The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1912-03-13
}. G. Lawrence Points Out How
Application of Business Meth
DDS Will Turn the Trick
GREAT POLITICAL MACHINE
NOW IN ABSOLUTE CONTROL
Boards and Bureaus and Commits
sions Have Been Multiplied and
Massive Appropriation Bills
Pass Unheeded


the public affairs of the state of Wash
estimate save to the people Of the
state million dollars annually, was
the statement made Saturday to two
score citizens of North Yakima at
the Yakima hotel by John G Law
renee of Garfield, who is candidate
for the office of governor. Mr.. Law
renee did not make a mere assertion.
but went ahead, briefly but concisely,
to point out why and how the saving
can be made, and he convinced his
hearers that he is working along the
right line of thought. To accomplish
what he says can be done will re-
quire, as he admits, a revolution in
the manner and method of govern
ment of this state and the election to
office of a man brave enough or fool
hardy enough to attempt it, Mr.. Law
renee thinks he is that man and most
of those who heard him Saturday left
the hotel holding the same point of
view
Arrived Here Friday
Mr. Lawrence arrived in this city
Friday night unheralded, and in tho
morning went about the streets pilot
ed by DR. George Sloan, interviewing
those whom he thought were not too
busy to listen to him. Friday night
at the Commercial club he had met a
number of people from this city and
various parts of the valley who had
gathered there on other business His
visit to the Commercial club was pure
~. social and informal, and there was
no Formally about his work here Sal
urday Such people as could he
reached and who had the time to
spare gathered at the parlors of the
hotel at 1870 O'Clock and were talked
to for less than 80 minutes. What
they heard was information for most
and education in state politics for all
How 1t VIII Be Done
Briefly stated, Mr.. Lawrence pro-
poses to do away with the commits
sions and boards and bureaus which
now are supposed to handle the af-
fairs of the state, leaving only the
public service commission ana the IN
dustrial service commission to carry
forward the work which is now di-
vided among innumerablc bodies
some of them with unlimited power
not answerable to the public or the
governor or anyone else, but consti-
tuting an immense political machine
The constructive work of the tax com
mission has been accomplished AND
what remains can be carried forward
by a clerk of the public service de-
partment The board of control has
built ali the buildings needed for the
present and its work of purchasing
supplies can be done by clerk.
Where Power Has No Limit
The bureau of accountancy, which
has unlimited authority to hire as
sstants. has already expended 800
600 in investigation of less than 15(
state Offices and there are thousand!
Of such offices, as the bureau ha!
every school district every toWnsh p
county, state, city and various othel
. offices under its jurisdiction. it now
has 40 accountants or whereabouts, a
IS per day, in its employ and there j.
nothing to prevent the number beins
run into the hundreds.
More compactness, more cohesive
ness. better organization are needed
ed out that the present system con
stitutes nothing more nor less than {
gigantic political machine and in tn,
interests Of one man. This one man
if elected governor can not reason
ably be expected to destroy the ma
chine
Something About Money
Public expenditures in this state il
the past six years have risen from
100000 to s11 900, 900, an iucreas,
of $S,000,000. In oregon in the same
period from 1905 to 1911, the annua
public expediture has risen from So.
GEO. to S4,000,000. In other words
while oregon has been adding tw,
b millions Washington has tucked OIL
eight millions and the greater par
of that increase has been during TIL
term of office of Governor Hay, VIII
claims to be giving the state a bust
ness administration. The state bust
ness in the opinion of Mr. Lawrence
should be conducted as the bushes
of a corporation would be conducte'
along business lines and without ex
trava gance or waste.
What the State Needs
Washington needs a governor wit
the courage 10 veto all unnecessar
appropriation bills and Mr.. Lawrenc
tnstanced the purchase of the Wen
atchee bridge, al an original price o
100000, which was later reduced t
S125, 900, and other bridge bills, an
called attention to the fact tina
the appropriations were made il