The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1913-08-01

anu u ehhO SoAOAsO
charge against the mayor, Il is in
damning evidence. 1t was a dast
~ am surprised" wrote the
mayor to Colonel Joab, that you
should allow an apparently trifle
matter"
You get it, do you not? "An
apparently trifle matter!" The
mayors very words. | saw the
letter with my own eyes.
Now, is apparently" an ad-
verb or is it not? 1t is. Then
what is an adverb doing modify
ing "trifle?" "Trifle" is a noun
Ia small thing of no conse-
quence. Or it may be verb
"to trifle." But what is a noun
or a verb doing modifying the
noun natter" For, indubitably,
matter" is noun.
OF course, It is apparent
that what the mayor should
have written-perhaps what
he intended to write-waS
"An apparently trifling mat
ter"
All! even a purist like the
colonel could not find fault with
that.
The colonel, replying to the
mayors letter, charged that he
was not only one of a band of
pusillanimous nincompoops but
also a grammatical murderer.
And the mayor lacked the cour-
tesy to reply. though the missive
was sent special delivery!
Now. let us look into the mat
ter from the beginning, in order
that the reader may understand
Just why am with Colonel Joab
and against the administration.
At the last bond election, the
colonel, one of the judges. secured
the appointment as election clerx
of a neighbor. The neighbor
served, and wants to be paid. The
city claims that the judges we're
notified that no clerks would be
employed for that election.
The colonel brought suit
against the city for IS, in Justice
Westcott's court. and lost. He
gave notice Of appeal.
Now. it Is plain. as the colonel
pointed out to me, that the city
administration, on the advice OF
City Attorney Stiles, is, in refus-
ing to pay for election clerk hire.
striking at the very hulwarxs of
our. liberties.
With the colonel I view the sit
uation with alarm. The city
charter is our Magma Cllarta. 1t
is our refuge in time of stress and
storm. 1t is our armor which
fends the dagger thrusts of poIiti-
cal and special interest assassins.
Without 1t there can be no sta
bility, no safety at all.
I cannot emphasize this too
strongly. There will be the very
deuce to pay II pusillanimous
nincompoops are permitted TO
monkey with our charter.
Yet, when the coloneI>sn open
court quoted section 1874. dealing
with election clerks, what do you
think City Attorney Stiles did?
You can't gues.'. SO I'll tell you.
He whacked the city charter
with contemptuous fist and
said: "Pfst! Pfst! What does
that amount TOT"
A pretty way for the city attor-
ney to act, ! must sayl
1.-THE whole trouble is," said
the colonel TO me today, 'sthat our
city is ruled by . quinumvirate.
Not q triumvirate--a quinumvir-
ate.''
Why not? II 1t takes three
persons to make a triumvirate.
surely Ave persons must form
quinumvirate / never saw the
word before. but the colonel used
II, and It must be all right.
ruled" the colonel
went on. "by q quinumvirate Of
pusfllanimous nincompoops.
Il may be 50. am inclined to
believe Il Is sd. No one, surely
not q pusi1lankSenas nincompoop.
would pen IAN apparently trifle
matter =
II d mot the money 1t issa,e
that matters. II Is not the %
that makes the colonel almos!
apopIectic with wrath. What ID
-? Pfsti