The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1916-10-19
LIVE WIRE SPARKS
Well, if you're not registered you
can't vote, but don't blame US. We've
done our best.


can't vote, but don't blame US. We've
done our best.
IF we've heard one, we've heard a
dozen persons ask within week "Just
what is township organization?" and
we will try to answer the question
briefly. The township organization
law is a law providing that upon vote
of the people, any county may be di-
vided into districts called towns, each
having twenty-five votes or more.
these towns are bodies corporate and
the voters in each town thru their Of
ficers, make their own assessments
and spend their own money in their
own town. 1t is designed primarily to
take county funds out of politics and
to assure each districts getting as
much road work as they want. =.
Practically all the states in the east
are under township organization, the
Anticipated system of county commits
sioners control of road funds such as
we have, having been abandoned years
ago. In this state the law allowing
counties to adopt township organiza-
ton is comparatively recent, and so
far only two counties have adopted it
county and Whatcom coun-
ty. We have made diligent inquiry
among the farmers OF both counties
thru the grange and find that in each
county it is decided success.
David Monroe, of the Monroe Cat
tie company says: ut saves the tax
payers of Spokane County $100, 100000
annually" Another writer: ut would
be political suicide for any man rum
ming for Office to assert that he is op-
posed to township organization"
Another: "Not a single farmer in
Spokane county ever voiced OPPOSE
tion to the law" Another, "The only
opposition comes from g. few polite
ians who would profit by extravagant
expenditure of funds" Another. eve
who have it would under no circum-
stances give it up" Another, eve
would not think Of going back to the
old way" Another, "Our money is
no longer doled out to keep horde of
heelers alive for the work they may be
able to do in the towns and cities for
the professional politician in small
way"
We could fill up the whole paper
with letters, but you wouldn't read
them if Mr.. Gardner would give US
the space. We will say that out Of
dozens Of letters not one was received
that did not rec ,mmend the law high
ly.
Doubtless one of the best posted
men on the question is George Yokom,
secretary of the Connecticut Invest
ment company, concern which makes
extensive loans thruout Spokane coun-
ty. He probably knows as many farm
ers as any man in the county and the
nature Of his business keeps him in
close touch with the tax question. He
says the law not only results in lower
taxes and better roads but that fully
ninety per cent and he believes nine
ty-nine per cent Of the farmers favor
it.
In the face of such overwhelming
testimony it is ridiculous for the op-
ponents to say that it is failure in
sixty per cent Of the counties where
it has been once adopted and then
abandoned. Let them explain where
in it has failed. It has failed to pro-
vide plumber to pay political debts.
It has failed to keep horde Of fav-
orite contractors supplied with ex-
ceptionally profitable contracts. It
has failed to keep in the assessors
office railway employees, as has been
done in some Of the counties in the
state. But it has not failed to save
from 35 per cent to IS per cent on
road construction and general county
expenses. Truly this measure de-
serves your hearty support.
The Office of county agriculturalist
was put on the grill at the grange
meeting last Saturday night. and to
the surprise of many came off first
best. The members came to the con-
clusion that the office paid and that
the farmers usually needed help more
than they realized. A glimpse at re-
suits obtained not only convinced ev-
eryone that the work had been worth
while but also opened the eyes of
many to the possibility of getting
aid thru the office. One man who felt
inclined to belittle the work could
not explain why it was that the boys
in the club work could raise twice az
much corn as Dad and came to the