The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1916-04-07

| ANNOUNCEMENT OF CANDIDACY.
Geo. a. Lee, formerly chairman of the
public service commission, made formal
| announcement Sunday of his candidacy
| for governor on the republican ticket.
That Mr.. Lee would be a candidate has
been generally understood for some time
| and lacked only the formality of def
mite announcement.
For the past two or three months he has
been in touch with active republicans
| Throughout the state aud mas made several
| trips over large part of the state sizing
up the situation, and has delivered num-
erous addresses on various topics. He has
| received such encouragement as to con-
vince him that he has an excellent
/ chance to win the nomination.
In his announcement Mr.. Lee reiterates
i his frequently declared advocacy of a con-
| stitutional convention to provide for
| simplification and consolidation of state
| offices and departments that will lead to
| the shorter ballot. He also takes an en-
phatic stand against legislative interfer-
ence with the prohibition law and says
/ that he will advocate and favor policies
/ that will foster Industrial and CONNER
| cial development of the state. He makes
| lit clear that he proposes to conduct
| clean campaign, that he will not indulge
in venalties or personalities, but that he
| will address himself to the issues. meas
ures, and principles, and not to candi-
dates"
| The announcement follows:
Il am candidate for the republican
nomination for governor. In seeking that
L
my record in public office in this state.
submitting that such service demon
strates what may be expected of and
from me if elected chief executive. In
numerous addresses over the state l have
already unhesitatingly declared in favor
of constitutional convention. In an ad-
dress in Seattle a month ago | said: I am
in favor of a constitutional convention In
| this state to amend revise and revamp
the organic law. l believe in smplifca-
| ton of our state government and a con-
| soidation of offices and departments.
This in conjunction with the budget sys-
| tenn is bound to reduce administrative
al have had an intimate insight into
| this matter on account of my connection
observations are well founded. The SIM
plification and consolidation above sug-
gested will lead directly to the short bal
lot system and a greater Capitalization of
responsibility in the administration of
! government
Furthermore. our legislative system
needs some correction. 1t is top-heavy.
| cumbersome and unwieldy. Our system
| of taxation needs revision to make
the levy of taxes more equal, equitable
state needs simplification. In brief, the
state has in many respects, outgrown its
| constitution. These are "a few of the I'm
portant reasons why | shall advocate and
urge Il constitutional convention. If the
] 1917 session of the legislature should act
accordingly it would be from two to four
years before results could be accomplished
and that would give ample time for ma
| ture and rational counsel to prevail in the
solution of these problems and would
| make 1t possible to effect these necessary
and constructive reforms and corrections
! with wisdom well balanced thought and
fine Judgment. Then we could hope for
| model constitution. that would mean SO
! much for the development and expansion
of our state. | now reiterate and en-
phasize my convictions as then expressed
/ Il have heretofore declared through the
press my convictions upon legislative in
reference with the prohibition law. The
people have spoken and prohibition Is an
adopted legislative policy of the state. One
of the functions of the CHER executive Is
to rigidly. impartially and fearessly en-
force the law. The law to which l have
Iadverted is no exception. The peope of
this state, under constitutional authority
have read this principal into statutory
clare that the people only can read it out
lof the law of the state. Any legislative at
tempt to change, emasculate or destroy
the peoples judgment on this measure l
would consider to be utterly indefensible.
Further than this l consider the question
la closed issue.
Il have no empty pledges or idle prom
ises to make. If nominated and elected
Igovernor | shall expect to bring to the
duties of that office the same fidelity, APP
plication and industry that have sought
to display in public office in the past.
"A public office is a public trust" My
political philosophy is comprehended IN
| that brief sentence.
| Il shall for financial reasons. conduct
modest and inexpensive campaign. My
|
state will constitute and compose my
| campaign management. | intend to wage
an active speaking campaign in every
| county in the state. | shall indulge at no
| time or under any provicaton in venal-
tiles or personalities. If governorship
contest cannot be conducted a decent
and respectable basis, then I do not care
to participate therein. | shall give to
every contender for this high and honor
| able office courteous treatment and
shall address myself to issues, measures
and principles, not to candidates.
THE state of Washington is a young,
vrie and progressive commonwealth. /
want to see men nominated and elected to
the governorship and other state offices,
| big and broad and capable enough to keep
step with the advance of the state and
\ give to the state a clean, fair, fearless,
| ton.
The commonwealth of Washington.
with It's promising possibilities and splen-
| did latent resources, needs development |
want to see legislative and executive poll
cies that will promote that development
cannot better express this idea than by
Iquoting the language of Justice Hughes
of the supreme court of the United States
when he was governor of New York Gov
| ernor Hughes said 1T is the function of
law to define and punish wrong doing and
! not to throttle business. In the field of in
dustrial activity the need is that trade
should be talr, that unjust discrimination
ana Illegal allowances giving preferen-
| tial access to markets should be prevented
and that coercive combinations and i'm
proper practices to stlfle competition
| should be dealt with regardless of indi-
Vlduals; but that honest industry, obtain
| ing success upon its merits denying no
Just opportunity to its competitors, should
not be put under prohibitions which min
gle the innocent with the guilty in a COM
mon condemnation" With that sentiment
am in entire accord and if in the ap-
preaching years. the legislative and exc
cutlVe policies of this state reflect that
spirit, we can reasonably expect an un-
paralleled development of the state