The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1908-04-29
4. !. SpI..ANN.

4. J. SPLAWN.
The spontaneous outburst of en-
thusiasm which has arisen from the
formation of a Splawn club to boost
that gentleman's candidacy for the
governorship can be nothing else but
gratifying to all the citizens of the
Yakima valley.
Once in great while there comes 4
man who is so beloved throughout
state or nation. who Is so on the
square. so genuinely honest; who
stands so much for all that is right
and decent and true that party lines
are Immediately dissolved and the
mention of his name calls forth moth
ing but words of praise.
Such a man is A. !. Splawn. We
have not analyzed the political sit
uation enough to state whether his
candidacy is a wise one or not. We
do not particularly care at this stage
of the game. But we do know that
if honest administration is desired; If
the state wishes at its head man
who will ever uphold those principles
which tend toward the building of
the commonwealth on foundation
of solid rock. that will withstand the
sui lllS vi DuDllC ITO U6IteT
choice could be made than Mr..
Splawn. He is Democrat and we
do not to any extent coincide with
the political views of his party If
nominated he will make the fight on
a Democratic ticket But in the case
of Mr.. Splawn politics cuts no large
figure. He is man in every sense
of the word, and this is an age of
men.
His uprightness is shown in the adj
vice he gave to his partisans when his
name was first suggested. do not
endorse me or any other man." he
said. go to Spokane. where the
representatives of all the state will
be in convention assembled, and talk
it over among yourselves. Find out
the wishes of the people through
those men whom they delegate to
handle their political business. Sem
timent may be stronger for some
otner and you, my Yakima friends,
should be willing to place in the gu
bernatorial chair him who can do the
most and who can be the strongest
in a fight for the welfare of the
state.
And best of all these words ring
true from this man whom we of Yak
ina have come to know and love as
a business associate as a friend and
as neighbor. Not that we would
support every political principle
which he holds so dear: not that we
would advance his candidacy or any
other persons at this time. but be-
cause as man we are proud of him,
Yakima is proud of him and the en-
tire northwest has come to know this
pioneer who helped make a green
landscape from wilderness of sage
brush and who, in days when the
Yakima river boiled down through
desert of sand and desolate valley
and hill. was driving cattle over a
range which seemed deserted of God.
And he lived through those old days
when the west was wild and woolly;
was responsible in a large measure
for that magic touch of water which
caused plain glazing under whitening
sun to blossom into fields which were
advance agents of wealth and pros
perity; was the man who plotted
many enterprises of great pith and
moment through troublesome seas to
haven of success. And these are the
reasons for our taking this occasion
to say some words for A. ]. Splawn
: when his name is passed back and
forth much by people in public
, places. Because We are proud OF
him. He has reached the course in
; the day of life which marks on the
sun dial a time O'Clock far past noon.
, His has been a life spent much out
in the open among Gods hills. and
fields and plains. He has from early
days passed to a life teeming with
/ excitement through contact with the
busy marts and in the public eye.
And never has he failed And this is
why we mention him now because
| we believe in Mr.. Splawn as other
; people believe in him who know him
as a friend And as friend we
could wish him nothing less than
: success in this political venture, even
| though we would not commit our
: selves along party lines or along mat
t ter of political principle
And as parting comment we wish
to give that need of praise which, in
political way, is as high praise as
} one man can give to another. We
, favor the republican party and re-
! publican principles but we will de-
clare. that even in this year of presi-
: Dental election, in state and ma
r ton essentially republican, the re-
| pubicans of Washington must pick
I the finest and the fairest of their flock
, if they would defeat Jack" Splawn
of Yakima in the race for govern
: mental honors and we do not know
how to express our sentiments by
l stronger term than this and still
{ hold true to party.