Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1914-06-04

Recently the editor of the Record
stated that its editorial columns
would be devoted to supporting the
men who appeared best suited for
the various Offices. regardless of
whether or not they belonged to one
or the other of the political factions
that fight each year to control the
politics of the county.
One of the men that was men
toned in that article that we be-
lieved unworthy of further support
at the hands of the voters of the
county was F. B. Irvine. present
register Of deeds. And it. isn't a
question of personalities. either.
We base our contention on facts and
we shall try to place them before
the readers of the Record during
the next four weeks that such read
ers will be able to take them at
what they are worth when they
come to cast their votes.
Generally speaking. Mr.. Irvine is
not entitled to reelection for three
reasons: He has had the usual two
terms; he has not shown the proper
economical management of his office
and he has used the power of the Of
fee to make needless trouble and
expense for those having business in
the Office
1t is unfortunate that so many
candidates have announced them
selves for the nomination on the re-
publican ticket for register of deeds.
1t gives Mr.. Irvine chance to slide
through. despite the fact that he
might be the choice of but small
majority of the voters. as far as
the republican nomination is con-
cerned. In fact, the writer firmly
believes that Mr.. Irvine would not
have had the nerve to come before
the people again this year in the
light of his past record but for the
fact that he saw n chance of slip
ping through in the large field. In
fact. he himself informed the writer
that the more candidates announced,
the better his chances. In fact, that
wasn't all he informed the writer.
He stated that he had heard that
the Record might oppose his candi-
dacy and that he couldn't believe
such thing possible in view of the
fact that he controlled a consider
able advertising patronage and that
we should appreciate that fact. Mr..
Irvine was informed then that he
would not receive the Records sup
port. despite his advertising patron
age whip.
The next week we announced our
intention" of opposing Mr.. Irvine.
At that time there was an order in
this Office for twop page display adj
vertisement of one of the automo-
biles that Mr.. Irvine is an agent for.
The account was being handled d.
rect from the factory, through an
eastern agency, but we had confer
red with Mr.. Irvine about it. 1t is
a peculiar coincidence that four days
after the paper was published con-
tanning our attitude On the Irvine
candidacy we received a telegram to
cancel the order. That was the last
ever heard of it. No doubt Mr.. IT.
vine had made good,hi yelled threat
and had secured the cancellation of
the order.
Two years ago there was a decid-
cd feeling throughout the county
that Mr.. Irvine was far from the
best man for the office. However,
he managed to pull through because
he had had but one term and be-
cause he was considered capable,
even though not conscientious. No
one appreciated it more than the
gentleman himself when the returns
showed that Tom O'Brien had given
him mighty run and Tom O'Brien
WAS his chosen candidate over Chris
Bieber as democratic candidate
against him because he considered,
as did most others, that OBrien's
candidacy would be but joke.
In the January 80. 1918. issue of
the record the amount of clerk-hire
that was used in the register of
deeds office is noted. 1t is also
peculiar coincident that the big
jump in help occurred directly after
the election, when Irvine was safe.
Doesn't it seem that he considered
he had his second term cinched, that
he would not get another anyway
and so. like the nuted financier, 1.-THE
public be damned" Irvine had a
house under course of construction
and it needed much of his time.