The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1913-10-31
n.fends His Administration Against
Statements Of Richardson
r and Desgranges
r. the Voters of Kennewick:

In view OF Lne ldCI tudI uduy
,h;nps are being said about the pre-
amt administration, and the affairs
Of the city, deem it no more than
fair that | should be permitted to
cav few words on behalf of the
rresent administration, and to pre-
can't to the voters in a brief form
the future policy of the present ad-
ministration.
At the present time we have one
Of the best councils we have ever
had. l have always found them
faithful, efficient, hard working and
conscientious, and not one of them
has ever been absent from a meeting
Of the council without a good, sub
stantial excuse. I feel that we have
no apologies to offer, and nothing
to be ashamed Of, and am perfectly
content to accept the verdict of the
voters on the question of whether
we have given good business ad-
ministration or otherwise.
The attitude of councilman Des-
oranges in belittling himself before
the public for the purpose OF sup
porting a rival candidate, is really
amusing when one is thoroughly
acquainted with his conduct and
work on the council. Mr.. Des-
oranges has worked just as hard and
pondered just as long as any other
member of the council in endeavor-
ing to solve the problems which
have confronted them, so that the
city might successfully carry on its
business and affairs in the most
economical manner possible, and
upon every question of importance,
and believe l may safely say upon
EVERY QUESTION, since I have
been in the mayors chair, he has
voted with the other members OF
the council and has never once cast
his ballot NAY.
Mr.. Richardson has raised some
question with reference to the con-
dition of the city streets and the
administration Of the police depart
ment. 1t would seem from his re.
marks that he had entirely lost sight
of the fact that we have but recently
had our streets virtually turned
upside down by the digging of the
sewer, and that our council has
been trying very hard to have Mr..
Burns finish his work without the
necessity of a law suit. OF neces-
sity there are many stones in the
streets at this time, and it has been
and will continue to be the policy o1
the administration to get rid of them
as speedily as possible, but at the
same time keeping the expenses oi
the city as low as can consistently
be done. Likewise in discussing
the police question, he loses sight
'of the fact that there is practically
no work in this vicinity at the
present time for the transient labo,
which is continually passing through
the country and that the policy OF
Pasco has been changed, so that
now instead of being welcomed there
they are pushed out of town,
ana many of them find their way
to this side of the bridge. He
likewise loses sight of the fact that
we have had less annoyance and
: ever crimes and depredations in
the last two years than we ever
before had in six months time. 1t
Is the policy of the present admins
tratlon not to maintain a chain gang,
feellng thati it was far better to keen
the hobo moving and spend the
money on home labor which would
otnerwlse be spent in boarding and
caring for a chain gang. When
the question of whether or not we
should maintain a chain gang was
put up to the council at it's last
meeting 1t was unanimously de-
clded that we should not have one
1t Is true that many people residing
IN the vicinity Of the bridge com.
planned to me of the hoboes and