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Komen Comment
Former Simpson manager
could have been governor
~poere was a time when
helton was the hub of
litical power.
The year was 1924, and
Mark E. Reed, manager of
Simpson Logging Co., was
on the threshold of becoming
Washington's governor. It
was his for the taking.
His was a political career
that twice had him elected
Shelton's mayor and led him
to the speaker-
ship of the state
House of Repre-
sentatives. House
speaker wields
considerable pow-
er and influence,
often considered
second only to the
state's governor.
In exercising hisBy JOHN
House speaker's
authority, Reed, a KOMEN
Republican, won
a reputation for fairness and
integrity.
Not surprisingly, he led
the way for timber interests
in their efforts to resolve
complaints about a taxation
system viewed as unfair.
Along the way, with huge
majorities in the Legisla-
ture, Reed won cutbacks in
all property taxes -- not just
for timber barons -- and
proceeded to slash the state
budget, all the while sternly
opposing talk of an income
tax and winning improve-
ments in workers' compensa-
tion.
Reed's adamant stand
against a state income tax
would surely attract atten-
tion today. The income tax,
he sputtered, was "one of the
most vicious measures ever
presented" to the Legisla-
ture. He denied his opposi-
tion had anything to do with
his own high income.
The Republican majori-
ties that Speaker Reed en-
joyed were astonishing when
viewed from today's vantage
point. In 1921, the Senate
and the House each had only
one Democrat. Add to that
the widespread opinion the
state was taking in way too
much in taxes and you had
a field wide open for Reed's
brand of conservatism.
And so the governorship
beckoned. Some had called on
Reed to run as early as 1916
and again in 1920. But in
1924, he was boomed as the
"leading contender for the Re-
publican gubernatorial nomi-
nation," says Robert E. Ficken
in "Lamber and Politics," his
1979 biography of Reed.
The political winds
couldn't be more favorable.
The sitting governor was
Louis F. Hart. CHart suf-
fered from diabetes, a condi-
tion that helped induce a
rather lethargic personality,"
says Ficken. "As a result he
tended to defer to stronger
and more experienced men
like Reed."
"The Shelton lamberman
was seen both by support-
ers and by opponents of the
Hart Administration as the
power behind the
governor, the prin-
cipal source of ad-
vice on issues and
patronage."
So it was
thought if the weak
and ill Hart didn't
run, Reed would
be the Republican
candidate and eas-
ily win over the ex-
pected Democratic
nominee, Roland H.
Hartley of Everett, planning
a third try for governor.
Then came Hart's an-
nouncement. Citing his poor
health, he said he would not
run again in 1924. Shelton's
Reed was in a clear position
to become governor of the
state of Washington.
Except he didn't want it.
He cited business and family
commitments: 'The business
enterprises of which I am
the active head are passing
through a period of develop-
ment which calls for the clos-
est attention," he declared,
and bowed out of contention.
Shelton's political impor-
tance waned.
For Reed, tragedy was
ahead. Economic conditions
deteriorated, the 1929 Great
Depression struck and Shel-
ton suffered mightily. Then,
in 1930, a disgruntled, crip-
pled former Simpson worker
shot and fatally wounded
Reed's eldest son, Sol.
Devastated by the
28-year-old Sol's death,
Mark and Irene S. Reed re-
treated from Shelton. They
had long had Seattle con-
nections, and now Seattle
became their home.
A weakened Mark Reed,
suffering from amoebic dys-
entery he had contracted at
a conference in Chicago, died
in Seattle on Sept. 5, 1933.
He was 67.
• John Komen, who lives
on Mason Lake, was for 40
years a reporter and editor,
TV anchorman, national TV
network correspondent, pro-
ducer, columnist, editorial
writer and commentator. His
column, Komen Comment,
appears each week in the
Mason County Journal.
Mason County
S
While many Mason County they had brought home a statewrestlers -- Ben Anderson, Riley
residents enjoyed the championship, we're proud of Rifle and Benny Olivas -- joined
Presidents Day weekendthem. North Mason High School corn-
catching up on chores, spending State championship tourna- petitors Tyler Grewell, Chase
time with family or taking a brief ments -- in this case, wrestling's Davis, Tommy Marsh and Jon
vacation, more than a dozen lo- Mat Classic and the state swim- Day at the Tacoma Dome.
cal students were competing at ming and diving championshipsSix Shelton swimmers and
the highest level of high school -- mark the ultimate in competi- divers -- John Pentony, Troy
athletics, tion. Our local athletes sacrifice Krumpols, Harrison MacAlevy,
Seven Mason County wres- their personal lives, after-school Ryder Phelan, J.D. Clemens and
tlers, and six swimmers and div- activities and personal interests Sean Kealy -- took part at the
ers, competed at their state tour- to hone their sport of choice. King County Aquatic Center in
naments this past weekend. They must meet education re- Federal Way.
While these student-athletes, quirements in order to compete. Nice work, winter athletes.
as well as their coaches, would Otherwise, they're off the team. Let's hope our athletes this
freely admit that they wished Three Shelton High School spring can continue the trend.
INsI P oF USIt,l,6 TO
Ol /kL TI4/kT E E ELELTEP A POPE,
I4Y DON'T DEVELoI' AN AgP .'.P
Letters to the Editor
Response by
sheriff's office
lackluster
Editor, the Journal
On July 21, 2007, our camper
van was stolen. We had planned
to head to the coast the next
morning. The van was parked in
the carport next to our house and
was loaded with food and our per-
sonal property.
The refridgerator was on and
stocked with food and ready to go.
The van was found off of
Bloomfield Road south of Shelton.
And of course, it was trashed.
We called a wrecker and had
it towed to a junkyard and we
handed over the title.
Shelton's fine detectives took
fingerprints at this time. Several
prints were found. Here is the
kicker. That was in 2007 and we
have not heard anything about
it since. Personally, I think it's
a conspiracy. Your fine sheriffs
department simply can't handle
theft. It is easier to pick on jay-
walkers and minor offenses. If
you have something stolen in
Mason County, don't report it to
the sheriffs office. It's a waste of
time.
Jack Cedar
Mount Ida, Ariz.
Supermajority too
tough for schools
to reach for bonds
Editor, the Journal
The headline of the Feb. 14,
Journal said 'Voters reject school
bond measures." Wow, what a
negative way to update readers.
Could it have read "School bond
measures fail to reach 60 percent
majority requirement"?
Voters didn't reject the bond
measures. They were approved
by the simple majority of voters
in both Pioneer and Grapeview
areas. In Pioneer, the initial
count showed approval by 1,645
voters, with only 1,314 voting
against.
A simple majority is in my
mind completely adequate. I con-
sider any other value illogical.
There are obviously those who
can find reason for the 60 percent
or greater majority, and I'm not
qualified to dispute them. I also
respect the rights of those who
voted against the measure.
I will continue to urge my state
representatives to correct laws
to apply the simple majority, be-
cause I'm an old geezer, and know
that simple is better.
Lee Hatch
Shelton
See LETTERS on page A-5
USPS 492-800
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at 227 West Cota Street, Shelton, Washington
Mailing address: P.O. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584
Telephone (360) 426-4412 • www.masoncounty.com
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Page A-4 - Mason County Journal - Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013
Owned and published by
Shelton-Mason County Journal, Inc
Kari Sleight, publisher
Newsroom:
Adam Rudnick, editor
Natalie Johnson, reporter
Gordon Weeks, reporter
Emily Hanson, sports reporter
Advertising:
Dave Pierik, St. Acct. Executive
Maggie Burdick, ad representative
Front office:
Donna Kinnaird, bookkeeper
Rene~ Chaplin, circulation
Cricket Carter, mailroom supervisor
Composing room:
William Adams, graphics
Pressroom:
Kelly Riordan, production manager
Travis Miller, press operator
Mary Northover, 3rsss assistant
/