The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-01-18
IMPORTANT COUNTY OFFICES.

july. N0mlnatlOnS Will De Hidue hiuSit
earlier.
Several candidates for Offices in
Grady county have already .announc-
"a and the undercurrents are at work
in the case Of others.
1t is not too early for the people to
begin to think seriously as to the kind
Of men they desire to fill these offices
and to consider the qualifications that
should be exacted Of applicants for
public preferment.
Everyone Of the positions to be
filled is an important one in in its
way, but there are some to which
greater degree Of Importance and re-
sponsibility attaches than to others.
Some Of the offices require nothing
more than mere clerical ability, COM
mon sense and industry, while for
Others, stronger qualities are neces-
sary.
For the maintenance Of law and
order, for the rigid enforcement Of all
the laws, the office Of sheriff is an
an important one. Should we have a
county prosecutor, this Office will be
equally important to the same end.
In case we have no county attorney,
the office Of district attorney will be
one that must be filled with care. A
strong sheriff, honest, courageous,
and capable, backed up BY prosecu-
tor with the same power has it with
IN his power to determine entirely
what shall be the status of the coun-
ty with respect to law and order. Say
what you will about the power Of
public opinion, resolute sheriff and
an efficient public prosecutor can en-
fore the law if they want TO. We
want men to fill these positions, who
are made Of stern stuff, who will not
be swayed by every shift Of clamor,
who viii stand squarely for the en-
forcement Of every law that is written
on the statute books. There is no
need for law and order leagues, when
community has officers Of this char
acter. When a man presents himself
for either of these offices let the
searching test be applied to him; let
the people demand that his character
and record be such as to warrant
their confidence and give evidence that
they will be true to the oath that they
must take to enforce the law.
Another Office, that is often left
to whom win take it is that Of repre-
sentative in the state legislature, To
the fact that the people have taken
SO little interest in he selection Of
capable men for this Office is due the
discredit into which legislatures have
fallen and the distrust that is felt
toward them. The state legislature
should command as high an order Of
craftsmanship as the national con-
gress. Where congress has to do with
I one proposition that directly affects
every business of the people, the state
legislature deals with dozen of such
questions. To entrust so much inn
portant work to second or third rate
men is to jeopardize the largest in
terests Of the state In every state
Legislature, a few strong men domi-
nate. Chickasha has sent a delegate
to the constitutional convention whit
has made his influence felt. Grady
county interests are well protected in
the first legislature. The work be
fore this body viii be scarcely less
important than that which is now
in progress at Guthrie. Grady coun-
ty should send man to the first leg
islature who will be leader, with
the ability to safeguard every interest
Of the people and to do things.
The county commissioners hold 20
sitions scarcely second to ncnc in i'm
! portance. Upon them devolves the ex
: penditure Of all county funds. Therl
will be a vast amount Of work foi
them to do in new county. Road
and bridges are to be built and ,
multitude of matters bhat touch tn
pocket book of every citizen they
come under Do we want our none.
: spent judIciously, do we want tn
county's business handled economical
", do we want progressive, busines
methods employed in the conduct 0
! county affairs? Then we must Sc
!. to it that men Of business ability an
abundant common sense are chose
for county commissioners.
tt is time now for the voters t
scrutinize every man who seeks thei
/" favor, TO ask the question: rs h
qualified, is he trustworthy, will h
/. make good?"