Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1914-09-11
WHAT is A BLAKE TOOL?


What is Blake tool? One who
does what the Blakes want done, of
course. The Blake gang want Jack
Harlan defeated. They did not want
him nominated. They know that
those who have been skinning the tax
payers of Clearwater county through
special favors, like the Nease timber
cruise, for instance, cannot handle
Mr.. Harlan. Pat Blake knows that
with Jack Harlan and Fred Choate and
Mr.. Coontz on the county board, that
P. H. Blake can stand up and shake
his finger and tell the board what to
do. So the gang have. started after
Jack Harlan. The tools of the gang
are out after Mr.. Haraln's scalp, and
they are branding this man as tim
Der tool. And the Republican would
make this plain: The man who does
it is working for the gang, and it
makes no difference whether it comes
from democrat or republican.
Remember the Blake gang never
was all democrat. 1t has used sore
head republicans and will continue
to use them. Nor is Jim and Pat
Blake all there is of the gang. Who
ever has helped to skin the people,
and whoever has been party to graft
and extravaganza and waste of public
funds is of the gang whether they are
with or against the Blakes.
What the people of this county need
is the cleaning out of public officials
who have been wasting county funds
and betraying public confidence. The
people will have accomplished nothing
if they kick out the Blakes and retain
in power officials who have for two or
four years been squandering public
funds.
If Clearwater county is to be re-
formed let the people clean out the
court house wherever there is evidence
of incompetency, extravaganza or
graft. For instance, clean out Off
Gals who have squandered and wasted
money for bridge plans, county print
ing, timber cruise or any other public
expenditure.
Remember this: 1t is not men, but
system that the people must over
throw, and if County Commissioner
Frank Zelenka is part of that sys-
tenn it is folly to talk of reform and
then vote him back into the Office he
has for two years used, not for the
people, but for those who have wanted
to profit, and have sometimes. profit
ed, at the expense of the people.
For instance, when Frank Zelenka,
sitting as a county commissioner, re-
fused to permit any other person OF
firm to submit bid, and refused to
consider bid for u cents an acre
that was submitted regardless Of the
action Of the board, giving the work
to Nease for twelve and half cents
an acre, Mr.. Zelenka was not working
for the best interests of the taxpayers
of Clearwater county, as we under
stand the term working for the peo-
ple." Had this county belonged t.
us, and had we hired Mr.. Zelenka t.
look after it, and to have the timber
cruised, and had he handled the bust
ness for us as he has for the people
of this county, we would have free
him as incompetent, and SO woult
you, Mr.. Citizen, and you know it.
It's this system of incompetency
through which the taxpayers of tn
county are skinned out of thousand
of dollars annually that must be over
thrown, and real business method
and system adopted, if the people o
Clearwater county are to rid them
selves of this incubus of gang rule
Officials who have betrayed thei
public trust and for two years out
ragged an unsuspecting public in tn
interest of gang rule, with all i
implies in extravaganza and rottel
county government, making Blak'
rule possible, have forfeited thei
right to the confidence of the peopl
of Clearwater county, and it woult
reflect on the intelligence and goo
sense of the voters were such count!
officials reelected, and thereby thu
most reprehensible official conduc
endorsed.
1t is bad enough to think that any
county official with such a RECORD
would have the impudence to seek re.
election; it is beyond belief that the
people will re-elect such.