The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-09-07
SPOKANE WASHINGTON, MONDAY SEPTEMBER z, 1908
RING Or THE
PUBLIC?

IUC UdCNuONS Ot tOC COoVtVoOoS
ring, of which so much complaint
is heard, is composed Of the prose-
cutting attorneys office and the
county commissioners.
The sheriff is an important ad-
junct and all the other county Of
ficers are lined up by the organiza-
ton in the order Of their import
ance.
If the ring Is to be smashed this
year it will have to be done
at the primary election tomorrow.
Through the convention system the
ring has been able, with the as
sistance of the CowIes publications,
to keep Its grip for years. That
system has been banished and the
people now nominate.
True the old tactics have been
followed as nearly as possible by
in the matter Of en-
dorsement that gives the candidate
Of the organization standing Of
merit, but after all the
people decide this time and they
can arrange the ballot exactly as
they wish it to be this fall.
Against the members of the
organization as in
dividuals The Press has little quar-
rel. But 1t is opposed to the ring
system and can make no distinc-
ton in favor of any part of that
system. An organization of that
sort is not a healthy state of af-
fairs in business supported by the
public as an instrument of civil
Fred Push is acknowledged to be
a brilliant lawyer and an indus
trious prosecutor. But he bases
his claim for election on a long
list of criminal convictions alone.
A big proportion of these convic-
tons are founded on pleas Of
guilty, many of which were secured
by the inquisitory sweating process
for which Pugh Is famed. His
methods have been scored by the
most prominent members Of the
bar in the city.
Something more than an attor-
ney of this character is needed in
the prosecuting attorneys office
a man that will break up the we'll
oiled understanding between the
county legal department and other
especially the COM
A man Is needed who is under
no obligations to the courthouse or
ganization and is free to effectively
ferret out anything irregular and
10 prosecute it sharply and ef-
FectiveIy no matter who II strikes.
The Press does not say that
Pueh would not do this II he learn
I'd Of anything wrong, but under
the family circle method Of run
ming the county there is little like
ihood of a search being made that
would reveal anything. A man is
prone to trust his close friends in
office as we'll as out.
Maurice Smith, running for
attorney on the repub-
Iican ticket, pledges his attention
TO civil business as we'll as GRIM
inal affairs If elected. He is con-
coded to be in every respect COM
petent to I'LL the office.
Judge James z. Moore declares
that he will call a grand jury If
he Is elected prosecuting attorney
to investigate the enormous in
crease in expenditure of county
funds.
II is constant care for the pub
lies economic interests the county
needs at the courthouse more than
a trained castlgator waiting there
to pounce on every man charged
with crime and drag a confession
from him.
The deal by which the courthouse
crowd has maintained Its hold for
years without exposure shows up In
the CowIes papers advocacy Of the
sending back to office of w. m.
Dean, commissioner from the Third
district. The Same arrangements
covers the prosecuting attorney
openly and other offices by refrain
Ing to say anything about court.
house conditions.
The apparent consideration ls
ridiculousIy low taxes for the
cowles papers, and the county
printing bone thrown to the Chron.
icle.
The Spokesman-Review tells Of
how Mr.. Dean saved the county
$40, 900 in tax overcharges, when in
fact Mr.. Dean had little to do with
II. County Auditor Hubbard discov-
cred that an unsurveyed township
had been assessed for taxation, and
the state board refunded $4,000
collected on II.
How much did MIR. Dean save the
county when bv agreement with the