Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-12-27
Private Grievance VS.. Official Dignity

peculiar state OF facts. unlinpOftant |
though they he. that involve 4 princi-
plc underlying representative govern ,
lnent. In plain words. has the Coy i
crnor a right to be- djscOurteouS or /
arbitrary, in dealing with any citizen
who believes he has Just cause of
complaint against the Governor
>uhurlinatcS The right of petition /
was once regarded 50 sacred as to
be- embodied in the organic law. OR |
has il come to pass that the acts OF |
those clothed with Il little brief au- /,
lhurtv ara. W ithout right of appeal?
This query has arisen from small /
circumstance. OF tritling interest to
the public but great Importance to the .
indi viL,.aI. who had the temerity to
call. out Of hours Saturday night. !
at the executive mansion. 1t was
John \. Grichcn. an employee at the
Fort StcilacoOm asylum. who wanted
to ask that Il review of the act or acts
that led to his summary dismissal be-
accorded him. 1t seems that he had
committed 4 serious breach of official
dining-room etiquette by presenting
himself for breakfast while that au
gust parsonage, the Chief Attendant,
and his family We're at their morning
meal. Such 4 gross violation of pro-
prietics could not. of course, be tOler-
ated or condoned. 1t amounted al
most. in magnitude, to that heinOus
otfcnse. contempt of court. in judicial
transgressionS. 1t seems that this
Chief High Attendant had lost no
time in making complaint TO the
Superintendent of the institution, and
the presumtuous Gcirchcn was imme-
ately discharged, simply for the rea-
son that he and Fellows, the Chief
Attendant, could not agree" The
claim that he had waited long beyond
the hour for his morning meal, did
not seem to be any justification, be-
cause :" the table was set for the Off
GERS"
1t appears that the discharge was
arbitrary and peremptory, leaving
him almost penniless with a large
family to support, and balance of
over fifty dollars due him unpaid. 1t
was, therefore hardship as well as a
necessity-at least from his stand
point-to seek the great central rep
resentative of power, for redress. He
started in to tell the Governor that
sick child required his immediate re-
turn to his family, but that officer
peremptorily shut him off from any
explanation, when he called at the
executive mansion, on Yves tside, Sat
urday night. Instead, he reports,
that the Governor threw his ere
dentia!s" aside, with the declaration,
Il have no time to listen to you.
This is q private residence and you |
have no right to come here with any |
thing like that. Employ a lawyer
and see me Monday, during business
hour" and that when he endeavOred |
to tell him that he could not remain
away from home so long and that he
had no money to employ lawyer, |
the Governor thrust back the paper
he had submitted and hustled him to |
the door, dismissing him with q |
Goodnight" that had the impact
of having been fired from q gatling-
gun.
This is the substance of the Ne,cs'
display-head sensation for Sunday
morning. At the eminent risk of
aiding the palpable endeavor to make |
a mountain out of q molehill, it is be-
lieved we will find justification in
brief comment. 1t seems as if the |
dignity of the Head Attendant should
be toned down enough for recognition
OF the fact that all toilers, Us q class,
are equal, and that the Superintend-
dent, who yields the sword of High
Lord ExecutiOner, should be taught
to give a respectful hearing before
use of the official cleaver. 1t seems
likewise that the State Exec utive |
should, in the interest of humanity,
have given a respectful hearing to
this man, even though his position
be a humble one. That he had q |
case" or not, is immaterial; in this |
WoOlly West nobody is excused from
acting the gentle man because he
holds an Office. 1t is expected, out |
here, for Governors to accord to the |
poor man of lowly station, the same |
courtesy and hospitality as may be
extended petitioners who come in
palace cars or by automobile.
1t may be true that our Executive |
did not realize exact conditions, but !
it is his own fault if he did not, as he
waived aside all explanations. 1t
may be, and doubtless is true, that |
he is sometimes harrassed and an
noyed by importunate demands of
the thoughtless or ignorant, but it |
is the part of the true philosopher to |
accept the bitter with the sweet, to
patiently endure some strain upon
his sensibilities as an Offset for the |
honOrs and emOluments his Office |
confers. 1t is not always safe to at
tempt dignity that true greatness
would supplant by consideration and
justice. If the applicant had no ten
able cause for appeal, it would have
been the mart of kindness and mercy