The Parker post., 1913-06-07
A YUMA VICTORY

The democratic politicians and Of
flee holders of Yuma succeeded in
getting Hess's goat at the recall
election held last Saturday. 1t was
practically a fOregOne conclusion that
the superintendent of schools would
be recalled The leading politicians
in his own party were after him
with a good-sized club, and about
every republican voted against him
just because he was a democrat The
women also cut large figure in the
election Of a new superintendent, all
of them voting almost solidily for a
member of their own sex.
The opposition to Hess concen-
trated it's force upon the selection
of Miss Boehringer There were four
women candidates, all eager for Of
flee and innoculated with the office
holding microbe so common among
the average male Yumaite.
Less than 80 per cent of the total
vote in the county responded to the
call of the board of supervisors for
recall election. Out of total
registration of 12O in Parker precinct
only Sc votes were cast, seven of
this number being women. Hess re-
ceived 16, Boehringer 16 and the So
cialist candidate, Tuefert, 4.
Hess carried all of the precincts in
northern Yuma county except Parker,
where he broke even with Miss Boeh-
ringer. This is considered exception
ally good owing to thee fact that
Chairman F. E. Elliott of the board
Of supervisors made an energetic
campaign throughout northern Yuma
county in behalf of Miss Boehringer
just previous to the election. Os-
tensibly the chairman of the board
came to Parker to see about a Jail
for this place and the condition of
the roads. AS there is no money
available for building a Jail or repair
ing roads, and won't be until after
January, 1914, it was apparent to
everyone that Elliott was up here
soley for the purpose of hammering
a few nails in the Hess political cas-
ket.
At Parker the chairman hired an
automobile (also at the expense of
the county, and took in every pre-
dir ot hot Vrn
cept Ehrenberg and Alamo. To
every voter he came in contact with
he exhibited the handsome picture of
his candidate, and slipped them
campaign literature boosting for her
election. 1t is surprising that all of
the voters did not fall for the chair
congratulate himself upon receiving
the vote he did get in view of the
influence used against him in this
end of the county.
Only a small percentage of the
voters opposed Hess because they be-
lieved him guilty of any unusual con-
uuCJ' NhctHy VI CHclH udu IL III lOl
him on other grounds than the ones
named in the petition calling for an
election, while others voted for
their particular friend or because
one OF the opposing candidates was
a particular friend of a friend of
theirs. The business of his recall
was not seriously considered by
many, and never is in these kind Of
elections.
We doubt whether there is an
official in this county who could not
be recalled if concerted movement
was started against him by a score
of voters, backed up by newspaper.
The most trivial incidents in connec-
tion with a public officials acts
could be distorted, as in the Hess
case, and in short time the re-
quired petition for recall would be
circulated and signed up with enough
names to compel the board of super
visors to issue a call for an election
Immediately there. would arise a
horde of office seekers down Yuma
way, and it would be all off with
the incumbent who happened to be
the victim of the recall. Such a
candidate is always put on the de-
fensive at the start, and no matter
how unjust his recall may be, he is
bound to get it in the neck, because
the average voter believes that where
there is SO much smoke there must
be some fire, not realizing that a
mere handful of politicians are capa-
BILE of pulling off the stunt with ease
The Post holds no brief for Mr..
Hess, and never did There are
many things about the Hess way of
doing business which we do not ap-
prove. For weeks before the recall
petitions were out against Hess we