Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1909-05-28
CoLFAX COUNTY, WASH

WIN w ASh
Inc idea ColfaX people and
some others have that ColfaX is
the county is not SO far wrong as
one might imagine. ColfaX has
between $500 and 1900 inhabit-
ants and is the second largest
town IN the county, but it's popu-
latlon is considerably less than 10
per cent. Of the total of Whitman
county. Yet there is no doubt
that ColfaX controls the county
government and is indeed the
county seat. Did you ever stop
to figure what percentage Of the
officers Of Whitman county are
ColfaX citizens? If you never
have you will be surprised to
learn how completely the county
seat dominates the county. Even
the new direct primary law.
which was supposed to take the
affairs of government out Of the
hands Of the politicians and place
them with the people, has not
been able to do this.
The are 10 regular county Of
fees to be filled every two years.
Eight of these ten, or 80 per cent.
are citizens Of CoIfaX. Here they
are: Judge, Sheriff, Treasurer.
Assessor, Clerk, superintendent,
Surveyor and Coroner Garfield
has one officer, or 10 per cent Of
the total, in the person Of prose
cutting attorney, whose home prior
to election last fall. was in Car
field. Pullman also has one in
the person of VIM. Duncan, who
was Pullman citizen prior to be
lg elevated to office.
There are six Legislative officers
and three commissioners to be
elected. There are two legislative
districts in this county ColfaX is
tthree legislators, namely Hugh {.
Todd, representative; and Peter
McGregor, senator. Pullman has
one. The county seat having 66
is one of these and has two of the
2-3 and Pullman, the largest town
in the county, having 80 l-3. There
are three commissioners districts
in the county. ColtaX is in one
of these and has the county com
missioner of that district. or 100
per cent.
1t required strenuous work to
elect Mr.. Chamberlain, Of Garfield.
prosecuting attorney last fall, for
Colfax had a candidate and hun
dreds of dollars of ColfaX money
was spent to elect the ColfaX man.
. Mr.. Duncan, county auditor, was
Aprobably allowed to succeed him
Self on the theory that he had
lived in ColfaX two years and was
really ColfaX citizen. Thus, YOU
see. it was a narrow escape from
giving CoIfaX 100 per cent Of the
ronntv officers at the last election.
With such conditions existing
and such feeling among ColfaX
lbeople, is it any wonder that
WSMany citizens Of ColSaN and
vicinit, were very much incensed
and thought we did very wrong
when we gave the county printing
;. 4 Pullman last year to use the
words Of one of the commission
erss
Now that the county printing
l.oc bcen returned to CoifaX and
tbe county poor farm has been
taten from Elberton and added
- Colfax's other county assets,
We NAV look tor a desperate fight
noxt wear to secure the two offices
which escaped in the last election
aud make it unanimous for Col
fav If seems like a shame that
tho law requires that the county
ba divided into districts for leg
;s1otors and commissioners. Other
wise Colfax. profting by past eX-
na,ience, might get all OF the
county officers, commissioners and
Legislators.
Rnt there is one thing the re
mainder of the county need moi
fear 1t will never be deprived
of paying its share of the taxes.
In III Of their clamoring for pie,
the CoIfax people will never take
that privilege from the remainder
of the county. Other portions Of
the county may not have any OF
tbe offices; may not have The
county printing nor the poor farm,
but they will always have the sa-
cred privilege of paying taxes to