The company needed
the sheriff, and the sheriff now
needs the votes controlled and de-
bauched by the company.
: The company also needed the ex'
pert services of a majority of the
county commissioners. 1t selected
the men fit for it's Interior ends. Its
employees dotted the floor of the hall
in which the convention was held
They saw to it that a creature OF
the two-man majority which has
been absolute dictator of county
administrative and financial mat
ters was nominated from one dis
trict. They made sure that a sub
servient man from another district
was placed on the ticket as commits
sioner-a relative of man high
in the councils of the debauching
section of this city. Every effort
will be made to elect these, and
their election means the foisting
for another term upon the taxpayers
of the strangling and sitting meth
DDS designed for the benefit of the
large against the small, of the fay.
ored mighty against the helpless.
Subtle in its methods, sublime in
its effrontery, easy in its public
virtues, it lays hold of every avenue
through which it may promulgate
its own interests. They are not
branded openly. 1t is in the sane.
tum at Lincoln street and Riverside
1T is at the car barns, 1t is at the
meeting place of the wires, 1t is In
the homes that this subtle influence
asserts itself. In the light shed
upon the damask of the table, there
is mixed the sinister CLEAN which
makes for unmaking American man.
hood for sake of private gain. This
is stultifying In its effects. 1t is
subversive of the principles of gov
eminent. honest in their origin. OF
such come the seeds of anar-
chism and the diseases of public
government. Ophidian in it's bale
full light is the eye of this mighty
corporation, this maker of officials,
this debaucher of weak men in pub
lie office.
But it did not stop with being
satisfied at its ability to summon
to its assistance the sheriff and the
ultimate authority in the admins
tration of county finances and privi-
leges. 1t wanted the legal advisor
of those officials. and also the man
who should say how much the cor
porations should be taxed. as op-
posed to the common householder
and house owner. AS If the desire
of its corrupting Influence could not
be sure of attainment by the i'm
prisonment of the sheriff, assessor
and commissioners in its vaults,
I'D