Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1907-05-09
THE PUBLIC MONEY
APPROPRIATED BY COMMISSION.
ERS IN DIVISION Fight.
Halo is Removed from Brow of
Judge fiaSCn irwin by His own
People. Y Conspiracy TO Loot fhe
County Treasury OF Five Thou
sand Dollars.

Nothing in the history Of Chehalis
county has so stirred up its people as did
the action OF the county commissioners,
assisted by ,Indge Irwin, last Monday.
After a preconceived idea, the sum Of
five thousand dollars was appropriated
last Mor day afternoon by the county
commissioners, to be paid to Boss Abel,
OF Montesano, and J. Nj. Ashton, OF Ia
coma, as retainers to fight the matter of
county division.
The resolution as adopted specifically
recites that the division was opposed to
the wishes OF a majority OF the people,
and was the result of colusion between
a certain faction in Aberdeen and the
legislature. With rapidity Of motion
that lends strength to suspicion, the su
peror court was induced to validate the
contract with the attorneys named-not
that Chehalis county-as such-had a
case in court, but that few of the resi-
dents felt abused by the withdrawal of
the west end. Probably the HERALD
would be misconstrued if it gave vent to
its thoughts in this matter, so, to be fair,
we print the following from Representa-.
tive Hogan. whose republicanism or
fidelity to party rules will not be ques-
toned:
~ am disappointed in Judge Irwin"
said Mr.. Hogan. "He should never
have approved the action OF the two COM
missioners in turning over to Abel and
his associates $1,000 Of the peoples
money. | am sure the judge will regret
the part he took in this, when he reflects
upon it. The present law, which was
passed two years ago and which requires
the superior judge to approve contracts
for the employment Of special counsel in
county affairs, was intended to cure the
looting the county treasures on the pre-
tense OF employing special counsel. In
nv opinion, it would be hard to find
more vicious instance of this abuse than
that which occurred at Monesano on
Monday. The county of Chehalis, as
county, has no legal interest in the ques
ton of county division. The question OF
division, in it's legal aspect, is purely
political question. So far as there is
controversy, it is between portion OF
the people OF the county against anothsr
portion OF tine people. The county has
no more right to appropriate money to
prevent division, than it would have to
pay out money to promote division, or
to prevent the removal OF the county
seat, or to elect the republican party
ticket, or to further any other political
question. The constitution and laws
contemplate the creation Of new counties
1t is process that is constantly going on
in the growing western states. Counties
in this state have been divided in the
past and will be in the future for some
time to come. When these questions
arise, people differ in their views upon
them as they do upon all other political
questions. Chehalis county certainly
has the distinction of being the first
county in this state that appropriated
the public funds for the furtherance of
the political views of portion of its peo-
pie as against the political views of an
other portion of the people. Without
Judge Irwin's approval this could not
have been done. | cannot understand
how the Judge could be led into it, no
matter what his personal feeling in the
matter might be-"