The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-12-17

merits Of pending bill. cast his vote
simply as his leader the railroad agent,
instructed him.
The Judge, the sheriff. the county
commissioners and all other state and
county officials with one exception
were expected to use these passes and
unwittingly, take the dizzy ride to pc.
llical and moral destruction, and ever
thereafter carry the railroad brand on
their scared and toughened hides.
THE ASSESSOR
But, a, have already iutmated,
there was to be one cXccp' ion to the
general rule. That otlicial was to be
the man VT o held tn genera ly consid
cred import art Office Of assessor. This
man was not eXpe cted to act inviting.
~. lie was to know full well the posi-
tiOn he was to take. He was 20 receive
IA liberal salary from bis county, and
Al the same time he the recognized
tinancial agent of the railroad compa.
nies-a man in every respect capable of
acting this disloyal, dishonest and
treacherous part. The railroad com
panies We're to own him, bDdy and soul
and brooches. He was to be for the
people until elected, and forever after
ward against them. He was 10 boldly
ward of any Just assessment of the
railroad companies. and toe iirir cham
pion whenever they attempted to avoid
equal JaXation He was to invariably
assess the farmers, the me "chant, the
manufact and the general taxpayer
at high rate, and asses, h" railroad,
at L low rate. And the assessments
against the general public IN Isl be ex
ceedingly high in orlsr To nuke the
exceedingly light plym fn'S ntic By
the railroads. In other worat,, he was
expected in return TO- tn price OF hi,
hire, to rob the honest ttNptycr in
order to enrich corporation, which are
abundantly able to pay their l,t pro
portion Of the states taxes
Wherever an a,se IS ~ was fuu I'd whO
ould not be induced to do the railroads
bidding, he was to be considered as b.
longing To separate and distinct class,
ind wousl thereafter he required to
pay his fare, like any other honest
man.
This perniciou, system of furnishing
free passes to public Oil ,ials in the
state of Washington WI, not only an
Evil, but it has proven calamity. |
has been i d us tri ouSl V pract ce
throughout the length and breadth OF
Onr great state aud its corrupting in
iluence Is noticeable to all classes of
officials IL the highest and the Lowest
and with few exceptions its influence
has been degrading to the officers and
humiliating to the plblic.
THE RAILROAD LOBBY.
Added to the pass calamity, the rail-
road finally inflicted upon long suf-
ferng and already heavily burdened
but adding insulting aIlront to injured
feelings. 1t was an unwrltten declara-
ton that the railroad companies be-
lieved that our officials were, or could
easily he made, willing tools and cats
paws, and could be induced to repudiate
their sacred obligations. These hire
lings, in the full pay of the railroads,
were to use every possible means to
mislead, hoodwin ard corrupt our
trusted public servants They were to
cajole, coax, lead or drive weak or
treacherous county and state officials
in 0 the railroad fold. They were to
tell these dupes how they could serve
the best interests of their new ma, tiers
and then see that they did SO.