Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1916-05-08
Ashland, Ore, Monday, May 8, 1910
RECALL OF COUNTY COURT.

In the matter OF the proposed re
call of the Jackson county court tn,
Mail-Tribune, as is Putnam's habit
is trying to create an issue foreign t
the question. He hopes to muddy the
water by forcing another community
fight. He says Benton Bowers
launched the recall. This Bowers
flatly denies over his signature and
shows that the movement originated
in Medford, and mostly by those who
helped to put Judge Tou Velle into
office.
The Tribune first mentioned the
recall on May T. Before that the
Tidings had heard not an intimation
in Ashland about a recall. After the
Tribune's publication the writer visit
ed Medford to learn what there was
to the report, and found that city
very much excited over the matter.
Petitions were in circulation and
were being freely signed. To this
date no petitions have appeared in
Ashland and we have heard the mat
ter little discussed here.
This explanation because, no doubt,
Putnam will try to muddy the issue
by claiming the recall to be an Ash
land move in the hope Of arousing
community rivalry. The voters of
the county should not allow the issue
to be thus clouded. Either the ac-
tion of the county court justifies the
move, or it does not, and il the issue
is to be fought out 1t should be on its
merits and not upon some foreign
subterfuge manufactured by George
Putnam.
The Tidings has not yet seen a
copy Of the petition, consequently can
not speak on the merit of 1t. How
ever, it will be remembered that this
paper rather vigorously opposed Tou
Velle when he first ran for county
judge. It claimed at the time that
Tou Velle would prove the tool OF
''the Medford gang" At that time
the writer was new in the valley, and
while the evidence of a political
gang" was apparent, we were not
then able to definitely locate the
personnel" Since then, however,
the whole matter has come clear.
Putnam is the head OF 1t. He has
absolutely dominated every move OF
the county judge. In fact, this has
become so apparent to everybody who
had business with the court that It
is a common remark. See Putnam
II you want the ear OF the court"
One story We heard on the streets OF
Medford, which fairly illustrates the
situation, is this: A man in conver-
sation with Putnam on county mat
ters finally suggested that he would
appear before the court and take the
matter up. Whereupon. as the story
goes, Putnam replied: you are be-
fore the court now. I'm the county
court" Whether this conversation
actually took place we do not pretend
TO state, but we do know it is COM
monty reported and generally be-
lieyed that Putnam has more to say
what shall and shall not be done than
the court itself.
Putnam is a sly old fox. He is
political dopester pre-eminent. He is
a postmaster in raising false issues.
II the recall issue is to be fought
out the Tidings is in favor Of fighting
it out on its merits. The voters
should not allow Putnam to cloud it.
There is no community interest in
volved-nor any Medford bridge is
sue-the whole issue is whether the
county court, in its deliberations, has
represented the people of Jackson
county, or simply Putnam. In that
respect it is as If the people had
stopped to inquire: Shall we longer
allow Putnam to dictate the move
ments Of the Jackson county court?"
That is the issue. and It shall not b
elouded by cunning subterfuges and
false issues. The recall 10 against
Putnam's domination.
The Tidings believes the taxpayers