The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1918-07-18
A Non-Partisan county Ticket.

Believing firmly that II there is any
fighting to be done that it should be
done cover there and that the time
has come for the closest economy of
energies, we want to ask the serious
question "Why should Kenosha county
have political battle over the cleo
ton of county offcialsg"
Just at present the county Offices are
pretty well divided among the Demo
Gratis and the Republicans. So far as
we know-and we keep in pretty close
touch with events in the county-the
county clerk, the clerk Of the court, the
treasurer, the coroner, the register of
deeds, the district attorney and the
surveyor. All Of these men have
made excellent records in office. Not
a suggestion of failure to meet official
duties has been raised. They have
treated the people Of the county with
uniform courtesy and under their adj
ministration the county has been going
forward. They do not represent any
great political principles; they are not
in any way effecting the movements
of the state and nation and all that
they are doing is the clerical work
of Kenosha county.
If there is any one of them against
whom the suggestion of competency or
honesty could be raised it would be
time to root them out, but with the alb
solute absence there is no reason to de-
mand that these men go out and start a
battle to keep themselves in the s~rv-
ice of the public. The public wants
and needs trained servants. 1t has
them and the most sensible thing is to
let well enough alone.
Of course there may be men in the
county who are going to insist on their
constitutional right to run for office.
They want to make political fight
with the hope that under such fight
they may slip into Office on the flood
of a political victory.
While such thing might advance
and crafty the political ambition of
the men themselves it would in no way
serve Kenosha county or bring to the
court house a more competent manage
ment of the business of the county.
The political party that man belongs
to does not in any affect his ability
to give service.
II we must have a primary fight
there can be plenty of fighting done
by the candidates for sheriff. Unfort-
unately the law provides that a sheriff
may service but two years in office.
This fight is usually the real fight in
the county any way. 1t is the one
worth while Office in the gift Of the
people of the county and the other Of
fees are invitations to serve for
pittance. If competent men who have
proved their competency are willing to
continue to trade loyal service for
small salaries the people of the county
should be only too willing to accept
their sacrifices.
These men should not be forced TO
spend large sums in order to secure
denomination and a reelection The
people owe something to them for the
service given. Considering present day
wages, we know that the county has
not given these men proper compensa-
tion. 1t is unfair that man working
as a common laborer should be paid
more than a county official, but if men
are in Office who are willing to accept
such conditions they should not be
forced to expend part of what they
get for reelection.
The primary campaign this year is
placed in the list of "non-
essential occupations. The expendi-.
ture of large sums of money for
primary campaign is a non-essential
expense and non-essential loss of
energy.
Public sentiment is all that is neces-
sary to repress the desires of lot of
men to come out for office. If these
men know that the people are going to
be satisfied with the officials they have
and vote for them regardless of mar
row party political considerations they
are going to be mighty slow to start
political campaign before the primary.
KeRosha county has officials compe-
tent to do the work of the county.
They have the added value of expert
ence in this work and our contention is
that the fact that they may not be
long to your political party or mine,
dose not interfere one whit with their
faithfulness in Office.
Conservation of energy, fighting
where the fighting is necessary, de-
mands that party politics be eliminated
from the campaign in Kenosha county
this year and that the people of the
county retain excellent officials in Office.
The idea may not appeal to the
chairmen of political committees, but
it should make a real appeal to hard
headed business men who believe that
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