The Enterprise, White Salmon, WA., October 25, 1912, page 8

RANCHER ON CO. DIVISION

EDITOR ENTERPRISE: --

     The most important question to us of Klickitat county is division and its adjutants.
     Speaking to different people I find different reasons for and against. One was against division because the objector did not understand how he could have a say in the name of commissioners, as he was a friend of the present incumbent and wanted him taken care of.
     But it is not a question of what we individually want?
     Over 1000 voters have said that they want division.
     Are we going back to the days before 1776? Does the Constitution mean anything? The 13 states were a smaller part of the great British Empire than the west end of Klickitat county is in comparison to the rest of the county. Yet the 13 states wanted division, and when their desire was not respected they fought for it. We are past the fighting stage. Over 1000 people said they want division. You in the east end and the west end who oppose it should respect the voice of the people. The cry was not the cry of a few politicians, but the people settled all over the west end of the county. It is hardly fair to class 1000 of us as politicians.
     We are willing to bear the burdens of division -- if any. We need no nurse to watch that we do ourselves harm. We feel that our interests in the west end are so diverse from those in the east end that we must be separated for convenient and economic reasons.
     Second in importance, is our representative. We must send a man to represent us who believes in division and represents majority rule, and preferably one who has property interests in the west end. We should encourage business men to enter politics. We have permitted lawyers out of jobs, professional politicians, tools of big interests, and others, to run this government long enough, therefore we see today a nation-wide unrest. Try the business man and thereby silence the too often severe saying, "Whoever enters politics besmirches himself."
     I am not boosting Mr. Spencer, the regular Republican nominee, merely for his sake. I see in him a man who first came out for a division for his main platform. Second, he and his family are heavily interested in White Salmon, Husum, Glenwood and the Snowden district. Even if he wanted to, he could hardly help himself without helping the whole west end. No district in the west end can refuse him support for fear of helping some "hated rival town."
     The east end should support him because he has the courage to come out boldly for an issue that he knows this section wants. He will support as boldly any issue that the east end wants if it affects them as much as county division does us.
     I have heard some objections because some persons fear the temporary county seat may not fall to their particular locality. The county seat should be in a town to which the majority of people in the county can get to over the best roads and in the quickest and cheapest manner. Further, after they get there they should be able to find sufficient accommodations to be able to eat and sleep if business requires them staying overnight, and court business would require several days and ample accommodations. It is right, then that we shall be allowed to vote for any place we want on the ballot to be submitted. In this way the majority will rule.
     Next, the name, Both the Unions advertise of our quality fruit as the famous White Salmon apple. White Salmon is an American name, is known in many parts of the country, and has cost money to advertise. Shall we lose all the value of this and take, for instance, some outlandish, unpronounceable Indian name? Shall we lose this advantage just because a town, realizing that the White Salmon river is the chief factor in bringing wealth to the people here did homage to it by naming its townsite, "White Salmon?" Make it White Salmon River County if you object to plain White Salmon.
     Lastly, many objections are based on the assumption that someone will be appointed commissioner who will especially favor himself and his friends. I, for one, believe that we can, and will, find three honest men in western Klickitat county.
     Forget petty jealousies, work and vote for county division. Work for the man who will work for you.

EUGENE KUHNE, Rancher.

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©  Jeffrey L. Elmer