The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1924-07-17
The Why Of It
By A. R. GARDNER

By A. R. GARDNER
-N LAST WEEKS L ssUE Mr. Moores told the
readers that the editor had temporarily taken up
other work, but failed to inform them as to what
the other work is @@#.,Rs @-
editor expects during the next few weeks to de-
vote his time to furthering the campaign of Roland H.
Hartley for the republican nomination for governor
Why Hartley for governor? Because he is fundamen-
tally He believes that the great principles
government enunciated Declaration of Independ-
and safeguarded in the Constitution should be main
tanned unimpaired He has clear and cleancut concep
tion of the duties of the office of and has the
training the experience and the qualifications which
inenty fit him to discharge those duties. a- .1so
What have the fundamentals of American government
to do with the election of of the state of Wash
ngton? Just this Two great fundamentals laid down
by the founders of this country that this should be
republic with representative self government that
the governmental unit should be the individual citizen
the republic to be preserved these fundamentals must be
adhered to. It is fact however and regretabe fact
that the opportunity the citizen given function
directly in the less he functions inivd
ua and the less is fitness of the candidate made the stand
ard by which he determines who shall represent him. The
tendency of modern political life is for the citizen func-
tion at the polls what instead of who" He takes
the of the candidate not in terms of the cand
dates fitness but in the terms of his hobbies, preu-
dces antagonisms and casts his ballot not Individual
but member of occupational class, sectional
group civic league fraternal order religious sect
less less do cooperate individual cit
izens with other individual citizens determining the will
of the majority but and compete contend
and struggle with one another organized mnortes
seeking not to promote the public good but to gain
advantage special privilege for class group
As result encouraging waste extravaganza and in
efficiency in government and producing crop of dema
gogues bunk peddlers and empty promise makers who
hedge and tr and trade and ucke for votes and wealth
er Vane to the four winds of minority clamOr
From the standpoint of numbers and emphasizing
the dangerous tendencies of modern political life the CUB
ernaoria campaign promises to be everything that could
be desired Heaven knows there enough candidates.
there is organized minority which has not ready
made hand-medown candidate, don't know what it is
AS campaign starts find this candidate going after
the labor voe that candidate arter the soldier vote the
other candidate after the farmer vote the dry vote
the administration vote and thru the whole block
system sa13
The office of governor is not something to be given
anybody for anything. 1t not reward to be given
for past services in either pension to
be bestowed upon the veteran politician for long of
ofceholdng The governor is the states business
ager Under his direction large percentage of the mil
lions raised by direct and indirect taxation expended
and business ability business experience and business
success should be the outstanding qualifications of
candidate for the office
To my mind Col. Hartley stands out conspcuousy in
the field of candidates He has made two campaigns Both
been clean and courageous In both he has made
his appeal directly to the individual citizen. He has con-
fined himself to the issues directly affecting the office
to which aspires He has refused to cater to the
ronage politician submit to the dictaton domn
alton any class He has made it plain that he believes
the best represents any class section is that
who best and most fairly represents all classes and
tions. He of wide and successful business ex-
perence Too few of his type become candidates for pub
lie office
Aside from certain class antagonisms the only ar
gument raised against Col Hartley has been 1--WE can't win
with Hartley" So far am able to find out we means
bunch of politicians who have saked out the state of
Washington as their private political reserve and their
slogan interpreted means, "We can't work Hartley"
The patronage seekers, the political dcators not
be able to win with Hartley but the people of the state
of Washington believe in safe and sound
divorced from isms, nostrums and fads who believe In
the application efficient proven business methods