The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1909-06-12

alcOholically speaking. There is no doubt but
there will be severe clash between the wet and
the dry interests, with both sides claiming a vic
tory. Governor Hay has called the special session
to take action on the charges against the state
officials, but the booders, the state and national
liquor interests, and the old-time guard of repub-
llcan state politicians, who have held power so
long, will strive their best to retain what they
have gained and to protect the 'honor and char
acter" of those whom they have placed in Office
with the kindly assistance of the voters of the
state.
Governor Hay has the enmty of practically
every other state official and of the entire vicious
element in the state. Various causes have led to
this, but the main reason is his usurpation of the
power which has heretofore been conceded to the
political ring which has dominated the state. Mr..
Hay slipped into office by violation of the pr-
mary law and without the sanction of the voters,
but since he has been in office no one has doubted
that he was the real and genuine governor of the
state. His dctation of affairs has not been kindly
received by the former ring managers of the
commonwealth, and they are after his scalp by
any method which promises to remove it.
The fact that Mr. Hay has asked action on the
charges against Schivey will make his opponents
take sides with Schively. The fact that Mr. Hay
asks anything will create disposition on the part
of his enemies to thwart his desires.
This will be the third special session of the leg
islature in the history of the state The first was
called by Governor Ferry in September 1890, for
the purpose Of passing legislative districting bill.
It remained in session eight days and passed also
several other measures of minor Importance. The
second was called by Governor Rogers in 1901 for
the purpose of amending defective capital pun
ishment law passed by the legislature in the reg
ular session of that year.
Concident with the opening of the Alaska Yuk
on-Pacifc exposition, starting at the moment
that President Taft set the machinery of the ex-
position in motion, six great big automobiles left
New York City on a race across the continent to
Seattle. It is the greatest race of the kind ever
started on this continent and promises to bring
important results in the future. If every one of
the cars or the majority of them get through, as
the pathfinder car did, it is practical certainty
that dozens, possibly hundreds, of similar trips
will be taken annually from this time forward.
When the places through which these cars pass
come to realizing sense of what it would mean
to them to have tourists from the East travelling
in this manner through their towns stopping at
important places and becoming interested in the
country, this will give the cause of good roads a
splendid start upwards. The trip is possible now,
but to be had at the expense of hardships which
appeal only to the adventurous. 1t could be
made pleasant journey for any one owning COM
Portable touring car. All that is needed is steady
Improvement of the roads for the entire distance.
If the road improvement follows the route over
which the race is now being run, that route will
get the bulk of the travel hereafter. The south
ern route proved impracticable for the around
the-world race, and the machines had to be trans
ported great distances on cars. On this northern
route the experience of the pathfnding car has
shown that it is possible to 60 from to
in the automobile alone. 1t is the confident belief
that some of the contestants will make the entire
distance within month. If there were national
highway the whole distance, the journey could
be made in less than half that time p. |.
Under the auspices of the Commercial Club, a
plan has been worked out for the marking of
every country road, within the radius of so miles
of Walla Walla with frequent sign boards show
ing the distance and direction to that city.
The signs, 1000 in number are made in the
form of an arrow, and are six inches wide and
three feet long, They are painted white and bear
the plain black legend, Walla Wala IL Is intended
that the marking shall be so thoroughly done
that the automobile racers who are now on the
way from New York to Seattle shall recognize the
locality as having the best marked roads in the
country. Aside from the direct benefit thus ac-
cruing to the city, every user of the roads even
though living in one of the other communities of
the valley will be benefited.
This one of the best and cheapest methods Of
advertising city, and with the coming of good
roads will be adopted by the progressive towns