The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1932-03-17
P @ LIT ICS
(By JIMMIE K. BROWNE)
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| (By JIMMIE X. BROWNE)
Seattle voters and taxpayers
have written in rather large print
across the political horizon of the
state Look, Stop, Listen" 1t
is warning that every candidate
for public office in the state should
heed this year.
| Boiled down the result of the Sc
attic election, one that ousted from
| office every candidate seeking re-
election excepting one member of
the school board, and an unopposed
corporation counsel, is warning
that taxes must be reduced and
costs of government curtailed
Promises have failed in the past
This year the club of an overburd-
ened taxpayer is being used.
There was but really one issue
in Seattle-high cost of govern
ment. The candidate who made
the most promises backed with a
| vigor that sounded most plausible,
that he intended to strip the city
hall clean and cut every expend-
iture to bedrock, was elected.
On top of this there was very
strongly entrenched, well organic
ed carefully matured minority
group, welded into a solid mass by
orators who charged that the
small taxpayer was being "sold
out in the interests of special priv
ilege," which used the tax weapon
to whip voters into line.
For years the radical groups
have sought to build political
machine. They have succeeded in
Seattle far beyond their widest
expectations, and the high cost Of
government has been the nourish-
ment the group has thrived upon.
This was not unexpected by stu
dents of politics and political
trends in recent years. It was not
so many years ago that socialistic
and communistic orators harran-
gued mobs in Seattle urging them:
Saddle every possible expense upon
the taxpayers, the business men,
| industry and homes. Build up the
cost of government. Vote bond is
sues. Tax wealth and property out
of existence, so that the state will
| have to take all over. Then we will
control government" They have
done just this in Seattle. They
are now on their way to take con-
troll.
Naturally the entire state is Wit
| ally interested. What Seattle does
reflects back into the hinderland.
The victory of the oragnized mi
nority, helped by q weary tax bur-
den people seeking any out, means
that this spring and summer the
drives for control at Olympia will
be underway.
| There will be the same well Or
ganized movement to seize control
of the open seat in the United
States senate and of the six seats
in the House Of Representatives.
The program is mapped out. The
ground work laid. The fight is al
ready underway, and with Seattle
furnishing the sinews Of war, the
outlook is not all bright.
The State Legislature has con-
sistently rejected similar bill in
this state session after session. II
the development of the ultra pro-
gressivism" continues, however
there is no telling what might
| happen at Olympia next winter.
The Norris bill has another fea-
| ture. It exempts labor organiza-
tions and leaders from liability fol
any damage inflicted by strikers
and labor sympathizers during la
Dor troubles, prohibits the fedora
/ courts fnom issuing restraining
orders to prevent destruction Of
property.
~
] Rumors persist that Edgar A
| Sims, for years the real power II
the state legislature, and one Of
the few members of that body
whose record for constructive leg.
islation is high, will become act.
| i've in the coming campaign, as 8
candidate himself. Sims persists ir
maintaining a clam-like silence al
this time.
i Reports also have it that Sims
| No. 1, the first financed attemp,
to explore oil sands on the Olym.
pic Peninsula has thoroughly dem.
onstrated that this state can pro-
duce, in commercial quantities