White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1916-11-03
PRATT'S PLATFORM /,
FOR COMMISSIONER

FOR COMMISSIONER
r. E. Pratt of Kennewick, can.
didate on the republican ticket for
county commissioner from the third
district. was in this end. of the
county this week and had the fol-
lowing to say regarding his candi-
dacy:
II am not overly strong on max
ing promises, in fact, l am some
what inclined to be a little suspic-
ious of a candidate who is full of
promises that sound good to the
taxpayer. 1t is usually one or two
things: He does not have an init
mate knowledge of what he is talk
ing about, or else is putting out
stuff for campaign purposes, pure
and simple-like scraps of paper,
made but to be torn in pieces.
"For instance, how is it possible
for one member of the county
board to control the board and bring
about certain definite results unless
the other members are in accord
with his ideas? To my way of
thinking, members of the county
board should be judged and select
ed by what they stand for in pri-
vate life, what their record is for
economy and efficiency and the re-
suits they may have been able to
obtain in their own affairs. Some
one has said that these two words
have been overworked and need
rest; it may be true so far as their
use in paraphrasing is concerned,
but when it comes to their practi-
cal application to county affairs, l
am not so sure.
"And in what am saying now
do not want to be misunderstood as
offering criticism in the present ad-
ministration of county affairs. 1t
has always seemed to me that the
people were as much to blame as
the commissioners when things do
not go satisfactory. In the first
place in the small amount of inter-
est manifested in urging suitable
candidates to file, and secondly by
their lack of interest and support
when the election is over.
Il am just old-fashioned enough
to- hold to the theory that any
county officer is simply a servant of
the people. elected only to perform
a public service-to look after GER
tain definite affairs and to carry
out, so far as he may, the wishes of
majority of the people in his dis
trict. In order to do this, it seems
to me, he must keep in close touch
with the people, and in turn, they
should offer active support and en-
couragement at all times.
II want to say to your people
that l am greatly in favor Of the
limelight--not political limelight
for the county commissioners-but
the limelight of pitiless publicity
for all county affairs, the budget,
and any other information that will
attract the attention of the public
and keep them interested; for I
cannot see how the commissioner is
to get tangible results unless by
the hearty cooperation of the peo-
pie. How, for instance, is he to
get hundred cents worth of work
on the roads for dollar, if the
taxpayer who wants to work and
feels that he should be given it to
do, insists on doing only fifty cents
worth of actual work for the dollar
he receives? And right here let
me say, that / favor the employ
ment of taxpayers for road work
where it can be done, but feel that
their interests in results should in
spire them to be willing to give full
value in work for every dollar re-
ceived.
"In conclusion, let me put into
as few words as may, what l have
been trying to make plain to you:
believe in the elimination of poll
tics and all forms of graft in. coun-
ty affairs, and that its business
should be conducted along the same
lines as any other large corporation,
so far as the law will permit, and
to this end all good citizens should
unite in taking an active and real
interest in it's affairs"