The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1908-08-13
ARE NOT DISQUALIFIED
State Attorney General Holds That
Publication of Photographs
Does Not Disqualify

| maze the statement IIldG LII. ". w
Sutherland, candidate for commits
sioner from the Third district, and
Leo H. King, candidate Tor county
superintendent, had been disquali-
fed for Office, because their photo
graphs had been published in The
MINER under the heading paid
Advertising" DR.. Sutherland, in
order to set at rest any doubts
wrote the attorney general OF the
state, enclosing copy of The
MINER and asking for an opinion
in the matter. In response he re-
ceived the following letter, which
should set at rest all doubts:
State of Washington, Office Of
Attorney-General, Olympia, Aug
ust 5, 19O8-Dr. q. W. Sutherland,
Newport, Wash.-Dear Sir: Your
favor of the 1st inst, addressed to
the encouragement, relative to
whether or not an announcement
of candidacy, together with your
photograph, published by you.
would disqualify you for the office
of county commissioner Of Stevens
county, was duly received.
In reply thereto I will say, first,
that the law does not contemplate
that the encouragement shall ad-
wise officially any but state officers
and prosecuting attorneys upon
request. | will say, however, un-
officially, that | have given Sec
tons % and 20 of our new direct
primary law considerable thought,
and [ do not think that the photo
and announcement Of candidacy
published by you, or caused to be
published by you, disqualifes you.
Truly yours,
|. B. kNICKERBOCKER.
Assistant Attorney General.
In addition Mr.. Knickerbocker
sent the following, which is an ex-
tract from a speech delivered by
Attorney General Atkinson before
the State Press Association at Van
couver, Wash. on July II:
"A newspaper may lawfully, for
valuable consideration, print or
publish a formal announcement Of
candidacy, without newspaper COM
ment, or a photograph Of a candi-
date, without newspaper comment,
except statement of name of candi-
date and name of office for which
he is candidate, whether the con-
sideration is paid by the candidate
or by some one else The consid-
Grafton, however, paid or to be paid,
should not exceed reasonable adj
vertising rates. Although the letter
of the law does not require it. the
spirit of the law will be better sub
served b. placing at the beginning
of the announcement of candidacy
or of the photograph, in a conspic-
uous place, in plain type of black
faced Roman capitals the words
PAID ADVERTISEMENT"
Mr.. Veatch, editor of the States
man-Index, refuses to consider the
matter in any other light than that
diffused by his own narrow mind,
and in his last issue again rehashes
the subject and declares the gentle
men disqualified He constitutes
himself sole interpreter of the in
tent of the law, and will not permit
the opinion of any one else to be
considered. He has shown his
animus in the matter by thus con-
demning and discarding the candi-
dacy of these gentlemen and is do
ing his best to sidetrack them. Not
because they are not capable to
acceptably fill the Offices to which
they aspire, but it would appear
that they live in the wrong section
of the county-from Mr.. Veatch's
standpoint.
The Statesman-Index attempts
to pose as reform organ-in this
it makes a miserable failure, for it
is easy to see that personal motives
are back of its every move. It's
narrow minded, prejudiced course
cannot deceive the people, and
what prestige the paper once en-
joyed is rapidly dwindling away
under the blight of Veatch's man
agement, Seeking to represent the
Republican party of the. county
and asking recognition as the party
organ, it is today engaged in the
work of furthering party disruption
by riding roughshod over the DO
litical aspirations of men who are
worthy in every way, but happen
to have incurred its displeasure
In thus trying to read Eastern
Stevens county off the political
map, it will hardly have the sup
port of fair-minded people on the
west side, and it's ATTEMPT will ra