Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1907-02-28
ABUSE AS ARGUMENT
The KNOCKERS Are REDUCED, TO
ABUSIVE EPITHETS.
Ihe r1OnteSanO Vidette POurS Walls
of Wrath Upon the Devoted Head
of Senator Poison, While the HO-
GUAM knOCker Selects e. B. Benn
as the Target for His Abuse.

The passage OF the bill dividing Che
halls county by such an overwhelming
vote in both houses of the legislature
seems to have driven it's opponents fran.
tic. and they have inaugurated cam.
paign OF abuse that affords considerable
amusement. particularly to democrats.
At Montesano Senator Poison is the
chief object Of attack, and the paper that
was eulogizing that gentleman last No.
vember is now carefully searching the
dictionary for abusive epithets to apply
to him. If one-half the abuse contained
in the Vidette were true, we would feel
like induIging in little self-congratula-
tion over the fact that, as democrat,
we neither supported or voted for the
senator.
But, when we observe that while the
most bitter fight is being made by few
influential interests at Hoquiam. nothing
10 said to the disparagement OF Senator
Polson's motives in his home city, we
are compelled to doubt the abuse of our
esteemed contempory at the seat of gov.
ernment OF Chehalis county, and to con-
clude it is made only by reason of the
utter lack Of real argument as to why
the people of Grays Harbor should lie
put to perpetual inconvenience for the
benefit of comparatively few people at
Montesano.
The Hoquiam Knocker who appears to
have gained control OF large space in the
Washingtonian, has selected Mr.. Ed. B.
Benn for the object Of his wrath. not go
much, perhaps, through animosity to.
ward Mr.. Benn, as desire to arouse the
feelings of those politicians whose game
was blocked by that gentleman in the
primary elections last year. That this
object has been partially successful is
apparent to one who will take the trouble
to line up the "Knockers" in that city
aside from the special interests that fear
just rate OF taxation may be placed on
their holdings. The following from the
Washingtonian of Tuesday shows clearly
the animus of the anti. division editor oil
that paper:
"The whole cause Of county division
arises from the ambition of Mr.. Benn to
absolutely dominate Chehalis county
politics to it's detriment."
1t is rank absurdity to assert that any
man can absolutely dominate the
politics Of Chehalis county, or Grays
Harbor county, and the statement is not
at all complimentary to the intelligence
of the republican voters. There are two
reasons why this assertion is absurd.
First, because a primary election law
framed to eliminate the boss from
politics-will be enacted by the legisla-
ture now in session, and for the reason
that the minority party, in an effort to
win place, may always be relied upon to
put up the best men available in opposi-
ton to boss.made ticket.
Second, it is ridiculous to say that Mr..
Benn will dictate the policy Of the board
of commissioner of the new county,
with such men as w. w. Hart and WI.
Adams on the board with him, and who,
az they will share the responsibility,
may be depended upon to be heard from
in all matters Of import.
Mr.. Benn pays his respects to those
knockers in a recent interview in the
Bulletin, from which the following ex.
tract is taken, the truth of which will
be readily recognized by old residents:
"When I first took part in county
politics was way back in the latter part
OF the nineties. In those days the ticket
was made up few days in advance of
the convention by Mr.. White, Of Cos
mopois, and Mr.. Emerson, OF Hoquiam,
who always decided who would be as
SCISSOR; then after selecting a board Of
commissioners who would be owned body
and soul by the corporate interests, they
would call few OF the tenas corporate
interests men Of Aberdeen (who imagined
they were on the inside) and by giving
them one or two of the smaller offices
tney WOulu geC tuetu iuto iiue III sPito VI
any pledge they may have had with a
local lineup. They would peddle out a
few offices to the funkies in the east end
OF the county 90 as to make the combina-
tion cinch. History will show that no
man was ever nominated on the republic
can ticket in Chehalis county between
the years 1890 and 1900 without the con.
sent OF the Northwestern Lumber com.
pany Of Hoquiam and the Grays Harbor
Commercial company Of CosmopolIs.
both owned largely by non.residents. As
l stated before, used to butt in, and by
hard fight 1 would sometimes get to go