The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1924-08-14
EDITORIAL
BY THEIR WORKS
(By A. r. Gardner)

hUklNG q poilClcai campaign, who
has more friends than the farm
er? Answer, nobody.
In the present gubernatorial cam
paign the most self-heralded cham
pion Of the farmer is E. L. French,
who advertises himself as a dirt
farmer and bases his candidacy on
his record as member of the state
legislature for number of terms
with particular reference to his sup
port of legislation on behalf of the
farmer.
In his announcement of his can
didacy for governor, Mr.. French says
he "voted for all Legislation designed
to benefit the farmer" but he fails
to point out where he ever initiated
anything on behalf of the farmer or
the taxpayer during his five sessions
in the state legislature.
Mr.. French was a member Of the
house during the sessions of 1909
anu lClI dHu VI Luc ScIldCe curing
the sessions of 1915, 1917 and 1919.
In the session of 1909 he was men,
Der of the committee on agriculture,
but the following session did not ev-
en- request an appointment on that
committee and did not serve on the
committee during any of the follow
ing sessions in either the house or
senate.
During his two terms in the house
and three sessions in the senate, Mr..
French only introduced two measures
in any way relative to farming. In
the session of 1909 he introduced
house bill 95, creating the office of
county inspector of horticulture and
house bill $50, to prohibit live stock
running at large in any organized
township in which three fourths of
the lands are under fence. The rec
ords fail to show any other propos-
ed measures relating to farming bear
ing his name. fsHt
During his five sessions in the leg
islature Mr.. French was member
of the appropriations committee and
the only measures introduced by him
relative to taxation were bills for
the creation of school for the deaf
and a school for the blind in his dis
trict at Vancouver. The records fail
to show that he ever originated any
measures for the benefit of the tax
payers.
He was chairman of the appropria-
tions committee of the senate in 1917
and that year the appropriations
showed an increase of $2,93O, ,018.99
and the following session appropriate
ed little more than a million dol
lars to take care of deficiency expen-
ditures said to be due to war condi-
tions.
As a member of the legislature it
does not require executive ability to
vote for or against proposed bills
nor does it require much initiative
to father the mediocre class of leg
islation offered by Mr.. French.
But the governorship is another
question.
The governor must have sufficient
executive ability to formulate poll
cies for the state. He must have SUI
ficient initiative to plan measures
for the relief of the taxpayer and ne
must have the business ability to
manage the states affairs efficiently
and economically.
The record Of Mr.. French in five
sessions of the legislature does not
measure up to the standard that
should be required of the states chlef
executive. He has failed to display
any Of the traits of leadership ana
his record is one barren OF initiative.
The greatest boon which any man
as governor can bring to the farmer
is reduction of the figures on ms
tax statement. The kind OF frlena
the farmers Of this state need IN the
executive chair is a man possessed
not alone of honesty of purpose and
good intentions but Of initiative, ag-
gressiveness, and the ability to get
results-a leader and not follower
To my mind Roland II. Hartley
possesses these characteristics, and
his record proves it, in a far greater
degree than any other of the numer-
Gus candidates. Gt m aeif
G.. C. Thomas is ENJOYING visit